The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-04-11
WASHINGTON.
Private Die Stamps.

rhlVate lie stamps.
WASHINGTON, April 10-The Commissioner
| OF internal Revenue has under consideration a
| proposition for the surrender by the govern.
ment OF the plates used for printing private die
| stamps after the first of May, when the stamp
| tax repeal goes into effect. Commissioner
haum said that such surrender would be
| mere matter of grace, as underthe contract
| with the manufacturers the plates belong to
the United States. He was disposed, however,
to accommodate the manufacturers as far as
possible. ln some cases the DETACHMENT OF the
stamp engraved from these plates viii be so ex-
tensive as to make them valueless for other
purposes. The Commissioner also said that
owners OF private die plates found it to their
advantage to incur the expense of making
them, Tor the reason that that stamp consti-
tutes their trade mark, and also because by so
doing they get large discount on stamps.
Court OF Claims,
Ia the Court of Claims today the first case
under the Bowman" act passed at the last
session OF Congress, was filed, having been re-
Ierred to the court by the Secretary of War
This was a claim for S26,664 made by Major
General John Pope, q. s. Army, for differ
elce OF pay between that OF a brigadier gem
eral and that Of major general while he was
on duty by assignment of the President ae-
cording to his brevet rank from April lst
1861, TO October Both, 1882.
The New Postmaster General.
The new Postmaster General, Judge Gre
snan, arrived here this evening.
An Extra Session of Congress Wanted.
A memorial has been sent to Congress by the
directors OF the central committee on national
sion of Congress for the purpose of considering
relations between labor and capital.
The Condition of the Crops.
The Department Of Agriculture reports the
condition of the winter grain crop on the first
Of April over its entire breadth. In Michigan
and other Northern territories wheat is still
covered with snow. In the Ohio Valley winter
protection has been partial for term locally
varying from three to ten weeks after which O
loss from freezing was quite general. The
average depreciation is greater ia the upper
part Of the Ohio Valley and in Kansas thaa
elsewhere. East OF the Alleghanies the condi.
tion is good in the northern belt, declining
slightly in the lower latitudes. 1t is not no to
the average in any part of the South. The
average for the crop is so. Last April it was
lOi, IN 1881, So Most observing reporters have
examined the roots and in many cases have
found them healthy while the plants are
brown. Thsre is good reason for believing the
real condition of wheat is therefore less uu-
promising than it seems. Averages OF condi-
tion in states Of large production are: New
York lOl, PENNSYLVANIA 50, Ohio 10, Kentucky
80, Indiana 70, Michigan 93, Illinois so, Mis-
souri, So, Kansas 20, and California g.
The average of winter wheat varies little
from last years breadth. Returns indicate an
Asx A1sA1As1 q. utl4 tAV
and Missouri one per cent decrease; California
10 per cent increase. A slight decrease appears
in the Gulf States Returns OF quantity OF
seed used per acre indicate tendency to thinner
seeding. Ten years ago about six pecks per
acre were used. Now less than five and g hall
are used In the winter wheat region. The IL
creasing use of the drill admitted OF this econ
omy. The acreage Of winter rye Is 80 per
cent OF last years breadth. Average condi-
tion is 81.
Returns received by the department Of agri-
was in progress on ti5 first Of April, but has
not been anywhere finished
In Dakota and parts of Minnesota it had
hardly commenced large areas being still Gov
cred with snow. The department therefore
does not attempt to anticipate the probable
yield Of spring wheat.
Howgate Seen in Washington.
It is reported that II. w. Howgate, ex-sig-
nal officer who escaped from custody OF the
bailif in this city about year ago, was seen
on street here to-day by an officer OF the
signal service.
An Architectural War in Prospect.
a. b. Mullett, late supervising architect Of
the Treasury, has filed protest with the Sec
retary OF State against what he considers an
improper change in the plan OF the new State
Department. The plan consists in the lower
ing Of the north front OF the War Department
extension to correspond with tho north front
OF the Treasury building. An architectural
war is likely to follow.
Whiskey Matters.
The Internal Revenue Bureau has inioFma-
ton that the whiskey men having been unsuc-
cgssfyl in their efforts TO export bonded spirits
10 Canada, viii now export TO Bermuda. A
considerable amount has already been shipped