Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-07-13

. feet in the revenue laws have cause
the greatest amount OF fuss. Will
overhauling the top story Of the Treas
ury department one day last week j
search Of news, your correspondent
found his way into a large room file
with several rows of large tables a
at which were seated about fifty ladie!
varying from fifteen to fifty years c
age. Each lady held in her hand
little instrument which xept up an in
cessant clicking. reminding one OF tn
noise made by telegraphlc instru
ment. Upon inquiry it was ascertain
that these ladies were temporary EN-
ployees. carried upon the rolls of tn.
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing. en-
gagged in canceling the internal revenue
stamps printed on bank checks. L
will be remembered that at the last
session of Congress the tax on tobacco
was reduced from sixteen to eight cents
per pound, and the two cent stamp on
bank checks was abolished !; that is, the
law to that effect will be put in force
from the first Of July. All tobacco
l law Was pas passed edna had to be changed to
conform to the provisions Of the new
law. That made additional work for
the Bureau Of Engraving and Printing.
The alteration was printed across the
face Of the stamp, and they were reissu-
ed just as if they we're new. With the
bank stamps it is different. Many of
the banks have their own checks and
drafts with the stamps printed upon
them. These are made into books,
some ofwhich are gotten up on very
elaborate scale. Most of the banks do
not like to lose the checks, though
the stamps printed on them are now
worthless, and the department has
consented to return the books after
canceling the stamps and noting the
amount of rebate. The number of
stamps in each book is first counted
by an expert from the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing and count thereof
taken. The books are then passed to
the ladies at the long tables before
who. with small hand
stamp, print the word Cancelled
across the face of the stamp, and the
books ofchecks are ready to go back to
the bank from whence they came. One
Of the employees said that over,
1 200, 900 bank stamps have thus far
been Cancelled in this way, and there
Ire probably several millions more to
De disposed of in the same manner.
The shadow of former greatness as
represented in the person Of Roscoe
-onkling lowered about the city few
lays recently, and of course all the
newspaper men made an effort to
pump him for some kind of a sensation.
Upon being asked whether he had
eally undertaken to write a book to
:ome out along with Blain's, as report
ID, Mr.. Conkling said: "No, have
neither the time nor the inclination to
vnte a book. I have to much else to
attend to. Why, I never thought of
;uch thing" The austere states
nan is growing old rapidly, and his
pointed Venetian beard is full of gray.
He says he is out Of politics, and too
Door to get in again but he discussed
certain measures of the Administration
With good deal of old caustic manner.
asked him if he had called on the
and he said he had no bust
less to transact at the White house,
md he had no time to 60 where bust.
less did not take him. He is a very
zen observer of events, l should
Judge. and is observing the course OF
rs old friend in the White house with
good deal of interest, not entirely
Inmixed with gentle astonishment.
lie spoke with enthusiasm ofthe might
nd power of the west, and Said he had
'een to St. Louis for the first time, and
hat it seemed to have more of the ele-
nents offuture greatness than any city
a the west. He thought the great
centering there would make
the depot of all the vast region be
ondit, now opening up so rapidly,
nd promising to grow in wealth and
over beyond anything in the history
f the country. Upon general political
.atters MI. Conkling was silent. Was
red of the jealousies and IVORY of
Official life, and that it was impossi-
lie for any one deeply in 1t to have any
lends. and in future he should devote
imself to his professional pursuits
nd does not intend to get left. In the
of the internal revenue COL
.ctors in New York his hand is plainly
isible. The Twenty-frst, Twenty S
'urth and Twenty.rixth Interal Reve- {
ue districts have been consolidated, I
le Office removed from Auburn to t
II. Conkling's own town. Utica, and {
ames Armstrong, his particular friend
as been made collector. This indi- I
ates that he has by no means last in t
rest in political matters, and it is an
pen secret that Conkling's visit here I