The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-12

slew Payment of the Rebate of Tobacco
Tax.
The Treasury Department is making sad
work of the tobacco rebate claims. 1t is sc
slow, so very slow. 1t is now over year since
| the tax was reduced and the payment of these
| claisas has Just begun. we ars paying them
at the rate of about forty day." said one Of
the revenue officials; 81 think we average
about forty checks sent out every day. There
are about 4S 900 in all, little over that
think. We hope to get on faster by and by"
At this rate the time required for the pay
ment of all these claims will be 1900 working
days or just four years, making the time from
the passage of the act until their complete pay
ment five years or more"
Higher Prices for the Next Wheat Crop.
There are indications that the prices for the
grain crop of the coming season may be better
than those realized last season. Last
years wheat crop of the world was very light
Tits remarkable fact, but fact nevertheless,
that about two years are required to distribute
the wheat crop and get it consumed. The
consequence is that the effect of the short crop
of the world is not felt until the second year.
The effect of the very full crop of two years
ago was only felt last year, when it reduced
prices of grain to minimum. The average
wheat crop of the world for the past ten years
has been ], 200, 900 bushels. That of two
years aga was 1850 600, 900. or 100 600 900 bush
els above the average, while that of the past
year was but little over 100,000,000 bushels,
or 200, 600, 600 below the average. The result
is likely to be, it is believed by agricultural
experts here, moderate increase in prices of
grain and better times for the growers. Yet
in view of the competition with the cheap la
Dor of Russia and India in the markets of the
world the wheat growers of this country must
be content with small profits.
ITO the Associated Press1
HI DIV the Bill for the Augusta Postof1ce
was Passed.
On Thursday the House passed bills au-
thoriziDg the erection of government build
ingsin four different cities. The last bill fin
ished by the committee of the whole was one
for new building at Augusta, Maine, which
Mr.. Milliken supported in a vigorous speech
Among the reasons he gave why il should pass
was that Augusta is about the only State cap
ital in the Union in which there is no govern
ment bulldog. just before the vote was TAX
en-, Mr.. Milliken, who was standing on the
Democratic side, became involved in violent
altercation with Mr.. Storm of Pennsylvania
The other Maine Congressman hurried to the
support of their colleague and the friends of
ECONOMY" rallied around their champion.
Hot words few thick and fast, threatening
gestures were exchanged and it seemed for a
moment as though blows might follow. There
was great excitement and disorder and tenn
pest of verbal fury swept through the hall, but
Mr.. Milliken's hackers were so numerous and
SO noisy that his opponent was compelled to
give up the contest.
Another account Of this scene says An exct-
ing controversy arose over the Augusta bill,
which appropriates $3.50 900. Mr.. Milliken
made speech, setting forth the need OF
building and the large post Office business
done there. Mr.. McAdoo, young New Jer-
seyan, vigorously opposed it. He denounced
the whole business as worse than the river and
harbor bill, and nothing less than systematic
log-rollipg. Mr.. McAdoo went on to declare
that this public building combination is syn
dictate of localized selhshness. He complained
that the House knew nothing ABOUT the bills,
save as it was told by members interested in
them, whom he thought to be unfair jurors
He disclaimed auy reflections upon Mr.. Milf
ken. Mr.. Holman admitted that Augusta
ought to have building, but he thought $780,
900 enough, and especially as the granite quar-
rieS are SO near. The pension Office
at Augusta, he predicted, would soon be
abolished by consolidation. Why New ALBANY
In his State with twice the population, should
not have as much as Augusta, was more than
Holman could understand. Mr.. Milliken said
he only wanted money enough to put uD
proper building, but the site alone lie Au-
gusts would cost from $25, 900 to $40 000 Mr..
Storm rose and asked Milliken how he had
voted and how he intended to- on the other
bills intimating that there was a combination
to put them all through. Mr.. Milliken said
that Storm was not his confessor, and it was
none of his business. Mr. Milliken said he
voted as his conscience dictated, and de-
nounced the opposition as made up of hypo-
critics and cheats. Mr.. Storm amid a perfect
howl from the majority, reiterated that Milf
ken did not dare to vote against any bill for
fear bis own woald be defeated. Finally the
amendments were voted down, and Augusta
went into the list of fortunate towns whose
claims have been granted