The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-04
A MILLION FOR MAINE.
Bangor Whig.l


The Democratic organs that have tuned up
their loudest pipes in deEunciation of the
"extravagance" of the Fifty-First Congress
are very careful to omit reference to the
iact, OF special interest to the people OF
Maine, that one of the acts of justice stub
bornly refused by successive Democratic
Congresses, which swells the appropriations
OF the FIfty-First, is that for the refunding
Of the Direct Tax which restores to the
State Treasury of Maine the sum of 1857.
702. 90 contributed by our people to carry on
the war for the preservation Of the National
Government.
Some Of the states responded to the assess-
ment of the District Tax and some did not !;
ana the Democrats in Congress, under the
lead OF the members from the seeding
States, refused to provide that the delinquent
States should pay their share or that the
money should be refunded to those that had
paid.
In resisting this measure of justice to the
loyal States the Democrats held the House
In deadlock for days and nights In the pre-
yious Congress, and nothing but the adop.
ton OF rules to enable the majority to con-
troll legislation rendered it possible for the
Republicans Fifty-First Congress to make
this just reimbursement to Maine and other
States.
The draft of the United States Treasury
for the full amount of the refund awarded to
Maine by the last Congress was mailed to
the State Treasurer on 31st ult., and the tax
nearly half million of dollars, as one of the
legacies of the Fifty-First Congress.
Free sugar saves Maine $4,000 a year.
Another great gift of the Republican Fifty
First Congress to the people of Maine is the
reduction of two cents per pound on that
prime necessary Of life, the sugar that is
consumed to the extentof between fifty and
sixty pounds year per capita,
Yesterday the free sugar clauses of the
slandered Mckinley Bill went into effect,
sweeping off at one stroke nearly sixty mil.
lions OF duties that were really taxes upon
our own people. because this country has
been unable to produce anywhere near
enough sugar to supply our own market or TO
regulate the price. 1t has been estimated
that England consumed In 1889 60, and the
United States 80 pounds of sugar per capita,
and the reduction of price by taking off the
duty is expected to run our consumption up
to 60pounds per capita. But taking So pounds
as an estimate, the consumption of sugar by
the 631, 0S6 people of Maine will amount to
over 100000 of pounds per year; and the
reduction of two cents per pound means an
actual, palpable, annual saving to the PEG,
pie of this State of about $4,000.
To the 62,622.000 people of the United
States it means saving Of some $50, 900, 600
in the price Of one Of the indispensable sup
plies alike for the table of the rich and the
poor.
The working-men of the country, over
whose imaginary taxation of an additional
cent on the price of a tin dinner-pail, which
will also be cheapened by the operation of
the new tariff, can take their old dinner
pals to the corner grocery and save the price
OF a new pail every time they fill it with
sugar at the reduced price for which they
and their families are indebted to the
Republican Fifty-First Congress-