The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-18
NEWS AND COMMENT.

Assistant Postmaster General Merritt
has decided upon the designs for Il series
of new postage stamps for the island of
Cuba, and they will be supplied SIS
promptly as possible by the bureau of
engraving and printing in Washington.
The 1-cent stamp will bear representa-
tion of the statue of Columbus which
stands in the patio, or courtyard of the
captain generals palace at Havana. The
2-Cent stamp will bear Il map of Cuba (;
the Scent stamp a reproduction of the
statue Of La Cubana,' a female figure
in marble emblematic of the island,
which stands in one Of the parks of Ha-
Vana. The scent stamp will be decorated
with a picture of one of the new steam
ers of the New York and Cuba Mail
company and the 1O-Cent stamp will pre-
sent an agricultural scene, "a Cuban piow-
ing in a tobacco field with a yoke of oxen
and a group of royal palms in the back
ground. Another series of stamps or
equally appropriate designs will be made
for Porto Rico and a third set for the
Philippine islands. They will be fur-
nishcd by the United States, but the pro-
ceeds of their sale will be turned into
the local treasures until congress shall
order otherwise. All three of the new
colonies are to be treated by the post
office department as foreign countries
until some permanent form of govern
ment has been adopted for them, and the
old rates of postage will be maintained
It will require a scent stamp to carry Il
letter to cuba and Porto Rico as before
Saws the Sun: Nearly 900 pounds
of coffee were imported into the United
States during the fiscal year ending July
/. 1895, an increase over the year preced-
ing of more than 100, 900 900 pounds. Dur
ing the same period tea to the amount
of q, 900, 900 pounds was imported into the
United States, against 1l5,00O,OO0 pounds
of tea in the year preceding. Whlie the
average consumption per capita OF TEA
has remained stationary for twenty-five
years the popularity of coffee as drink
has been steadily increasing. The coffee
imported into the United States comes
chiefly from Brazil, which furnished last
year 665, 100000 of the S70,O0O000 pounds re-
ceived From other South American
states 90 OOO, 900 pounds was imported into
this country, from Mexico and Central
America 70OO0OO0 and from the West IN
dies, chiefly Cuba and Porto Rico, 6'dvO =
400. Porto Rico is great cotfeo-produc-
ing island and its commerce with lile
United States must be largely increased
under the newly established conditions
Nearly 5,000,0)0 pounds OF coffee was I'M
ported into the United States from ASIA
and OCeanlCtL ltlSl year. CllltllN ilOlil li'-
wall, and the trade with Hawaii in cor
fee seems certain to he increased in the
future. too. Thus all economic conditions
appear to be favorable to the growing
popularity of coffee as IA drink, ana no
like conditions favor the more extended
popularity of tea. Not only was me
consumption of coffee in the United
States larger last year than ever pre-
viOusly in the history of the country.
but it was larger per capita than ever
before ana was exceeded by two coun-
tries only Holland and Denmark, the per
capita consumption of coffee in Holland
being % pounds and i'm Denmark l5,
against II In the United States.
According to the Independents le-
ligious census for 1895 the church mem
hership of the United States is over $50, %
O0O. .OO0. The four bodies of the Catholic
faith are the stronges ST denomination, eN-
ceeding the Methodsts. who are 5,IoOOoO'
by 10000 The Baptists have 44s5'om'
the Presbyterans 1,500.OOO, the Jews l.
200 900, the Lutherans, l,oO0,OOO ANA the
Disciples Of Christ triie over million,
The numbers then run down TO the Or
thodox Schwenkfeldians who have a
membership of but 3O6 The Church OF
the New Jerusalem is the only one which
IL charged with a loss. its numbers hav-
ing been reduced by 972 during the year.
The Catholics have increased by 2lais
the Methodists by 10000 and the others
except the one namsd, proportonateiN
with their nrevious strength,