Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-01-31
CAPITAL CHAT.
Maine Druggists Want Medi-
cine Stamp Tax Repealed.
A Novel Postal Experiment to Be
Made in Kennebec Valley.
Interesting Petitions from Maine PeopIc-Bar
Harbor's Public Building

especially of Maine and Vermont. ara
making themselves heard through pc
titions here in Washington. asking for
repeal of the stamp tax TN proprietary
medicines, cosmetics and the like. \
number of petitions have already been
filed before the two brances Of Con
gress, from New England and other
parts of the country. The tax has
proved burdensome to druggists and as
is the case with some other Occupa
tions. appeals have been made for re
lief to the House committee on ways
and means.
There is no probability that Congress
will relinquish any Of the stamp taxes.
at this session. The late Representa-
tive Dingley, before his death. declared
that it would be some time before the
national expenses would warrant the
abolition of this great revenue yielding
statute. 1t is especially difficult to in
duce the committee on ways and
means to act Very properly the mem
bers take the view that if they reduce
the duty on one article or schedule
there win be n clamOr from other quar-
tiers that cannot be ignored. In a
large body like the House the members
who want different laws passed. form
combinations with each other to stand
by certain enactments. If once a bill
gets into the House to reduce tariff
or revenue duties there is no telling to
what extent it will go.
Along the same line there has been
considerable demand for reduction Of
the duty on printing paper. No bill has
yet been introduced by Il Republican
for that purpose. hut the P0pulistS and
Democrats have been very prolific in
such measures. One Of the latest is by
Representative Bell of Colorado. a
Populist. the bill proposing that the
customs duty on printing paper. sized.
unsized, or glued. suitable only fer
books and newspapers be reduced to
. per cent. al valOrem. The great rise
in price of printing paper has made
many newspaper prOprieturs FESTIVE in
recent months.
In the line of tariff duties there is an
interesting petition from citizens Of
Denmark Me. which shows what
variety Of national topics the citizens
Of Maine are Interested in. The petit
ton is from 4. II. Whitman and ether
residents Of that town. praying that
customs tariffs be entirely abolished
from the island of Porto Rico. 1t used
TO he said about the Capitol a year
ago. that Maine people took little in
terest in the issues affecting tha WeSt
Indies or the Philippines, that they
were mainly Interested in seeing the
war with Spain fought to a glorious
finish. and. later. in seeing the author
ity of this country maintained in the
Philippines.
But the petitions that come in to the
Maine senators and representatives
these days are often regarding the
administration of law in these sam"
islands. Representative Allen Of Alfred.
has just presented to the House petj-
tion of the Woman Suffrage Associa-
ton Of Maine asking that perfect
equality Of rights. civil and political.
shall be secured to the women of
Hawaii. Porto Rico. cuba. and tn,
Philippines. All these petitions 80 Is
the committee that has charge Of in
sular matters. the insular committee
in the House and the Senate committee
on Pacific islands ana Porto Rico.
It Maine petitioners want to accom-
modate the government printers when
they forward their petitions regarding
Porto Rico they should spell the word
Puerto Rico" Although many Of the
newspapers still insist on the simpler
spelling, whenever the name appears
in the Congressional Record or other
government publications it is spelled
Puerto Rico
The officials of the post office depart
ment are awaiting the outcome Of the
postal experiment to be tried in the
Kennebec valley with no little concern.
Sealed proposals have been asked for
carrying the United States mails from
from China. Me, by East Nassalbor0
and North Vassalboro to Nassalboro
and back six times a week. The unique
feature of this is that the mail carriers
will be required to receive mail for res
idents along the route. The people of
Vassalboro will have the distinction of
being the first to be given this oppor-
tunity save only a few people in the
state of South Carolina. Through
Gov. Burleigh's influence, the postmas-
ter general directed that the expert
ment should be tried in the Pine Tree
State. The method by which the poo-
pie along the mail route may receive
their mail by government carrier and
the conditions for bidding for the con
tract are described in the following:
Any person living on or near the r1utt
herein described who desires his mail tie
posted in box on the line If the route
by the carrier on said route may provide
and erect a suitable box on the roadside
located in such manner as t. be reached
as conveniently as practicable by the
carrier, and such person shall file with
ne postmaster Mt the post office to which
ms mail is addressed (which shall he one
oi the Two post offices on the route on
tlther side of and next to the box re
quest IN writing for the delivery of his
man 70 the carrier on the route for de
p3Sit IN said mail box at the risk ut the
III shall be the duty of the postmaster
~ every such post Office on a written or
ger from any person living on or near the
route, 70 deliver 10 the mail carrier auN
mai matter, except registered mali witt
insruCtons as to the proper mail box
INTO WhlCh said mail matter shall he de-
posted nut no mail matter so delivered
~ carrier lor deposit shall be carried
piEt another post office on the routa ha-
Tore being deposited in A mail NAV
Inc carrier will he REQUIRED II rncoi,.o
IRON any postmaster on the r0,,te ~.
fhal matter that may be intrustcd n him
outSide OF the usual mail bag ana sbati
carry such mail matter to ana denosit T.
IN the proper boxes placed al thn li,' /,
the route for this purpose. sucb ~; ~
ny the carrier to be without charge - ~ IL
addresses. "' 9c 70 the
me mail carriers must he able - r,,i
ana write the English lancuaga ,,d III
Of Sufficient intelligence to pronerIv 4, !,
die ard deposit the mail for HIVES Ia t%,i,
the route. >'9 ttolI-