Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-07
CAPITAL CHAT.
The Pre- sent Loud Bill Salts
factory to Maine.
Augustus High Rank in Second-Class
Mail Matter.
Prominence Of Three Maine Men in the Sen
ator Ciark's Case.

Washington, d. c.. March 6.-(SpeciaD.-
The efforts that Representative Loud Of
California. had TO make to secure the fix
ing Of a date 10 consider the bill to amend
the postal laws make ii clear that there
will b. some opposition to the Bills pas
sage. While the committee on postofficcs
and postroadS was unanimous in askinS
a day for considering the bill, there Were
many questions in the House about the
purport of the bill and Representative
Bell of Colorado. a Populist, minated
that ne should try to create trouble IN
less there was 4 provision for the gov
eminent owning its own postal cars Mr..
Bells capacity for making trouble, TO ~
sure. isn't very large but he is one ~
the longest inded gentlemen under the
shadow Of the dome and for years ne
has been crying out against the prices
paid by the government for its postal
cars. That is one of his many Populis-
tic hobbies.
Nevertheless the bill will have some
opposition and the three days of debate.
which will begin March 70. according To
the special order of the House. will brinG
out at least several speeches against
the passage of the bill Already not a
few petitions have been received IRON
various interests that have been put i'll
danger by the bill. 1t is doubtful if these
will be able to impede its favorable con-
sideration but they are serious enough
to assure night. Representative Moody
of Massachusetts, who is not a mtmber
of the postoftice committee but who
served ON the postal commission that in
Vestigated the cost Of transporting the
mails. is very friendly to the measure
He will work shoulder to shoulder with
Chairman Loud ana the two will be able
in all probability To push the bill through
the House.
1t is understood here that the Maine
publishing firms desire the enactment Of
the bill in its present form into law.
While they prefer the present postal ar
rangemcnts it is nevertheless regarded
as certain that some change must be
made and the Maine firms. it is said.
have indicated that they would rather b.
placed upon some sure footing. The bill.
with the amendment that GOV. Burleign
secured in committee touching the rate
for second-class matter, with the 1OO0
mile clause stricken out. is understood to
be entirely satisfactory and the only anX-
iety on the part OF the Maine people is
that that clause shall not be put back in
10 the bill. Coy Burleigh and his friends
in the House will watcn il carefully ana
the probabilities are that the Maine sen
atOrs can take good care vi the bill in
the Senate.
The results Of tn weighing q Angus
ta's mail by the officials last October
have just been mad, public here in re
port promulgated BY the pOStDttice de-
DIrtmemt The governments took tn .
weight of mail Tor q period Of thirtY-HVe
days between october and November o
To determine the rate that should be paid
to railroads for transportation. In thir
ty-tivr days the total weight Of Angus
ta's mail Of all classes was ~ 'cM pounds
ana five ounces. OF this 1l!J per cent
was the weight of equipment the tor
eisn mail was pretty liSht, only l2N
mail matter handled b. the Augusta
postofiico during that period weighed
4.4Oi.3 or two and quarter tons. That
is a very good showing when it is re
membered that tirst-class matter com
prises letters that hear two cent stamps.
The weight Of second-claSs matter
pounds and Twelve ounces ON which post
age WIS paid. There were 2J0j pounds
and seven ounces OF matter that was fire.,
in the county. The third and fourth
class matter weighed during thirty-tiye
days amounted to :3.4i2 pounds ana -
ounces. The government .rtc matter
weighed 1886 pounds ana ounces more
and the equipment, like pouches ana
sacks i'll which Ill this mail Of differ
cnt classes was transported weighed H.
S21 pounds more. 50 the total weight of
mail for Augusta in the thirty-fivc day
bcriud named was tar and away beyond
that Of any other poStoiicc in Maine.
The weight of mail during tie same time
At Portland. which is the lLrGrSJ postyi-
flee east "l Boston weighed only 121.5,2
pounds and fourteen ounces. The total
matter At the Bang r Sfiice weighed more
l62 .5N pounds ana two ounces.
Congress has settled down this week to
thr consideration ui contested election
cases. one Maine man. Repre- sentative
Roberts Of Massachusetts. formerly ~
Madison. is having hand i'll several con-
tests as ne is member uf one OF the
election committees lie signed the re-
publican. who wants tn" scat occupied
by Representative Young of Norfolk.
Va In North Carolina contest. that 81
Pearson and Crawford, Mr.. Roberts drew
tn" minority report and wi / uud ruhtpdly
make Il speech on the contest when it is
brought INTO the House. That may not
be- for some time yet Usually TWO 81
three days are given in the House fnr the
consideration OF an election contest and
At the cnd Of the argument t. which few
people listen as a general rule, the yOt.
is taken.
Representative Roberts il making
fight III behalf of tie Baker family that
At Lake city. 5. C.. som" two wars 700
and has introduced a bill to give Mrs.
Baker Il pension of - a moaih on Lt-
count Of the shooting of he? husband. an
unoftending negro. simply because the
people there did not wan. negro post
master. The family of a widow ana five
or six children now reside in Mr.. Rob
ertS' home city Of Chelsea.
Representative ANA Mrs. l.ittlcticld and
Representative ana Mrs. Burlcigh have
not yet taken their plojegted "trip y, IN,
battlefield uf Bull Run. They have been
talking about il tor some weeks but the
Virginia roads arc 50 impas+ible n this
time of year that the Maine people VIII
probably wait till tn, weather is a little
warmer The trip is m ideal one when
the temperature and the footing are
good.
Three Montana statesmen. who have
been here in connection with the investi-
cation If Senator w. \. Clark are pack
ing up their effects to leave Washington
after pleasant stay Of two Or three
months. They are al Maine PEOPLE. com
prisirni Mr.. W. NJ. B;ckford Of Butte.
formerly Of Pcnobscot county and AZ one
time student at Maine Central lnsti-
tute in PittStield, Mr.. James Il. Donovan
Of Great Fails. formerly Of AndrnscnSsin
county and 4 graduate Of Bowdoin COL
lege in the class Of 1881. and Mr.. 5. 5.
Hartwell. formerly of I.imington, Ne
The Clark contest has been long drawn
out and people of Washington are heart
lily glad to he rid of it. There will be
many arguments Yet TO hear before the
Senate finally decides.
DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup prevents
consumption. One-iifth Of the deaths in
cities Is due to consumption caused BY
neglected colds. DR. HuiIs Couch Svrun