Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-13
NO RECEIPTS ARE GIVEN.
vexations in the Redemption of Reve-
.'No; we don't give no receipts. :

nerly ill expression as it was faulty III grammatical form. The speaker was chunky, swarthy man. in his shirt sleeves. A badge on his suspender indl- cated his connection with the internal revenue service of the United States. He stood behind the railing in the dep uty collectors office for the Third New York district The office is on the north side of East Twenty-third street, a few doors from the old Academy of Design. Here, as in other branches of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, is played the last act but one of the com edy entitled War Taxes" Here un- used stamps are presented for redemp- tion. The very last act will deal with the payment for the stamps. When the payment will be made the intelligent and obliging clerks do not know. Stamp-holders will probably have to wait many months for their money.
 A citizen calling at the Twenty-third street office to assert his rights under the law is made to feel that he is a stranger, whose room is more to be de sired than his company. One caller thus tells the National Advertiser of his experience;
 T have bought stamps pretty close ly, Knowing months in advance that the law would be modified and several i'm portant provisions in it repealed. So had on hand a stock of less than fifty dollars worth of stamps when July 1 came around
 No sign in the front part of the office told me where to go. 1 had my af11davit and stamps under my arm, ready, to file my claim as soon as I could ind the proper person to file it with. The deliberation with which gov ernment business is conducted, and the red tape that hampers the simplest transaction with the Washington au- thorities have not changed since Mark Twain wrote his story of the famous beef contract. I found that out before had been in the place five minutes.
 An unhelmeted policeman, who looked like a man that knows a soft snap when he strikes it, directed me down long-drawnaa aisle between rows of desks. leg 59e4
 "'They'll tend to you down at the end,' said the cop. 8 o%ee a
 Near the end a man popped out of the enclosure. He reminded me of the servants in Balzac's story who acted as if they knew they were overpaid. I asked him where I could hand in my stamps.
 '''I guess you had better see MT -" Before he uttered the name he was so far away that did not catch it. Poor fellowi It was a sultry day. and I suppose he was thirsty.
 Continuing my walk, I arrived at the end of the aisle. On my left a man who had just put on his hat and coat stood talking with another, who sat at a desk. The man who stood said he probably could not see somebody be- fore o'clock.
 Probably not said the man at the desk.
 In that case I won't come back here a.ft3 84h E 'i .Nothin' ydoin'I as date as that re 1plied the other servant of the republic, as if pained at the idea of working af- ter o'clock.
 "Then repeated my question about the stamps.
 ""Cross the way; first desk,' was the answer 1 got. Revenue clerks seem to think brevity is the soul of wit when stranger asks them for information. Several men were near the first desk across the way. They glanced at me and continued their various occu- pations, but for several minutes no body had the curiosity to come to the front and find out what I wanted. May be it was nobody's business. Or per- haps the budding politicians feared that I had brought in the. germs ot small-pox,o or of hard work.
 ''Finally dark-faced man approach. | ed and said, 'Well!
 '1 told him what my errands was. would have read the affidavit through if. by so doing, l. could have secured that measure of courteous attention which shopkeeper, however great, is glad to bestow upon customer, how ! ever humble t No; we don't giyene receipts was 1 the almost surly answer to a civil and l think, wholly reasonable question I left the stamps and the affidavit | am no longer young, and my health is l far from robust. I have made a vii | disposing of my little estate. shal add codicil bequeathing my claim fol unused revenue stamps to my youngest | child, who may live to collect the l money"
 The whole business of war taxes has been an exasperating nuisance. While l the war with Spain lasted there was nc l grumbling to speak of. That we could | lick Spain out of her boots with one hand tied behind us was a foregons conclusion. But it costs q pile oi money to beat even q bankrupt, ram shackle relic of the middle ages lik, the Spanish monarchy.s Beside, ther, l was reason to believe that the Don' might get help from their neighbors They got nothing but moral support which does not sink ships.
 When the fighting was over the de
 mands for modification of the staml
 act was prompt and general. Nothing
 was done. Congress met in December
 1899, with full knowledge of publi
 sentiment. Months were spent in idl
 talk. and when the hour of adjourn
 ment came no relief had been devis
 ed. The secretary of the treasury ha,
 money enough to redeem 100000
 in old bonds. The revenue was ample | Tlnr% fofx afr,o