Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-01-10
rArsE CUSTOMS DISTRICTS.
.,,., 70 Reduce Number Of Onlcers
In state Of Maine.

rss task Of recognizing MAine's Gus
-. a;stricts ia being tackled again. The
~. .s,nr has been tried many times, but
,here always was hitch when Maine re-
ss.h,icans in senate and House interposed.
w the treasury department las gained
....x Roadway, and il looks ss though the
.,.,,nr would acquire some momentum
,hs democratic House. Whether the
m.,ne democratic senators, with no pat
..,,sge nj stake, will care to try to prevent
~ nroposed reduction in the number OF
.vrnloyces ct Maine's several custoni-
honses remaius to be developed.
the bill. which Rep. William Il. Cox, OF
,,aiana. proposes to introduce is general
one. applying to all parts OF the country.
/, has been worked out in the main BY the
asnartment OF the treasury, which has
.r,aryision OF the customs collections.
usariugs have already been conducted by
the committee on expenditures In the
,ss,ury department, Of which Mr.. Cox is
.hsirman. The treasury department
s.ystbat the enactment OF the bill into
,.w would work saving Of bet~een s90,-
D and 100000. and bring about greater
se;ciency in the customs service.
Maine now has thirteen customs collec-
Tors few OF whom draw much OF any sal
sry. As senator Hale explained some
vsars ago, when an effort to abolish sew
sral Of these was on foot, these collectors
r.rform q great service In preventing
smuggling and their value to the govern
ment is not apparent in the totals Of re-
ceipts of customs at their respective ports.
However, there Is good prospect that the
democratic House will pass such bill and
likely as not, 1t will be incorporated upon
one OF the appropriation bills, carrying
funds for the customs service, as a rider.
This would give II good chance OF bvcom-
ing law, II could not be fought as effect
iyely in the Senate under such tactics and
the democrats may thus force its enact
ment into law. That IL their present plan.
The bill has not been put into its final
form yet, but the purpose is to make four
collection districts rs follows.
I. Aroostook district, with Houlton as
the place Of residence OF the collector, and
Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill, Van Buren,,
Madawaska, Monticello, Limestone, Fort
Kent and Bridgewater as supports OF
entry.
2. Passamaquoddy district. including
much OF Washington county, with East
mort as the residence of the collector, and
Machias, Calais and Lubcc as supports OF
entry.
3. Portland district, covering the
-....a.. - src<.I,. Eooraban Gas,adaho.
Cumberland, Androscoggin, and parts of
franklin and York, with Bath, wiscas-
set and Boothbay Harbor as supports of
entry.
L. Bangor district, covering all the rest
Of the State, except portion OF York
county, which goes into New Hampshire
district, with bangor as the port OF en-
try, and Ellsworth, Mount Desert Ferry,
Bucksport, vaneeboro, Loweiitown, Rock
land, Belfast, castine, What Haven and
Camden as supports OF entry.
1t Is proposed that all collectors should
be paid straight salaries. All the fees,
commissions and other forms Of compen-
sstion that now prevail in considerable
variety would be abolished. Instead OF
the numerous collectors in other ports OF
Maine, at present, excepting Portland,
Bangor, Eastport and Houlton, there will
be only deputy collectors, or perhaps no
officials at ell. In some places customs Of
ficials would be detailed on occasions, as
there might be need OF their services.
Maine would be hit hardest OF any OF
the states in the proposed reorganization.
While the salaries OF the collectors at
Portland, Bangor, Houlton and Eastport
would not be reduced and might be in
creased somewhat, the amount OF money
paid Tor customs services at some other
Maine ports would be considerably de-
creased.
have been in existence from the very
foundation OF the government. That at
hachiss was created by q Congressional
statute, approved by President John
Adams March 2, 1913. The district OF
frenehman's bay, Castine and Wsidoborc,
which it is proposed TO consolidate with
the district OF Bangor, was created on the
same date, while the district Of Belfass,
which would also 60 into the district OF
Bangor, was created April 20, 1918, toward
The close of the first administration of
President James Monroe.
In this crusade for the reorganization
OF customs districts over the country, much
mas been made OF the cost OF collecting u
a. various ports- The treasury depart
ment nrst devised this form OF statistical
argument, which, - already stated, does