The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-01-04
Gossip from Washington.

Gossip from Washington.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 1917. Hon. Henry
l. Emerson of OHIO has plan which, if
adopted by Congress, he thinks would be
long step in the direction of reducing
the high cost of living, especially to resi-
dents of cities. MIR. Emerson proposes
that the Postmaster General shall abolish
parcel post zones in so far as they affect
the transmission of food products, re-
duce the parcel post rates on articles OF
food, and increase the limit of weight on
parcel post packages containing food.
Congressman Emerson has embodied his
propositions in resolution directing the
Postmaster General TO investigate their
advisability, but inasmuch as that official
is subordinating every other considera-
ton in an attempt to make his depart
ment self sustaining, it is not probable
that MIR. Emerson's ideas will receive
much attention at his hands.
Senator MARITIME of New Jersey, that
staunch defender of the liquor interests
whenever prohibition is the topic OF dis
cussion in the Senate, Indignantly repu'
dates the suggestion that foreigners
have a greater capacity for intoxlcants
than Americans. In the recent dis
cuss1on on the pending prohibition legls-
of fnl
developed that provision had been in
serted in the bill exempting members OF
foreign legations from its effect because
they are more accustomed to Its use at
home. This aroused MARITIME, who vehe-
mently declared that citizens of this
country could absorb as much of the fiery
find as visitors to our shores. Other
Senators Joined in the discussion, until
Senator Weeks of Massachusetts sug-
qested serious international compllca-
tons might arise unless the debate were
continued in executive session behind
closed doors.
Although his labors during the last
session of Congress compelled him to
rest from active participation in the re-
cent campaign, Senator j. H. Galllnger
of New Hampshire has served notice
that he will take hand in the campaign
two years hence, and do what he can to
dispace his Democratic colleague and
elect q Republican Senator who will cor
rectly represent the great majority of
the voters of thar State. In an open
letter to the Republicans of New Hamp-
shire Senator Gallinger says that he has
been Republican since the days OF Ere
mont and Dayton, and he continues, Il
the principles which Lincoln stood for,
and which Republican Presidents since
that day tothe present have championed
and advocated, and | now give notice
that in the campaign two years from
now shall advocate those principles be-
fore the people of the State
The Coast Guard of the United States
was the subject of an address which
Hon. Frederick C. Hicks of New York
recently delivered in the House. Mr..
Hicks reviewed the entire history of. the
Life Saving Service and the Revenue
Cutter Service, which today form the
Coast Guard, giving in detail the work of
each branch of the service. One of the
most exposed coasts of the United States
is the shore of Long Island, practically
the whole of which is embraced in Con
servatio1 Of the twenty-eight life saving
stations which protect that shore has
made Mr. Hicks an authority on the
duties and dangers of the Coast Guard.