The New York herald., 1875-12-03
POSTAGE STAMP SPECULATION.
How the Bucolic Postmaster Turns
an Honest ID Penny.
"Stampe" for Whiskey and
for Lawyers Fees.
A GOOD LAW TO REPEAL.

whose salaries under the law depend on the
amount Of stamps they SELL have become so frequent
and fragrant that Postmaster General Jewell Will ask
Congress this winter repeal amend the clause Of
the Law bearing the subject Circulars have been
sent to The a5 600 Offices throughout the country and
the offenders have been removed, which has put
partial stop 10 illegal trafckng in stamps, but abuses
still continue The Assistant Postmaster General
layors the new and thinks that if guilty officials
are promptly removed and their names published the
practice will broken up. other heads Of the depart
ment do not agree with him and there is little doubt
but the law Will be changed Mr Jewell favors the
old system OF regulating the salaries OF small Offices
by the amount Of stamps which cancelled in them.
The act OF Congress approved June % 1874 allowed
commissions sales OF stamps, instead of the
amount OF stamps cancelled as before II is claimed
that the old way represented the amount OF labor per-
formed in handling the mails while the sale of stamps
is Of the work done by the postmaster Formerly
he required TO make statement of the
stamps cancelled for six months that the salary might
be adjusted for the ensuing two years. The sales of
stamps shown IN the quarterly returns operated as
check, the amount sold and the amount cancelled
nearly the same. false return Of cancellation
forced the postmaster find outside market for his
stamps Under tho present system postmasters
allowed discount Of sixty per cent sales Of $500
year aud discount Of fifty per cent sales of
phe postmaster is not obliged to make state
ment TO how, where to whom he sells his stamps
The only penalty for selling to persons living outside
OF his delivery is bis removal. Were the commissions
uniform the mstter would be self regulating post
masters gam being another's loss; but as IL 49, tho
government is the loser. The postmaster in a small
New Jersey town who sells stamps to New York
merchants does interfere with the New York Office
because the city postmaster is paid fixed salary, re-
gardess OF the amount of stamps he sells The cities
and large towns not only offer great facilities for the
traffic in stamps, but they greatly lessen the chances
Of detection Under the universal law of trade stamps
gravitate toward large cities just naturally
rency does, and they frequently used
medium Of exchange. This is particularly true IN the
book and newspaper trade Publishers buy them for
prcpaying postage books and often when they have
more than they use they ask the government to re-
deem them. Postmasers take the lead in getting up
clubs, and by prepayng subscriptions stamps they
get a double commssion-one from the government and
one from the publisher. Business of the cities
who live in the country buy stamps of the suburban
postmaster discount of from five to ten per cent,
Ihus benehting themselves we'll the postmasters
Railroad insurance and express companies may keep
their city Offices supplied with stamps bough; at a
auction through their country agents There is plenty
Of evidence show that commercial travellers realize
handsome profit by exchanging merchandise for stamps
at q discount and turning the stamps into their en-
ployers cash.
Statistics in the Postmaster Generals Office show
that during the last four years under the old system
required 27 per OF the sales of stamps pay
The salaries of postmasters the sales during that
period having been $751; ,54S 49, and the amount
paid for salaries $2l 693 9s7 a. During the first six
months, under the law ending December 81, 1874,
required upward of 81 per cent OF tho sales for sal
tha sale
She amount paid in salaries 50, 491, 412 o.
A omparison of the amount received from sales and
the amount paid for salaries the 1st OF January
1875 not show the abuses of the new system be-
sause the change the method of collecting postage
pn second class matter, such newspapers, period
cas &c. Before that date 1t was collected in money;
vince then il has been prepaid with speciai stamps
The smaller ofices-the offices of delvery-were pre-
vously allowed a commission on the amount col.
iected but 1t scarcely affects the salary OF the
postmaster, because most OF the second class matter
mailed at the larger Offices, where regular salaries
are paid Tho new law not only tends to reduce the
pay postmasers but greatly swes the amount of
The following are q few extracts from an immense
mass of evidence file in the, department at Wash
instCn:M w,.oon.,n ,.v,nr s.,.a 10 cali Goa
worth Of stamps expressed them to Chicago.
The daughter Of Connecticut postmaster carried
stamps 70 neghboring town ana exchangeu shem LOT
dry goods.
OF stamps at discount OF hve per cent IL IS supposd
that he a commercial traveller who had been by-
ing stamps OF country postmasters in exchange or
goods
whiskey to liquor dealer in North Carolina
A Grand street New York; merchant writes to the
department that he is constantly receiving STAMPS for
merchandise and he wants the government TO redeem
them with currency.
An Indiana merchant exchanged coffee and calico |
for stamps with postmaster IN Texas
firm doing business on Broadway, New YORK, re- |
hat haV
from their customers In California
Perhaps Of the most striking irregularities under
the law at Glencoe, Ill The Postmaster ordered
80 600 one cent stamps for General G. T. Howard, |
who resides within the delivery OF the oe, but pub
fishes the AdrdRce in Chicago. The postmaster says
shat the General is his best customer fhe truth is
his sales are larger than awful unusI
that General Howard s the mar referred to
In the HRRALD's recent Indian rauds expose. |
Deacon Beacs OF Michigan carried hm three barrels
Of Michigan apples and secured the appointment Of
bossfarmer TO Agent Sperry Fort Berthold Dakota
where the Indians have been outraseously swinded
recent letter from the Glence. Postmaster says
',Herewth send you an orde for 20 900 three cent
stamps-part OF which rr General Howard, pub
Usher; and the rest for the cnce Please send within
fifteen days as the GeneraTll have them by the
10th or December II pust occur 10 the General
ordinary business Chicago buy their stamps OF
tho city office at fegua rates. and the Mayor pays
as much for three ont stamp az the poorest sewing
she law Athouebthere is no evidence that General
Howard receives aiy reduction, tho government con-
siders his plan Of ouyng stamps irregular" and the
POSTMASTER
matter by the department. The dsinterestedness OF
his friend Howad is 70 say the least somew hat sus-
pcious.
An Arkansaspostmaster has been in the habit Of
changing stauIs for goods with merchants Memphis,
Tenn The Consequence was the Gales OF stamps in the
Memphis ofie we're much less In 1874 than in the pre-
vious year. yhen yeow.f fever raging and business
prostrated grocery dealer in Greensburg, Ind has
sold stampsas discount Of ten per cent A Kansas
official sslt S5 worth OF stamps Kansas city to-
bacco deer 30 pay for bill for cigars. An Alabama
postmaser in debt and was pushed for money but
he
stamps which cost him only forty cents the dollar.
A postmaster Rochester, n. y, sold only $Sl /
worth stamps for the six months ending Juno 30, |
1874; bit during the quarter ending September 80, |
1874 th, year he ordered stamps and envelopes
10 thc amount of 81, llS go
A former postmaster Golden Bridge. N. ", offered
atcketagent So of stamps for S., and said IF
this business aowabe he would order ST. 900 worth
and 90 u peddling them
An cxpostmaster in the oil regions has bought his