The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-10-12
Postage Stamp Losses.

VI III III > NOiiN liC wear
woItl add to the labor OF the Offices and
involve delays that would cos. more
than the information would be worth.
Accordingly the department has been
content II IN IKE one weeks work, as
determ ned b. actual count, the basis Of
an estimate for thu year. A week
thought likely to BE- one Of average pos
tai activity is selected, and all the matter
received for transmission at each of the
post-ollccs is classified and counted, tho
aggregate OF such original business dur
ing the appointed time being reckoned
e;ls The fifty-seconj part of the business
eftha year Obviously the closeness of
the approximation hinges entirely UPON
the fitness of the selected week to repre-
sent the average weekly work nfthe year
knowing approyim ately the number
OF pieces of each sort OF mail matter
handled, it is possible to estimate rough
g lyEla rerenae the Government ought to
receive from the sale-of stamps, cards,
stamped envelopes, etc. and from other
d postal charges. The estimate would
necessarily involve good deal of as
sumption and guesswork; yet if the es-
timated or calculated volume of business
done is not unreasonably wide of the
truth, the estimated revenue ought to be
something near the actual revenue as re-
ported in sales of stamps and the rest.
The Eccniag Post has gone to the
trouble of collating the statistics given
IN the last annual report of the Postoifice
department., and comparing the sums
which, according to its calculation,
should have been paid for the convey
anca OF the matter embraced in. the
year work as officially estimated, with
the sums actually received, finding very
serious discrepancies.
The sale OF stamps, cards, stamped en-
Eetopes, etc, for the year aggregated
S3l $50, I35. Assuming the department S
estimate of annual business to be correct.
and the Posts analysis of it equally cor
rect, the department should have re-
celved from the sources named SO, 795L :
ol3. The deficiency in receipts for the
amount of matter conveyed thus exceed
Ell eight million dollars. The Post re-
q marks: g The immense deficiency in the
number of postage stamps sold, accord.
ing to the departments figures, is made
especially striking by adding together
the postage values of the letters and
postal cards which made up the first
class mai BY so doing we obtain the
sum OF Ssh 62S, 7S484. If we deduct
tfemthis the S3i,62o. 1891 OF postage
stamps sold, without allowing for the
special stamps and wrappers not used on
LISTERS, we have deficiency of 50, 1888
Heaving the whole of the second, third
nnl fourth class mails to be carried fo,
aothing, and treating registration as
Gree. Ii the 81, 1913, gu of newspaper and
periodical stamps and the S43l, 154. so of
newspaper wrappers be deducted from
9he sam total of stamps sold, and the re-
TaAndefbe deducted from the value of
tha rst-class mail, adeliciencyIof 81 .S33,-
ia1S3 appears in the revenue from that
.elass of mattersaione
The experienced postmaster of this
city, Mr.. Pearson, to whom the Posts
Algures and deductions were submitted.
Rnentoned four causes which might have
contributed to produce the discrepancy:
I'D Issued but unused stamps carried
over from the previous year;;(2} over
ESTIMATION Of the number of pieces of
mail matter handled; (3) unwise selec
lion OF the time for making the seven
days count, the week chosen being first
beFprc the holiday season, when the
mails are more heavily loaded than at
any other period; ca the washing and
1fauaulent Reissue of stamps. That the
last cause was very efficient one, Mr..
l'earson did not believe He admitted
h;tt there were various WAYS of washing
k:elceled stamps SO that they could be
used again, and it was possible that per-
~asonS IN different parts of the country
practlced these methods independently
OF each other; he was confident, how
Ver, that no organized conspiracy ex-
tSlea Tor this purpose. since it would not
pespossible to dispose of large quantities
GOT washed stamps without the plot be-
ing discovered. 80 %
The assumption that the concerted
Washing of stamps on a large scale
would be necessary to cause the Govern.
mentto lose materially by reused stamps
will hardly hold. There are nearly
5000 post-ollices in the country. and
H the department were to carr from,
: eacn once single fraudulently stamped
Z 'etSef DAY, the Government would be
cn s,;t ed TO the extent of nearly half
li5tt.on collars year. 1t may not be
possible to dispose of $4,000, 900 worth
nWashed stamps in bulk; yet out of
zen million letter writer's it would not be
pe5sible to find enough who are willing
to,nse again cleaned or imperfeetly can
celed stamps, and having opportunities
enough to do it to cheat the revenue
~oatetiall that the deficiency is found to be.
That the cancellation of stamps is
very frequently imperfect is known to
J all who handle many letters In MANY
Aiaitances the stamp is not defaced at
I aHi IN more the mark is so slight thati it
may be easily rubbed off Mr.. Pearson |
admits that no eanceIing ink is inefface- |
aoies and expresses the opinion that
postage stamps ought to be printed in
fugitive colors, which would be removed
.ey any attempt to wash off the cancelling
The conditions under which stamps
mus, eften be handled. however, by
efnitren and other unskillful persons.
both before asfd after they are but upon
matter to be mailed, forbidls the use" of
ether than fairly permanent ink in print
ing them They are held in sweaty
& hts Is .a,x Il