The Arizona sentinel., 1893-09-09
UNCLE SAM'S TRICK.
He Is Playing a Neat Little Game
 on the People.
How the Government Will Profit by the Issue of the Columbian Postage Stamps Of the Higher De-
 nominationa. tSz.

Uncle Sam is working confidence game on his dear, confding nephews and nieces with some of those Co., lumbian stamps of his; a regular gold brick, green-goods, shell-game-a sort of ''come down to the lake front and see the people killed by that big explo- sion" business.
 According to the Chicago Tribune there is no practical use to which those big stamps of a higher denomination can be put. The S2, s3, s4, and s stamps showing Columbus in the vari- ous stirring scenes of his life will look nice in a stamp album. The g stamp with Columbus in chains, the 8 stamp with Columbus describing his third voyage, the s4 stamp with portraits of Isabella and Columbus, and the s stamp with the terra cotta portrait ot Columbus (the same as used on the souvenir half dollar) will show up well on white background and hidden be- tween red leather covers, but people who buy them can never tSe them for sending matter through the United States mail and get the worth of their money. True the post office will re- ceive mail with these stamps affixed and the clerks will mar the classic features of the discoverer of America with equanimity and a marking pad, but whenever they are used the government will be gainer in sums ranging from 499 down to smaller amounts.
 Under the postal laws no package in excess of four pounds can be sent through the mails except books, one of which may be mailed whatever the weight may be. Take as an example of what a man may spend for the trans portation of mail matter 8 letter of huge dimensions which reaches the full limit of weight allowed-four pounds. The rate for first-class matter is two cents an ounce. Four pounds would equal sixty-four ounces; at two cents an ounce this would equal SIPS. Then add eight cents for registering and that would amount to s1.36. A special de- livery stamp could be added, but it would require the special stamp, so that no figuring could bring the sum to @ greater figure than s1.36 which could be covered by the stamps in the new series.
 Books are third-class matter, and the rate of postage is two ounces for one cent. A book weighing twenty pounds would require only 1s1.6O in stamps, and there are few books weighing that amount. To use 8 stamp book weighing sixty-two pounds and eight ounces would be needed to get full return for the money, and there are not many of those books printed.
 The sender of mail cannot double up and make sixty-two pounds of third class matter by punching Dickens works or any other set of works. When the package exceeds four pounds 1t must consist of but one publication.
 Heretofore the largest denomination represented in stamps sold the public has been % cents. These will not be printed during the year 1893 and it is doubtful if they will be put on sale again as the demand for them is next to nothing.
 Periodical or newspaper stamps for sums as high as S60 are in constant use in post offices but they are not for sale. Newspaper publishers make deposits with the cashier or pay for each issue sent through the mails. Receipts are given for the amount of the postage and stamps aggregating the amount are pasted on the stub of the receipt, can- celed by punching holes through them, and these stubs are sent to the post of fee department in Washington. The department is very particular not to let these stamps get out of its possession, and stamp collectors have been known to resort to all sorts of tricks to secure possession of them.
 The Columbian stamps, or Jubilee" stamps, as Postmaster General Wana- maker denominates them, cannot be used for second-class matter, which is sent through the mails for one cent pound. The denominations of the news paper stamps are 1, 9, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 36, AS, 60, 72, S4 and 96 cents, and s1.93, @, s6, $9, S12, $24, s36, s4S and s6O.
 Columbian stamps of the denomina- tions named, g., s, s4 and s, can be used only for stamp collections, or @ purchaser may have them exchanged for stamps of smaller denomination, providing the stamp clerk will make