The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-26

IN 1873. Recommendation was adopted
that all the powers represented there,
among which was, of course, the United
Statesi should give uniform colors TO
stamps OF certain denomin atoms. The
stamps in general use for prepaying
hostage to foreign parts answer TO our
5-cent. and those for domestic postage cor
respond in value to our 1 and 2 cent
stamps. The colors decided upon were
blue for the cent, green for the l and red
for the 2. The object of this attempt at
uniformity all over the world is to sim
pity matters for travellers and immigrants
who are not familiar with the language of
the country in which they may be
living or sojourning. Numberless cases
OF annoyance and delay occur through the
ignorance of foreigners in America who
do not understand English or our none
tary system we'll enough to know whether
they are stamping their letters 10 CORE
spOndeDts correctly or not; and even as
quick witted as Americans are Teputed to
be they are puzzled in like manner when
they go abroad. Ii is therefore likely that
changes in colors TO conform to this idea
may be Instituted by the Postmaster Gen
era. This would convert the 1-cent blue
into green and the scent brown into blue.
There is also a possibility that action
may be taken looking TO the issuance OF
what has popularity been described as the
flag stamp. that is, a label bearing the de-
sign OF the stars ana stripes.
The new 50-cent stamp will bear por-
trait of Jefferson, the supposition being
that there will be used for the design the
same drawing that appears on the current
50-cent black On the 81 stamp the por-
trait of Commodore Perry that now adorns
the 90-cent orange will appear. The pOr-
trait of John Marshall Will be used for the
50 value and that of James Madison has
been selected for the So. What colors are
to be used for these new values is yet 10
be decided.
OF the denominations that will thus be-
come obsolete the 90 cent, the cent and
the cent will appreciate most rapidly in
value as but comparatively few of the 80
and 8 cents were used during their lie,
while the s cent has had life of but eigh-
teen months, it having been first issued
early in 1898 to supply tne need Of stamp
of that denomination when the registra-
lion fee was reduced from 10 TO cents.
The present administration has also
made a somewhat radical change in the
postage due stamps-th0se are placed on
letters when they are insufficiently prepaid
and for which The carrier usually collects,
These have been reduced in SiZe so as to
be uniform in this regard with the regular
issue of hostage stamps. The color is
more of red than the old issue, and the
design has also been somewhat changed.
AS the 80 and 90 cent stamps of the latest
preceding issue Of this series were in use
but very short time they are likely 10 be
rariies and will undoubtedly soon COM
maud good prices These stamps have
been issued in four distinct shades of
brown. all with a tinge, more or less
marked, of red in them. The last shade is
KNOWN as the "claret" ISSUE and il is the
80 and 30 cent of this color that will be
scarce.
But'it is in the periodical stamps that q
decided departure has been determined
fThasa macmillan nj n Of In hpIC
and stand unique in the history of pOstal
service. They are not sold to the public,
but are attached 10 the stubs of the re-
ceipts given to publishers entitled to sec
ond-class postage rates. AT one time 1t
was permitted TO sell them at face value
to any individual applying for them, but
of recent years a rigid rule was In force
absolutely prohibiting their sale. The
stubs are forwarded to Washington as
vouchers by pOstmasiers and are there de-
stroyed. This system has made these
labels very scarce and all except the high
est den ominations bring considerable over
face value. The innocent became obsolete
a few years ago, when it could be bought
for Dout % cents. 1t is now catalogued
at SO.
OF late the highest values-the S24. $50, |
S4S and S60-haye been offered al consid-
cradle under face value In unused cOndi- |
ton, and it is presumed that these came to
the hands Of dealers from persons who had
innocently bought them from postofiee
thieves, as in no other way could they
have been sold below their face.
In the proposed new issue of these
new stamps there will be reduction in
size and there is also likely to be change
in The design. The present designs repre-
sent allpgorical figures largely. some at
tribute of the republic being typi6ed |
Whatever changes may be made, however. |
it is believed the new series will be of the !
same general character as the old. There /
will be omitted from the new series the |
following denominations: 4, g. s, "a, 4S,
60, Y. "a and 90 cents. 81 90. SIS, sc, 50. |
S12, S24, $50. S4S and see; and there will |
be added stamps of the denomination of 5. |
10, % and 30 cents and 81. So, SO, $50, $50
and 500. The colers have not yet been
selected.
1t is believed that the stock of postage
stamps turned over by the contractors to
the bureau on the first of July will not be
exhausted until about the first of OCTOBER,
when all the values OF the new series will
be supplied to postmasteVs Some idea of
the labor required of the bureau under its
contract may be gained from the fact that
last year over 100000 postage stamps were
used daily.