Evening star., 1894-01-27
AS A MON POLiST
Uncle Sans Absolute Control of Imposts
Coinage and Stamps.
Some Interesting Facts About the
Postal Busfness-Print-
ing Stamps.

Uncle Samuel is a monopolist of the first
order. You wouldn't think SO. either. to lis
ten to some of the gentlemen who under
take the biennial job Of saving the country
and posing as the next friend and keeper
Of the old gentleman's conscience, but
such ia the fact, nevertheless. The three
great industries which he has taken over
to his own exclusive control and behoof
are: The levy and collection Of imposts,
otherwise known as the tariff; the coinage
and issue of money, and the issue and sale
Of postage stamps.
In each Of these three great lines Of busi-
ness he is absolutely without competition.
No state Of the Union may establish Gus
tom houses or impose any restrictions
whatever upon the flow Of commerce across
Its borders. although they may all levy
taxes upon any kind Of property or busi-
ness within their several bounds. No state
or individual may coin or issue money, but
1t as a remarkable and little known fact
that the inhibition against individual COIN
age is Of comparatively recent enactment.
The Constitution of the United States
provides that no state shall coin money;
but it seems that individuals might do so,
up till about the time of the late civil war.
OF course, it has always been against the
law to counterfeit or initiate the coinage Of
the United States, and SO, necessarily, a
coin issued by a private mint would have
to be so distinctive in shape or markings
as to show that it was not intended to pass
as federal money. For this reason the $50
gold coins or tokens issued by several pri-
vate mints in California during the flush
times of the COS were octagonal in shape
Private Mints.
Gold coins Were also issued by the Nor
mons of Utah at about the same time, and
the same thing had been done by parties
in Georgia and North Carolina.
Probably the latest of these private mints
was the one established in Denver in the
early CO.'S 1t is said that the coinage Of
this establishment being brought to the at
tention Of Secretary Chase, that eminent
financier was much astonished to find a
respectable firm of bankers engaged in
making and uttering money, and was still
further surprised when the Attorney Gen.
eral Of the United States declared they had
the right to do SO.
This incident caused the passage Of q
law absolutely prohibiting individuals from
issuing or circulating anything intended in
any manner to serve as money.
The Postal Monopoly.
But it is in his little stamp business that
our thrifty relative has his greatest mo-
nopoly. Postage stamps cost him only a
few cents per thousand to print. and he
sells hundreds and hundreds Of millions Of
them every year at prices ranging from SO
up to $1,000 or more per thousand
That, however, Is only one way Of look
ing at it. The printing and sale Of the
stamps is only one-half of the transaction,
and by the time Uncle Sam redeems them
by performing the service which they call
for, he seldom has any profit left, and it
frequently happens that he must draw
upon his bank account to make up a deficit
There is considerable profit in transport
ing letters by the ton and the carload be-
tween large cities at two cents apiece, but
| 1t Is the carrying of the light mails over
the thousands of star routes all over
the country that absorbs the profits.
1t costs more to carry a handful Of let
tiers by mule back to Bitter Root or Dog
Tooth, or Goose Creek, than 1t does to car
ry whole bag full from New York to Chi
cago.
1t is seldom that Uncle Sam INDUCES in
anything like sentiment, but the old gen.
tleman did so in the recent matter of the
Columbian stamps, and now he finds it
didn't pay. He contracted to have 1000
millions Of these made at a cost of seven
teen cents per thousand, or a little over a
half million of cool cash dollars for the
mere item of printing alone.
There was quite a rush for the new series
when they were first put on sale about a
year ago. but the novelty soon wore off,
and 1t became only too apparent that the
public preferred the old styles.
Here was a quandary. Seventy-four dollars
and thirty cents per million for prin ting the
old style which the public wanted, as
against $40 per million for printing the
new, which they evidently did not want
However, the contractors generously re-
leased the government from one-third of
the contract, and he now addressed him.
self to the task Of working of the remain
der Of the 2.OUO millions that were printed
and delivered.
And just here shows up one Of the beau
ties of doing business which is an abso-
lutte monopoly.
When. at the closing UP Of the year ,ust
ended, Uncle Sam found himself with 1885,
OOO.UOO Of the undesirable and unstable
"Columbias' still on hand. he simply pro-
rated the entire stock among the three
thousand and odd Presidential post offices
in the country, and sent them out with in
structions to the postmasters to give the
public nothing else until this stock shall be
worked on.
To Print His Own Stock
Uncle Sam is thinking of printing his
stamps himself instead Of letting out the
Job by contract, and there would seem to
be no good reason why he should not do
SO. He can probably have it done as cheap-
ly and as well in his own bureau of en-
craving and printing as it is now done bv
contract and there are many reasons uh,