The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-22
The New POSTAGE Stamp.

Washington. Sept .21-During the last
Few days good deal Of ink has been vast
ed upon the green-stamp discussion. II
mas been authorita lively announced thai
the everyday two-cent stamp would be
| changed 10 green, and after everybody had
| expressed his opinion for or against the
| ioea, some one in the postal service d.scov-
efed mat the recent postal congress here
| lad adopted resolutions with which the pro
| posed change would conflict. The nations
OF the earth are gradually working to-
wards Uniform colors for stamps Of like
denomination, project which has long
| been favored by our best postal experts,
| and 10 that end the recent postal congress
| decided that carmine ought TO be the color
/ the world over for the two-cenf Trade In
the various changes heretofore made from
time 10 time in colors and designs of post
age stamps, no particular method or IN
DERIVING purpose has been disvoverable
Each postmaster general. with more or less
assistance. has selected what suited his
fancy best.
In adopting something Of red" color
FOR the everyday stamp, the international
congress conformed to our general practice
notwiths standing the common impression
that green had been our favorire color.
Since postage stamps were introduced in
been in red, pink, rose-color. or some
thing of the kind than anything else. The
two-cent stamp itself was first issued in
1853, for newspaper postage. and Jackson's
head in black ink was the design. In
1853 the color was changed TO bronze, and
a design to what was known as the horse
and rider" This was soon superseded,
however. by Jackson's likeness again,
which remained on the twos till October
!, 1888. During this period Jackson was in
bronze, and his likeness that taken from
his statue in Memphis. By 1883 the two
cent stamp had become the one of rst
importance. owing 10 the reduction in 1882
of letter postage from three cents. A pro-
file likeness of Washington, taken from
Houdon's statue, which had been on the
old three-cent stamp, was then adopted
for the two-cent. In September, 1887, the
color was changed TO green, and the news
papers badgered the department consider
ably about the green arsenic stamp. But
green was not an unknown color, because
1t had been that Of the old three-cent stamp
since 1915. In 1890 Mr.. Wanamaker in a
series Of changes put the two-ceent stamp
back to carmine. His first trial in Febru-
airy Of that year was not wholly satisfacto-
ry, and in May a slightly different tin;
was brought out, which lasted till 1894,
when the Bureau Of Engraving and Print
ing undertook the manufacture Of the
stamps. AT first the bureau was not able
to initiate the color which the American
Banknote company had given them, but |
after few months trial they reached the |
tint now so familiar, and is likely to re- |
main.
An interesting episode in the history of |
American postage stamps occurred in 1861, |
when the government declared Obsolete
all its stamps then in current use, and |
substituted a new series This was de-
signed to kill the value of the large stocks
held throughout the south, where they had
been in considerable use as fractional cur
rency. In the loyal states certain period
was named within which holders of the
Did postage stamps hight exchange them
Tor the new, and so no loss was entaied
lpon either postmasters or individuals who
acted promptly. The Confederate govern
nent at once declared the postage then on
hand valid until their own stamps should !
appear. and the receipts from the sale of
he old stamps were ordered 20 be turned
nto the Southern treasury. The CoDfeder-
tie stamps soon appeared, however, and
he rate for ordinary letter postage was
liked at five cents. But of these stamps
declared obsolete there is still large sup
lily in existence, which are constantly find
ng their way into the hands of the collec-
ors, and occasionally the department is
ppealed TO for relief by some impoverished
assessor Of them. 1t is singular fact
hat the original order declaring these
lamps obsolete cannot be found. Mont
emery Blair. as postmaster-general is
ued il. The department has always since
cted upon 1t, although recent attempts
o discover the original authorization of
heir acton have proved fruitless.
The likeness of Franklin upon our post
ge stamps is taken from a bust made OF
i'm by Cerrachi, and not by the artist
those name usually figures in postoffice re-
orts. Cerrachi was a Corsican, and one
f the party who attempted to assassinate
Napoleon while on his way TO the theater
ne evening at the time when Napoleon |
-as plotting TO be made emperor Cerrachi
as guilotined. He had made the &C
uaintance Of Franklin when the latter was
ne American envoy to France, and on
invitation had visited America,
nd here made busts of many eminent ;
len. ,