The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-21

energies of high-class forgers. while those
of the lower grade find the imitation of
coins more TO their taste. Some years
ago there was a big dealer in New York
for sale to his patrons. But they were
reproductions of foreign stamps only. He
even went so far as to invent "a stamp, for
which he demanded a high price on ac-
count of the fact that he alone was able to
supply II. The passage OF new law put
a stop to the industry
There was a dealer in Berlin who not
long ago produced some very admirable
fac-simies of some United States stamps
printed on thin cardboard. They were
marked with the word False, in Ger
man, but in such small letters that a mag
nifying glass was required to make II out
The authorities over here made fuss
and the issue was suppressed. Frequently
United States postage stamps are offered
for sale at a discount, suggesting the sus-
picion that they are counterfeitS or have
been dishonesty come by But such an
inference is not warranted necessarily, in
asmuch as merchants doing business on a
large scale are sometimes glad to dispose
In this manner of the stamps which they
receive in payment for goods ordered by
mail The rate of discount is usually 2
or per cent Seedsmen receive immense
quantities of stamps in this way, these
small government securities being utilized
as a substitute for fractional currency
Such is the convenience of a paper frac-
tlonal currency for sending money by
mail that the government may yet take
a notion to issue notes of minor denomina-
tons like those of old times
A Postmaster General of the United
States, less than a dozen years ago, as
serted in one of his official reports that
the government was cheated out of 81 000,
coo annually by the fraudulent washing OF
cancelled stamps. This was a very abb
surd statement. the fact being that such a
thing in all probability is rarely done.
Now and then some misery person may
make a practice of cleaning secondhand
stamps for his own use, but the busi-
ness could not be conducted on a con-
siderable scale, and the appearance Of
large numbers of stale-looking stamps in
the mails would attract the attention OF
postmasters Nevertheless, the washing
of an occasional stamp is practicable
enough. ard the postofiice department
would be very glad to get hold of an alb
solutely indelible ink. AZ one time II I'm
ployed expert chemists to make expert
ments In this line, but they we're not
successful. Devices for pricking or
punching the stamps have been thought
Of, but rejected
on May y next congress Of represent
atives of all the nations belonging to 10
postal union will meet In Washington. one
subject which it will consider is the adop-
ton Of a universal postage stamp, which
shall be good in all the countries of the
world. OF course. as things are now,
United States stamps are of no value IN
Great Britain and vice versa. II would
be well II a traveller were not obliged TO
buy fresh Stamps every time he crosses
boundary line and enters another coun-
try. IL is not proposed that the stamp
will be good between points In any given
country but only from one country 70 an-
other.
A proposition has been urged before
congress TO the effect that every state
In the union shall have its own distinc-
tive postage stamp. This would be
very pretty notion, particularly II the
stamps bore designs representing in en-
blematic fashion the various states. One
interesting suggestion rs that the flower
or plant OF each state shall be employed
as It's emblem on the stamp. Thus Ne
braska would be represented by the
goldenrod, Wisconsin by the maple tree,
Minnesota by the moccasln flower, Idaho
by the sweet syringa, Delaware by the
peach tree, Maine by the pine cone. Ok
iahoma by the mistletoe, Montana by the
bitter-root Vermont by the red clover,
Colorado by the columbine, and New
York by the rose. Iowa also has adopt
ed the rose as its emblem, while Ala
hama disputes with Nebraska for the
goldenrod. The other states have no en-
hlematic flowers. but might adopt them.
The state stamp idea, however, Is rather
sentimental than practical.
A fact with which few people are ac-
quaintcd Il that two persons In this
country possess for life, thanks TO act OF
congress-, the privilege OF sending let
ters free through the malls. These are
Mrs Garfield and Mrs u. s. Grant.
Neither Of these ladies ~ Obliged TO buy
any postage stamps. a signature on the
outside of the envelope being sufficient.
F'ranklng Is an English institution. and
soon after this government was organ
lied e was introduced here. In 1926
the limit Of Two ounces was placed on all