Arizona republican., 1898-01-16
International Uniformity in all
 Letter Postage.
THE COL0RS WILL BE ALIKE
Loud'S Bill to Rule Books From
 of Second Glass Rates.
This Would Save the Post Office from EiEhtto Twelve Million Doi- lars Year-The New Penny Stamp Will Be Green.

Washington, Jan. 15-When the pos tai congress met in Washington last year it was decided that on or before January 1, 1899, the three principal denominations of the postage stamps of the world should be of uniform col or. Third Assistant Postmaster Gen eral Merritt is the first to order the change, and it is likely that the com ing twelve months will see a greater number of changes throughout the postal union than have occurred be- fore in any one year. The l cent stamp of the United States and the frank of like value in foreign countries is to be green, of the same shade as the old Scent stamp. The 2-cent stamp is to remain vermillion in color, and Great Britain's penny purple must conform to it. while in the case of the 5-cent stamp we will adopt the blue of her 2h-pence.
 Although MT. Merritt has instruct ed the bureau of engraving and print ing to discontinue the old colors and to adopt -ske new, and although the new 1-cent stamps are being turned out at the rate of 12.000 minute from each press, it will be month or more before the public will have an oppor- tunity to use them. The rules of the bureau of engraving and printing pro l1ide that the reserve stock of each de- nomination shall be sufficient to sup ply the more 7e GOO -postofhces for at least three months Such a stock of 5-cent stamps is on hand, but the demand for 1-cent stamps is so great that the presses must be kept running continually to keep up the reserve of 100000, 900 stamps, and in anticipa- ton of the change the supply has been allowed to drop to scarcely 15,000, ,000. The quarterly orders are now being filled, and it is not unlikely that the new stamps may make their appear ance by the 1st of February. Unifor- mity of color in the stamps of the same denomination throughout the world will be of the greatest advan- tage both to the postof1ice officials and to the tourist. The latter, who may not know the money values of the country, at least will know that a blue stamp will carry a foreign letter, red stamp a domestic one and a green stamp newspaper.
 For nearly half century, ever since the first issue, in 1851, the penny stamp of the United Sates has borne the portrait of Franklin, printed in blue, with the exception of one year, when brown was the color. Franklin will still adorn the stamp, but the ink will be green instead of blue The of f1cials of the bureau of engraving and printing are pleased with the change, which does away with the brown of the Grant five" In the manufacture of this ink considerable earthly mater ial is used and the grit causes an early destruction of the plates. There has been some talk of substituting for the portrait of Grant that of Secretary Stanton, which if done would make the sixth change of portraiture this stamp has experienced, the list includ- ing Franklin, Jefferson, Zachariah Taylor, Garfield and Grant
 Representative Loud of California has reported to the committee on post offices and post roads bill which will save the government from 5000, GOO to $12, 2,000,0 900 a year in the expenses of the postal service by amending the law concerning the transmission, of second-class mail matter. He follows the recommendations made by the postmaster general in his annual re- port, and has submitted the bill for his inspection. Under the present law all publications that appear regularly can have the benefit of the special rates of postage allowed to genuine newspapers, provided they are issued as stated and fixed periods, and as of ten as four times a year. Publishing houses have taken advantage of this generous provision by issuing new and old books at regular intervals, and have loaded the mails with them to such an extent that there is an enormous deficiency in the earnings of the postoffice department every year. The bill proposed by Mr. Loud prescribes conditions upon which a publication may be admitted to the second class, as follows:
 l. It must be regularly issued at