The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-09
The New Postage Stamps.


Third Assistant Postmaster General
Merritt has received a number of sugges-
tions. from all sorts OF sources. for de-
signs for the new issue Of postage-starps
in honor OF the ans-Mississippi Exposi-
ton at Omaha. II has been decided TO
enlarge the number of denominations
from five to seven. making the list now
approved as follows: The one-cent. two
cent. five-cent. fifty-eent one-dollar. and
two-dollar stamps Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt. who is western ranchman
when he is not running belsigerent navy
or annexing some new outlying islands.
has responded to General Merritt's invi-
tation with letter full OF suggestions.
These include a Cheyenne warrior on
horseback IN full war costume and fea-
Tiers: an old-time Rocky Mountain hun
ter and trapper. with fun beard, belted
hunting shirt. and long rife: a typical cow
boy: erigrant wagon, or prairie
schooner. crossing the plains II single
portraits are 10 be used. he suggests old
Kit Carson. or General Custer, in cavalry
uniform, symbolizing the influence OF the
army in opening the West Or. if scenery
is 10 play part. he would have Pixies
Peak. or one OF the boldest canons- But
in the vanishing buffalo as a reminder
of the long-gone days OF wild chase, wild
warfare. and wild pioneering.
A citizen OF Iowa. who has lived nearly
fifty years west OF the Mississippi. sug-
gests that five denominations OF stamps
be treated serially. and made to commem-
crate FIVE successive epochs in the history
of the West, thus:
The 0Oe-ceur the ahoriCirA-an Indian
with spear. mounted on a pony. chasing
a bison.
The two-cent. the immigrant-a covered
wagon. drawn by oxen. man with gun,
and woman.
The five-cent. the settler-a man plough
ing. with oxen, his cabin in the back
ground.
The ten-cent, the railroads. train cross
ing landscape. with cattle feeding
The one-dollar stamp. the city-an Ur-
ban scene. with a factory, street cars. etc.
The trouble with these subjects. as with
some others proposed. is that they in
volve too large an array OF small figures
on a single stamp. in that way. repeating
the mistake made in most of the stamps
of the Columbian issue.
A. G.. Heaton. the artist, who took
prominent part In suggesting and chOos-
ing subjects for the Columbian series,
hands in a dainty little sketch OF prai-
rie schooner. stopped in the midst Of its
journey by the fall OF one of the horses
The father of the family is busy helping
the animal up: the mother sits In the open
front of the wagon with a baby in her
arms. while a boy and girl are on ;he
ground at one side watching the father.
An enthusiastic admirer of the present
administration sends from Ohio bust
portrait of President Mckinley for one
design. but without explaining the con-
nection of this subject with the trans
Mississippi West. He mas been informed
that the law forbids the use of the por-
trait OF any living person on a postage
stamp.
Director johnson. Of the Bureau OF En-
craving and Printing. has submitted de-
sign TO illustrate the beauty OF square
stamp as distinguished from one oblong
in shape.
Another contributor makes a point OF
using for the borders enclosing the picto-
rial part of the stamps conventionalized
types of western products or instruments
used in their development. such as the
corn-stalk, with tassel and ears; wheat
sheaves, the pick and shovel of the mi
ner. and the like.
One proposal which seems 20 meet with
general favor. is the recognition OF Gen.
John c. Fremont. either by a bust por-
trait. or by a picture showing him in the
act of raising the American flag on the
crest OF the Rock Mountains; another.
which will probably be used. Is Postmaster
General Gary's idea OF an engraving OF
the Rock Island Bridge. the first perma-
nent bond connecting East with West.
The opportunity is still open for artists
and others OF resourceful mind 10 suggest
designs. 1t will do little good for them
to hold back now, but. after the stamps
are out. TO assail their authors for blum