Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
OMAHA EXPOSITION STAMPS.
Protest of the PhiiGt eIic Society Pre-
scented to Pdst once Department..


scented to Pdst once Department..
Messrs. J. NJ. Bartals, Charles B. Ball
and G.. A. Camp. committee appointed at
meeting of the Washington Philatelic
Society, to FORMULATE .and prepare on be-
half of the society al protest against the
special issue of stamps proposed In honor
of the Omaha exposition today presented
the protest to the Post Office Department.
The paper invites, attention to the fact
that the number of Istamp collectors and
dealers in the country has increased until
they now nunber. at ieast 100000 and that
the list includes many parsons of influence
and wealth. The pursuit of philately it
is stated, is no longer pastime of school
boys but systematic study Of the course
of international events, and in money value
the collections owned in this country are
not unworthy of consideration. --a
Within the last few years, the interests
represented have, the local society says.
been menaced by certain governments,
mainly Of the smaller nations, in sending
out frequent and numerous series Of
stamps for which no necessity existed in
the postal services of these governments.
Those issues to which the society make
special objection as speculative and un-
called for have been the so-called COM
memorative" stamps. which are supposed
to attract worldwide attention to some
event or celebration, otherwise unknown.
Attention is also directed to the late ses-
sion of the universal postal congress- when
1t was determined to exclude from the
international mails. after January l. 1899.
mmemorative and speculative issues, as
indicating in a formal manner the disap-
prevail of that body of the many special
series heretofore issued
The committee submitted certain extracts
from philatelic papers, which suggest the
strong objections generally held among
collectors to the ephemeral stamps to
which they referred.
Continuing, the committee say:
1.-THE consistent attitude of our own pos
tai authorities in refusing to dignity mat
tiers of only local interest with the indorse-
ment of the department has won our ap-
prevail. The two instances in which ex-
ceptions were made, in 1876 and 1892, mark
ed such significant milestones in the his
tory of the nation as to attract universal
attention.
eve are strongly of the opinion that the
trans Mississippi exposition will not mark
an epoch of national progress sufficient to
justify special recognition in the manner
proposed.
..if it be, as we apprehended the fact
that you have decided to assist the Omaha
exposition by the issue of stamps, and
that decision is not open to further re-
vision, we respectfully request that two
suggestions we make as to details be con-
sidered:
"First-We ask that the highest denomi-
nations be not greater than 80 cents, as
stamps of higher value are but little used.
If 3-cent and 6-cent designs be substi-
tuted for the proposed high denominations
the issue would be much less subject to
criticism as to its speculative character,
and more acceptable to the entire COM
munity.
"Second-We desire that the series DIS
place the current set rather than be used
simultaneously Herewith. If the present
stamps be continued in circulation, and the
new ones only furnished on request by
postmasters it would seem clear that no
postal requirement. would be met by this
ISSUE If on fie eSntrary, the current
stamps are retased eand special ones fur
nished on all }requtsltions for limited
period, their use wVald become a neces-
sity and the isst{e relt on entirely different
grounds" r l. Sll t''