Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-08-09
BAFFLED STAMP COLLECTORS.
Their Unavailing Efforts to Get Some o.
the Issue for Guam.


the Issue for Guam.
When Captain Richard P. Leary
sailed recently on the Yosemite for the
island of Guam, our new possession in
the Pacific, of which he is to be the
first governor, he loft behind him a
weeping retinue of professional stamp
collectors and dealers, who have pes
tered certain officers of the postotfice
department ever since to aid them in
setting right d matter In which they
insist that tile captain made d serious
mistake.
The new governor of Guam will, it
is understood, be given the same lati-
tude and held to the same account as
the governors of other new colonial
possessions of the United States-that
is, he will be expected to collect
revenues from all Legitimate sources
and make them pay the expenses of
insular administration. The stamp
men, thinking to turn an honest
penny and do patriotic deed at the
same time, resolved to get hold of a
large quantity of the new issue of
Guam postage stamps. Their idea was
shat Captain Leary would gladly sell
them the stamps and apply the rev.
enue to his general governmental fund:
Learyy had asked the treasury depart:
ment to supply him with consider
able issue of the stamps, which, owing
to the high pressure under which the
bureau was working; were to be SIM
ply the ordinary United States stamps
with the word Guam imprinted across
their faces in different color. So re-
solved was he to carry his stock of
stamps out with him that the sail
ing of the ship was somewhat delayed
in order to be sure to have The supply
aboard.
The stamp men accordingly offered
to purchase his entire stock for
cash, but to their utter astonish
ment he refused to sell. They then
offered him premium on the face
value Of the stamps, bat he remained
unmoved. They next pointed out to
him that he had stock estimated to
be sufficient to last his insular domin-
ion year and that they would be con-
tent with enough for month Oh six
weeks, within which time he would
be able, by leaving an order at Wash
ington, to have his supply replenished
by the next ship going out. When
that proposal was rejected, they
begged him, at least, for an order upon
the postoffice department for q small
surplus issue, for which they offered
to pay him in advance, so that he
could carry thousand dollars or more
away with him to start his colonial
bank account; the postoffice depart
ment and the treasury authorities were
willing to accept such an order and
honor it, but the captain still re-
NAMED adamantine in his resolve.
One of the stamp men tried to reach
his heart through his prirats sscre-
tary; but tile secretary answered that,
anyway, the stamps were sealed in d
tin box; and; therefore, could not be
got at. "As if groaned the untor-
tunate collector; in describing the in
terview; 1--WE would not have been
willing to pay ten cents for can
opener"
The captain sailed away, and the
stamp men are left disconsolate. They
believe that they can get their stamps
if they know to whom to write on the
island of Guam, as their representa-
tive would simply have to go to the
postoHlce and buy the necessary guam
tity and mail them to this country.
Ali this, however, would mean long
delay, considerable uncertainty aud
no little difficulty in making payments,
as there are no known banksi in Guam,
and it would be risky to send cash on
so long o journey: The postofiice de:
partment does not see any way to help
them out.