Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-24
The New Mckinley Postal Card
VIII Be Put Into Use
Soon.
Something About the Designs
and Portraits on the New
Issues.
Special TO Tfmes-Republlcan.

! ing the portrait CT the late preSiuel
will be on sale some time during thu
! month of June. The first stamp IL
l the new series ordered by the depart
( Iment-the new denomination, IS cent!
{ having as it's central picture the
photograph of Former President Har'
rison, will follow little later.
The designs for the Mckinley pos.
, ttal card and the Harrison stamp have
; been approved by Third Assistant
Postmaster General Madden. Elec,
trotypes, from the completed die OF
the first named, are now being made
ana engravers are at work upon the
die for the 10 cent stamp.
1t was announced last fall that the
Mckinley postal card would be on sale
about January /. The design was
completed and the die engraved and
approved in ample time. Eletrotypes
were made and put upon the presses
'iand the work commenced. Samples OF
1.-THE cards were submitted to the de-
lpartment, but the printing was so I'M
Unsatisfactory that an order was given to
suspend operations pending an inves-
litigation.
4 The department finally condemned
the plates and ordered the bureau to
Idesign and engraye new die.
4 The first die, finally rejected, repre-
scented President Mckinley almost full
facing, the photograph having been Sc
lected by Mrs. Mckinley: this photo
graph also being a favorite with tho
president while in life. The die proof
was very fine, the features coming out
clear and strong. Printed upon steam
presses, however, the design became
an indistinct, blurred spot upon the
| corner of the card, the fine lines filling
up, so that one side of the features
could not be recognized.
About the first OF April the second
die was completed. This die was re-
jected at once, even before electro
types Were made. While free from the
objections raised against the first die.
the second proof depicted the presi-
dent as a man not more than forty
FIVE years of age; so youthful that 1t
did not at all portray the president as
he appeared during his term of office.
The bureau was instructed to pre-
pare another die, and this has just been
approved. 1t represents the pres-
dent facing due west { to the left) and
lis q profile, similar to that of Wash
iilgton on the two cent stamp. The
lines of the engraving are not so close
and ii is predicted the effect upon
card will be fine. The portrait. while
satisfactory, is really not all that could
be desired. Thede is an extraordi-
nary shagginess about the eyebrows.
and turn TO the lower lip which gives
q hint of u troubled or cross" ey-
preston that was not present in the
original. The bureau experts say this
can not be avoided under the process
required to produce dies for postal
cards; that the method of engraving
Is the reverse of that required in maxi
ing postage stamps which is the par
tiealar speciality OF the bureau.
lie new card has a medallion at tho
upper left corner precisely of the same
size as the oval containing the por-
tfait OF President Mckinley This de-
sign mas the effect of giving the card
d balance. The medallion contains n |
nSare OF an eagle with outstretched |
wings ana bearing in its claws bun
die OF arrows and an olive branch. |
Altogether the design is very attract
I've anu the card will be the finest ever
produced by the government.
Gohnoissuers in stamp matters saw
that the new iS cent stamp, the finished |
drawing of which has been approved
VIII excel in artistic merit and concan- |
ton OF design, any previous stamp pro-
duced by the bureau of engraving and
printing. A new series of postage
stamps is INDUCED in by the DEPART
ment only about once In ten years
that is, permanent series, for unlim- |
1te6 nSa-lnn ha
been in use nearly twelve years. 1t has /
peen the ambition of Third Assistant
Postmaster General Madden to give the
country series superior to any set of
postage stamps ever produced by any
country. With this end in view, when
the bureau was asked to submit de-
signs Tor the new series, a special re-
quest was made that the new set
Should incorporate the best ideas and
stand as an illustration of the finest de-
signing talent to be secured
Stamp experts assert that the draw
ing of the 13-cent stamp is superior
even to the famous Columbian and
pam American series. The portrait of
Gen. Harrison selected by Mrs Har-
rison, represents the late ex- president
at his best. He faces two thirds front
and there Is a kindly expression of
complete satisfaction, with just sus-
picion of a smile, upon his features
The portrait appears in an oval, Slight
ly smaller than that enclosing Wash
ington in the current 2-cent stamp.
The border for the upper portion of
the stamp consists of two females
who seem to lean against the oval. The
one on the left represents Literature"
holding in her hand book. Upon the
right the figure typifies Art" holding
in her hands a piece of sculpture. just
above the heads of the figures ana
forming the top of the border for the
design is an artistic panel, with scrolls
upon the ENDS, within which are the
words: United States of America,
and in very small letters, beneath, the
words, Series of 1902"
Immediately beneath the feet of the
females on either side are nearly
square panels, containing the figures,
bold and clear "13" Just below the
oval appears the word: Harrison" and
On either side. running obliquely are
two ribbons bearing the figures, 1888
date of Gen. Harrisons birth. and
1901" the date of his death. Under
Meath, In an ornamental panel. with
scrolls at the ends, are the words
Postage, Thirteen Cents"
The arrangement, balance and gem
eral effect of the design is such as to
IMPRESS one with the feeling that this