Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21
POSTAL REVENUES.
Their Increase illustrates the Coun-
try's Prosperity,


81 noticed protest from some New York
man reprinted in The Star a few days ago."
said Post Office Department official this
morning. complaining OF the alleged poor
sticking quality of the muscilage on the
one-cent postage stamps.
New Workers are proverbial kickers and
are withal the most tamely submissive peo-
pie on earth to local faults and peccadillos
The quality of the glue on all OF the issues
of our postage stamps is the result of many
years careful study and experiment at the
bureau OF printing and engraving When
the government first began the manufac-
ture OF its postage stamps at the bureau the
quality OF glue used had not been brought
up to the present satisfactory standard and
l recall considerable general complaint re-
garding its nonadhesiveness. But the COM
plants Were general. Now they are very
rare and Isolated and prove to our minds
that the cause is produced by some local
reason. You see, our postage stamps are
sold to postmasters In sheets. II the glue
were OF poor quality the complaints would
be general from the communities where the
poorly gummed sheets were sold and the
stamps distributed. The fact that none are
received supports the reason / advance. Be-
fore each of the tens of thousands OF sheets
leaves the bureau 1t is critically inspected
by experts whose business il is to find flaws
from imperfect color!ng TO the quality Of
the layers of gum on the back. the inspec-
llOI DtllB along llneS similar 10 that given
to each sheet OF treasury notes after it
leaves the plate printers hands, and before
1t goes to the treasury for the aff1xing OF
the governments final seal.
AS to the other complaint of the New
Yorker as to the insufficient SIZE Of the
newspaper wrappers when utilized for the
wrapping of magazines and the Sunday edi-
lions of newspapers steps have been taken
to meet public demand for a larger wrap
per. These will shortly be issued in the two
and four-cent denominations and will no
doubt prove a convenience, as the present
wrappers are perhaps trife short for this
extraordinary purpose. but Of ample size
for single newspaper Of the usual daily
edition.
Speaking about postage stamps reminds
me that letter postage has remained at the
uniform rate of two cents since 1881 In
that year the sales OF postage stamps
amounted to sixty-seven cents per capita
taking the whole country together. In 1896
the sales had increased to ninety-five cents
per capita, and in 1901 to s1.33. 1 have not
seen these figures CONNIE nted upon and they
are not generally known. They indicate the
prosperity of the country in a very clear
and concise manner The Increase of the
postal revenues may be popularity taken to
constitute a correct indication of the pros
perity of the country and the business ac-
tlvity OF the people. Measured by this sim
pie standard the expansion of our conn
merce and industry has made stupendous
progress within the past twenty years
Again, the total revenues of the postal
service last year were Sill 900. and OF
ths enormous sum $l02 CO0.O00 was OBJ
tained by the sale of hundreds of millions
OF postage stamps. pieces Of stamped paper
and postal cards. The fact that out of this
almost countless annual output Of the little
gummed. perforated colored squares which
carry our mail matter from point to point
the number of compla ints received al the
department have been inconsequential both
In number and tenor. is sufficient testimonial
OF the general very excellent efficiency of
the postal service and of postal material
sold to the public by the department pre-
sided over by Postmaster General PAYNE