Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-14

mentionsds - N aa6sa aad ~ Ssa1.
OF arms 1ithstss0I Aags, gsss
ms public has nsany time4 tndtcatsG1
desire thxt aas should II accorded
q plaee OF spro.ltnence upon one ok stl1a
mluch-used values but until nos tho Desa
SIRE. W sn -thes Columbian serie1ss CONF
memorating the Chicago Wor.-4 . FAir. I'd
:lssss was projected. the Department vzJ
hooded with letters requesting that one 81
the gdenominatiohss be given to the flag
Later. when the trans Aississ3ppf sefswa0
contemplated another avalanche. cE
REQUESTS was hurled at the Department.
and two years ago, at the time OF the de-
signing Of the two-co1ored Pan-Americaa.
series. The people sclanored Tor 3 plaee
for the Stars and Stripes
The Department has not been unn1ind.
ful OF theswfshes Of the people, but me-.
schanical difficulties have seemed 20 pre-
;ciude the possibility Of producing a ..nas
stamp that awoufd meet the approval OF
the Department and no effort has beer,
made to produce one.
The fagsfs a favorite emblem upon
stamps issued by republics and the
United States stands as almost the SIN
sic exception in not honorins the "cclors''
upon Its postal issues. IT does not appear
that the stamps of any OF the old monar-
chies give any evidence OF the existenca
OF a Tag, although such emblems as the
lion. eagle, dragon, and coats OF arms
are quite common.
The South American Republics almost
without exception make spread with the
national colors. the Dominican Republic.
Bolivia. Ecuador. Salvador. Uruguay.
Liberia. and the Colombian Republic
showing the dags upon every stamp cE
practically air denomfnatf tons Issued
The Beers were great admirers OF
their dag and almost every postage stamp
issued by the Republic has bunch OF
the flags Of the Transvaal In the center
of the design. The last issue Of stamps
of the Hawaiian Republic prior TO its abb
sorptfon by the United States gave a.
prominent place to the dag upon one Of
its values. and the inhabitants Of tbs
little black Republic OF Haiti secured
a good view Of their national elnbiena
every time one OF them licked stamp, In
fact. the flag was featured IN every dee
nomina ton. contesting first place hcnor4
with portrait of Presidents HippoEta
or Simon Sam. It is understood that tina
Cuban flag will adorn one OF the valuea
OF a new series Of stamps soon to be-
brought out by the newest Republic On
earth. and, by the way. the United States
Government will not. as hitherto. pro-
duce the. new stamps, either. 1t Is said
q bank-notetcompanyi In New York Is noH
at work upon the new designs.
The sPostofdc Department has iusk
approved the drawing made by the Bn-
reau Of. Engraving and Printing for tns
new Scent stamp. upon which Martha
Washfngton will make her appearances.
and the engravers will at once proceed
upon the die. The portrait of Mrs. " ASH
ington is one familiar to everybody. In
fact this well-known picture seems to be-
the only available one In existence. AZ
the time 1t was. decided to place Martha
Washingtonss likeness upon the design.
an effort was made to secure new ane,
perhaps more suitable photograph. Tho
matter was taken up by several Virginia
ladies and diligent search was made
throughout the country, but no photo
graphs at all available were discovered.
So the Bureau Of Engraving and Printing
was compelled to- fall back upon the like
ness Of the first lady so familiar to every
one.
TT was supposed by the Department..
at the time Martha Washington was
chosen to represent women upon the new
series. that. she could claim the distinc-
ton of being the first OF her sex to have
her Likeness appear on United States
postage stamp. II appears, however,
that the protrait of Queen Isabella was
placed upon the s4-stamp Of the Column
bian series alongside that OF Colum bus.
Martha Waahington's likeness. however.
will be first of any woman to appaaIt
upon any regular United States