Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-11
THE DISTRICT FRANK
OFFICIAL, RULING AS TO IT'S USE
ASKED.
Formal Action of the Commissioners
: Today-Conference With the Third
Assistant Postmaster General.

The District Commissioners decided today
to take up with the Post Office Depart
ment the matter of the use of official en-
velopes and to secure a ruling upon which
to base all future actions. Commissioner
Macfarland. representing the District board.
called upon Mr.. Madden, the third ASSISTANT
postmaster general this morning, and
talked with him Informally on the subject.
Mr.. mcfarland stated that the interview
was very satisfactory. but. being informal.
he was not at liberty to make a definite
statement concerning 1t. There has never
been a ruling with regard to the use Of the
ranked envelopes by the District au-
thorities. and the Commissioners are anx-
ious that the matter shall be settled now
for all time.
Upon his return from the Post Office De-
partment Commissioner Macfarfand recon-
mended to the board that the whole matter
of the use Of official envelopes be formally
brought before the Post Office Department,
with a request for official ruling.
A question has been raised as to the use
of the ranked envelopes Of the Commits
sioners for the appointment Of the commit
tees for the celebration of the Fourth OF
July under the auspices of the Commission
erS Mr.. Mcfarland as president OF the
District board and, under the order of the
Commissioners, ex-officio chairman of the
Independence day celebration committee,
brought the matter formally before the
authorized to take the matter up with the
post Office officials and to present to the
department the reasons for the use OF the
official envelopes.
Formal Board Action.
Commissioner mcfarland stated to the
board that the only use which had been
made of the envelope was under the ON
cial order of the Commissioners. which was
in accordance with numerous presidents,
and must be followed every time that the
Commissioners appointed a committee OF
citizens for District purposes. For exam
ple should the Commissioners accept the
Invitation of the st. Louis exposition to
have the District represented In District
of citizens to make arrangements therefor,
1t would be an official and not personal
act.
The Official Order
The order of the Commissioners providing
for the celebration of the day was brought
to the attention Of the postal authorities
by Commissioner mcfarland, and was as
follows:
May 10, 1903.
I move that the Commissioners Of the
District Of Columbia provide for general
celebration of Independence day. the 4th
Of July next, and invite the participation
of the citizens Of the District of Columbia.
I believe that the nations birthday should
be celebrated In the national capital, under
the auspices of it's executive government.
am assured by representative citizens that
the Commissioners would have the coop
Grafton of the community in such an OBJ
servance Of the day.
move that the Commissioners appoint a
committee of arrangements, of which the
president of the board of Commissioners
shall be ex officio chairman, composed of
the following persons:
Admiral George Dewey, president Of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association Of
the United States; Rear Admiral Henry c..
Taylor, president of the Sons of the Revo-
luton: DIR. ]. w. Bayne. president Of the
Sons of the American Revolution: Mrs.
Herschel Main. state regent Of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution; s. Thos.
Brown. president of the Association of Old
est Inhabitants; Thomas w. Smith. presi-
dent of the Washington Board Of Trade;
William F. GUIDE. president of the Bust
ness Mems Association: Col. Thomas w.
Symons, Corps of Engineers, u. 8. A., Of
ficer in charge of public buildings and
grounds; Theodore w. Noyes, M. G.. Seek
endorff Scott c. Bone. with power to add
to their number, and to appoint additional
committees.
HENRY B. F. MCFARLAND.
Commissioner.
HENRY L. WEST,
IN