New-York tribune., 1906-04-29
THE FILIPINO MERCURY
Manila Special Delirery Boys in
White Paiamas.
From ne Trinuns Rur-,u.1


washington. April 2S--The engravers az the
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing have trans
formed the native Filipino. depicted on the .spe-
cial delivery" postage stamps for the Philippines
from a youth clad only in a short shirt and a he'll
met. 10 a veritable Mercury in dazzling white
uniform
year ago il was decided that the Philippine
Islands should be supplied with distinctive series
Of stamps to take the place of the temporary issue
which has been in use since 1898. and which are
nothing more nor less than the current United
States stamps with the word philippines printed
diagonay in large type across the face of all de-
nominations Included in the order for the new
was a special delivery stamp which should be
OF the same general type that Of the United
States except that a native Filipino should be
substituted for the lightning delivery boy mount
ed a bicycle The instructions TO the Bureau
Of Engraving not specific. merely calling for
a stamp OF the size and shape Of the special de-
livery stamp, which should portray a Filipino on
gagged in the task of exDediting the delivery Of
piece CT mail
The artist who charged with the labor Of
producing this postal novelty Immediately set about
discovering what information he could relative 70
the Filipino In the role OF messenger, and all he
could find out that the said Filipino. when I'M
personatng Mercury. wore a neglige costume. lin
tied abbreviated shirt with a huge. sun
defying helmet
Thereupon the artist sketched the native in this
undress type Of apparel. bearing in his hard a
packet and with legs in a position indicative Of
haste The general scene was one Of desolation and
smoking volcano Ioomed up in the distance The
expression the features OF the Filipino indicated
pain and general dissatisfaction with his lot
In time the sketch model. as il is technically
termed was completed and submitted to the In
sular Bureau OF the War Department which directs
the destinies of the Philippines for approval or
suggestions for alterations The officials Of the
War Department appeared TO regard the special
delivery stamp satisfactory; any rate. the
model was approved and the Bureau Of Engraving
and Printing was instructed make dies OF
the stamps. These dies which cut soft steel.
which IS afterward made as hard as flint. and then
forced into other soft plates. which also hard
ened and from which the stamps are printed were
completed last fall. and the die proofs. or I'M
pressions on cardboard. were sent TO Manila for
final approval preparatory 10 printing the stamps
II was suggested that II the proofs were satis-
factory this fact might be communicated oy caoie
and work would begin at once on the new series
Not a word was heard from Manila until Decem-
ber when letter came announcing that Mr.
Forbes an agent OF the Philippine Postal Depart
ment. would arrive in short time. and that he
would take UP the matter Of the designs tor tne
new stamps. OF course. this meant that changes
would be required. Mr.. Forbes arrived shortly
before the holidays and he Immediately pointed
out that the special delivery stamp was 'impossi-
BILE" that neither the people Of the United states
nor the people of the philippines would stand
for the native Filipino attlred IN nothing but
short shirt and helmet
ThereuDOn the order was given 10 pIepdIe Nv
model for the special delivery stamp which Shouid
enbody the main features Of the trst design, out
give the Filipino at least pair Of trousers Inc
9rtist has again completed his task, and the t1u-
Dino appears in a fun uniform Of white. includinS
a cap in place of the protecting helmet The
effect OF the native in MS white costume upon a
blue stamp gives the stamp unusual appear
ance The casual observer might almost fancy a
man had been startled at midnight and fed across
the desert I'm his pajamas. But the bare legs nave
been covered, and the model viii douDtIesS De
approved ,..
A good many stamp collectors are sad because
the change was made I'm the design before any OF
the stamps were printed If sheet OF hundred
of the special delivery stamps had been printed
from the original die. showing the Fili9lno ih
+ painless attire and the stamps had been pul u
circulation, they would now sell at SOD each' ana
probably more ,,t
The United States first issued special delivery
stamps in 1855. This stamp was or me same sl1e
and shape as the current special delivery STAMP,
exCept that In place OF the familiar boy on 2
bicycle the design portrayed a boy in uniform on
the run The stamp said that the letter Would ne
ssjeltvered al any special delivery of1ce m lSs'
this was changed 10 read AT any postoftce- In
1899 the color Of the stamp was changed to orange
to prevent confusion with the one-cent t0turnoial
stamp which was blue and OF about me same ann
shane as the special delivery Later the hoy was
rnOfIrted upon the bicycle. as he appears on the
current special delivery stamp. and as ne VIII con-
- until motto skates into SeneTdl use