Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
PHILIPPINE SPECIAL
DELIVERY STAMP

"HE clever engravers AZ the bureau
OF engraving and printing have
transformed the native Filipino de-
picted upon the special delivery postage
stamp. from youth clad only In a short
shirt and helmet TO a Yerltable Mercury
In dazzlingiy white uniform
year ago was decided that the phfIir,-
| pine Islands should be supplied WITH a az
EnctlVe series OF stamps to take the Mace
| OF the temporary issue which has been In
use sance ls9s and which is nothing more
nor less than our current staruns With The
word philippines printed dleRonaIIv An
large type across the face OF starnns Of ali
denominations. Included in the order for
lle new ser was special delivery stamp
| which should be OF the same general f,sDa
| as the special delivery stamp OF tho Tinted
| states, except that native Filipino should
| DE substituted for our lightning delivery
| Doy mounted on a bicycle. T he instruc-
| ions to the bureau OF engraving were not
| specific, merely calling for a starnp of tho
size and shape of our special delivery
stamp. which should portray a Filipino en-
| gagged in the novel task of exped{ting the
| delivery OF a piece OF mail
The artist who was charged with pro-
| duelng this postal novelty Immediately set
| about seeking Information relative 10 the
Filipino IN the role of messenger and all he
could find out was that the Filipino when
| impersonating Mercury. wore a uegllge cos
| tune, limited 10 an abbreviated shirt with
huge sun-defying helmet mounted upon
| his brow.
| Thereupon the artist sketcbed the native
| In this style of apparel running at top
speed while bearing IN his hand a packet.
| The general scene was one of deso.ation.
| and a smoking volcano doomed up In the
| background. The expression upon the fea-
| lures of the Filipino Indicated pain and
| general dissatisfaction with his lot
In time the sketch, or model" as it Is
technically termed, was completed and
| submitted TO the insuiar bureau Of the War
Department, which directs the destines OF
the Philippines. for approval or suggestions
for alterations. The officials OF the War
Department appeared to regard the special
| delivery stamp as satisfactory; at any
event the model was approved and the
bureau of engraving and printing instructed
20 proceed to make dies of the stamps
| These dies, which are cut upon soft steel
which Is afterward made as hard as flint
and then forced into other soft plates
which are also hardened and from which
the stamps are printed. were completed last
fall and the die proofs, or impressions
upon cardboard were sent TO Manila for
final approval preparatory to printing the
stamps.
1t was suggested that IL the proofs were
satisfactory that this fact might be com
municated by cable and work would begin
at once upon the new series. Not a word
was heard from Manila until in December.
when a letter came announcing that Mr..
Forbes, an agent of the Philippine postal
department would arrive in a short time
and that he would take up the matter OF
the designs for the new stamps. OF course
this meant that changes would be required.
Mr.. Forbes arrived shortly before the hol-
idays and he Immediately pointed out that
the special delivery stamp was 'impos~
sbie;" that neither the people of the United
States nor the people of the Philippines
would stand for the native Filipino in moth
Ing but short shire and a helmet.
Thereupon the order was given 10 pre-
pare new model for the special delivery
stamp. which should embody the main fea-
lures of the first design, but give the Fill
pino at least pair of pants. The artist
has again completed his task. and the FIJI
pino appears in a full uniform Of white
including a cap in place of the sun protect
ing helmet. The effect OF the native in his
white costume upon blue stamp gives the
stamp unique appearance. The casual
observer might almost fancy a gentleman
had been startled out OF bed at midnight
and fled across the desert in his paiamas.
But the bare legs have been covered and
the new model will doubtless be approved.
A good many stamp collectors are sad
because the change was made I'm the de-
sign before any of the stamps We're printed
II sheet of n hundred of the special de
livery stamps had been printed from the
original die. showing the Filipino in pants
less attire, and the stamps had been put IN
circulation they would now sell at 800
each and probably more.