Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-29
STAMPS FOR CHARITY.
The Scheme Now So Popular Began
In War Times.


In War Times.
There is an interesting history at
tached to the Christmas stamps sold
by the Red Cross society for the BEN
eft of the fund with which the society
is carrying on It's campaign against
the white plague.
Although the recent use Of these
charity stamps has been copied from
Europe, the idea originated in America
and is essentially a property Of the
Red Cross society, for in Boston at the
fair of the sanitary commission held
during the civil war these stamps
were first sold, the proceeds going to-
ward the work of the commission
among wounded soldiers. The Red
Cross society itself was an outcome OF
the sanitary commission, which sold
the first stamps.
1t was not until thirty years later
that the idea was used in Europe. In
1892 Portugal produced the first pri-
vate stamps for the Red Cross. Some
of these stamps, called service stamps,
were permitted to be used for actual
postage.
Many other countries followed Por-
tugal in the use of charity stamps for
obtaining funds with which to fight
disease or famine and to advance the
welfare Of society in other ways.
Switzerland, Australia, Great Britain,
Uruguay, France, Spain, Denmark.
Norway, Sweden, Russia, Argentine,
Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Ba-
den, Bavaria, iceland, the Neither
lands, Poland and Roumania have
welcomed the charity stamp.
In some countries the stamps were
Issued as postage, which would actual
ly carry mail, while at other times
they were purely charity stamps, such
as the Red Cross was selling this
Christmas. In Germany and Austria
there have been issued a special kind
of private stamps, the Wohlfahrts-
rnarken, the sale of which Is intended
to support associations working for
the good Of society.
So tremendously has the interest in
these stamps grown that at present
there are several hundred different
types of charity stamps in the differ
ent countries. There are, or have been,
twenty different types Of stamps In
Roumania, thirty in Italy, fifty In
Germany and more than 300 in Aus
tria and its dependencies.
One of the most attractive stamps
issued was that sold in Great Britain
for the Prince Of Wales Hospital
Fund. A gold, blue and red stamp
was issued for the benefit of the Con-
sumptives' Home. in New South Wales.
In Denmark a Christmas stamp, bear
ing the pictures of the king and queen,
was printed in blue and black. The
Norwegian stamp had six-pointed star
on a plain ground and was printed In
blue and white. The Russian stamp
was violet and yellow. The Icelandic
stamp, in gray and blue, showed an
eagle on dark ground. A French
stamp for the benefit Of a seamen's
hospital was in red, white and blue,
showing the figure Of seaman and
flag bearing the Red Cross. The
Polish stamp, in yellow and violet
showed a dark silhouette Of a city on
yellow background.
The Swedish National Anti-Tuber-
culosis association was the first to
use the stamps for fighting the white
plague Although the stamps, which
were printed by the association, were
not considered as postage, permission
was obtained from the government to
sell the stamps through the postofices.
The stamps were affixed to the ad-
dressed side Of letters, parcels and
post cards and were stamped accord
ing to the exigency Of the work at the
potsoffice.
Norway and Denmark granted SIM
liar postoffice privileges for the sale OF
the stamps. The association paid for
all expenses connected with the
stamps and also gave 10 per cent COM
mission on their sale Of the postoffice
clerks. The sale was greatest during
Christmas and New Years, but con-
tinued throughout the year. There
were 6,675,0OO stamps sold in 1904. The
second stamp issued by the Swedish
tuberculosis association bore the pict-
ure of King Oscar II. The stamp was
sold two years later with gold over
print to celebrate the golden wedding
Of the king and queen. In 1906 the st.
George and the Dragon stamp was Is
sued by the association on which was
pictured st. George representing
Science Staying the dragoon OF Dis
ease.
In America the Delaware branch OF
the National Red Cross society was the
first to adopt the idea Of the stamps.
The Delaware branch issued Christ
mas stamps last year with such sue
cess that the national organization
adopted the plan for. this year. The
stamp now being sold at many depart
ment stores, stationery stores, etc.,
and on the news stands was designed
by Howard Pyle and is most attrac-
tive. The stamps are one cent each.
They will not carry letter, but any
letter will carry them. Buy stamp
says the society, land help to stamp
out the white plague"