El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-11-29

pital fund. Similar stamps were is
sued in later years during the civil
war in New York, Springfield. Mass.
and Stamford. Conn. After the war
this method of raising funds was dis
continued in this country for a genera
ton, although it found vogue in Por-
tugaI Switzerland, Australia, Franco.
Spain, Denmark. Norway. Russia,
Sweden and other European countries.
Their First Use.
Stamps were first used for anti-tu-
berculosis work in Norway and Sweden
in 1904. At Copenhagen in the fall
of 1904 a committee of Is met to dis
cuss a plan whereby an idea for a
Christmas stamp advanced by Mr.. Hol-
bceI a pcstoffice official, might be put
into practice.
On the recommendation OF this COM
mittee. it was decided to print 1000, 900
stamps and to sell them at 2 cere each
(about one-half a cent?, the proceeds
to go toward the erection Of a chill
dren's seaside tuberculosis hospital,
similar to Sea Breeze hospital at Coney
Island. The commission provided for
a profit of about cents on each sheet
Of so stamps for the local postoffices,
but so enthusiastic did the officials
become over their work. that they sold
fused to accept any reward. At the
end of the season. which lasted only
from December s to January 6, it was
found that 4.113,00O stamps had been
sold. or about two for every man, wO-
man and child in Denmark.
The Danish stamp was really the in
spiration for the Red Cross stamp in
America. In July, 1907, Jacob Riis
published in THE Outlook" the story
of the Danish stamp and called upon
the people in this country TO adopt
some such device to support the ma
tional anti-tuberculoSis crusade Be-
cause of lack of funds and other press
ing obligations, the National Associa-
ton for the Study and Prevention Of
tuberculosis could not accept Mr..
Riis's> challenge and no other national
body felt charged with the RESPONSE
bility of undertaking so new a VEN
ture.
The Christmas Stamp Idea.
The seed sown by Jacob Riis might
have died had not little group Of
women in Delaware, headed by Miss
Emily P Bissell, seen the possibilities
of a Christmas stamp. For the pur-
pose of gaining support for state
anti Tuberculosis campaign in Della
ware, the scheme was launched, and
within three weeks from December
to Christmas. nearly 100000 stamps
were sold in Delaware, Philadelphia and
eastern Pennsylvania, and nearly
$4,000 was realized for the tuberculosis
fight.
The leaders in this sale were closely
allied with the Red Cross society OF
Delaware which had taken an active
part in the movement The American
ha al
pertinent its support, and the directors
of that organization decided to try the
sale of Christmas tuberculosis, stamps
on a national basis. After some hest
tation about the amount of stamps that
would be needed, an order for 100000
stamps of design by Howard Pyle
was given So successful was the sale,
however, that. when the central COM
mittee at Washington began to count
up on Christmas day. 1908, 1t was
found that 100000 stamps had been
printed. $4,000. 600 sold to local agents,
and nearly 100000 were sold at one
cent each. yielding profit of about
$4,000, after all expenses had been
paid
American Red Cross Takes Up Sales.
In 1908, the American Red Cross
printed the stamps and sold them di-
rectly to local agents. who were them /
selves responsible for all stamps left |
on their hands. and who had to do all /
their own advertising besides. This !
resulted in a great loss to many com
nittees, some having as many as 500 |
300 stamps left unsold. Last year, in !
1909, an attempt was made to improve |
upon the conditions of sale in 1908. /,
Instead of selling the stamps outright !,
TO local agents, the Red Cross fur |