Evening star., 1936-08-09
BY JAMES WALDO FAwCETr.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
Postmaster General Farley, speaking
at jamestown. N. Y, July II, said. AN
unprecedented growth in the sale Of
stamps to stamp collectors and phi
latelistS through the Post ONCE Depart
ment's Philatelic Agency has been
recorded. This Is due in no small
measure to the attractive commence
rative stamps which have been issued
by the department in the last three
years. Another factor which has en-
tered into the amazing increase in
stamp collecting is our policy Of hold
ing many flrst-day sales at various
points throughout the country, rather
than conflning them to Washington.
This has resulted in thousands Of
people becoming acquainted with the
educational benefits that accrue from
the pursuit Of stamp collecting.
Stamp sales through the Phila-
telic Agency rose from 100000 in
1888 to 100000 in 1884 and $2,400,-
900 in 1885. The latest reports in
dicate that there will be further in
crease in revenue from this source
for the present fiscal year."
Practically the same language, it
will be remembered, was employed
by Senator Kenneth McKellar of
Tennessee in his eulogy of Mr.. Farley,
June 19.
But the other side of the picture
is given by C. G. Alton Means, stamp
editor, New Haven Register, who
writes: THE unprecedented growth
in the sale of stamps through the
Philatelic Agency has not been due
to the attractive commemorative
stamps of the past three years.
Frankly, the stamps designed during
Stamp Collector Roosevelt's admins
tration, under the direction of Mr..
Farley, have been, in the ma ajority of
cases, abominable. The N. r. A. and
Boulder Dam stamps are the worst
examples. The Connecticut, Byrd,
and airmail-special delivery stamps
are the best. Compare these, how
ever, with emissions of Austria, Ger
many. France, the Netherlands, Italy,
almost any of the British colonies
and particularly New Zealand, or our
nearest neighbors, Canada and Mexico,
and see how deprayed Is our artistic
expression in postage stamps.
THE other factor-'holding many
f1rst-day sales at various points
throughout the country is not
original with Mr.. Farley. The
practice has more than a decade to
its credit, and Mr.. Farley merely
continued it.
Increase in business at the Phila-
telic Agency is easily explained. Part
of it is normal growth. Another part
Is a direct result of an enormous in
crease in the number Of collectors, due
to newspaper and radio publicity. The
increasing demand for stamps has
raised prices to such an extent that
many investors, who are not stamp
collectors, have been attracted to the
field, buying hundreds and thousands
of dollars worth of stamps in the be-
lief that they will be able to realize
a handsome profit within a short pc
riod of time.
THE record sum of $2,400, 900
quoted for the year 1885 was very
largely due to the attempt of the de-
partment to 'whitewash' Mr.. Farley's
serious blunder, in handing out to his
friends. including the President and
cabinet members, and members of his
own family, unfinished sheets of post
age stamps issued under his direction,
by placing similar sheets on sale ex-
clusively at the Philatelic Agency.
Had any lesser official helped him.
self to unfinished sheets of stamps in
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing he would have been severely
treated, and, no doubt, would now be
paying for his crime by serving time
in large and closely guarded Gov
ernment institution. But Mr.. Farley's
many friends outmaneuvered at
tempts to impeach him. and stamp COL
lectors paid for his blunder."
Mr.. Means also calls attention to
the fact that the Postmaster General
disapproved the proposed Harvard
University stamp and then, contra
dieting his own ruling that the pro-
gram for the year was complete, an
nounced the Susan B. Anthony COM
memorative. I'VE could find justifica-
ton for the issue on the Tooth
anniversary of her birth and we might
be satisfied if it we're the 25th anniver-
sary of the movement which she spon-
sored. But the 18th anniversary offers
no excuse at all. 1t places the issue
in the same class with the privately
sponsored cachet of ridiculous char
acter, such as the 18th anniversary of
the erection of the new court house
in Hokumo City"
But" Mr.. Means concludes, "the
Postmaster General has not really
gone haywire in giving his approval to
this issue after turning down Harvard
University, the oldest college in the