Evening star., 1944-12-24
Stamps
By James Waldo Faucet.

By James Waldo Favceff.
Stamp albums, incredible as IL
may seem, once were illegal-at
lesst in the opinion Of an important
branch Of the Government Of the
United States.
Proof Of this assertion may be
found in The Star for December
~, 1894, where, in front-page posi-
ton, 1t Is related: THE sale Of
postage stamp albums has for years
past formed an important item In
the holiday trade Of book dealers in
this city, as the stamp collecting
mania is popular one among
young folks. But the law, as in
terpreted by the Secret Service
Bureau Of the Treasury Depart
ment, has put itself in evidence and
seriously interfered with the busi-
ness in question of one local dealer
at least.
Agent G. o. Barker of the Secret
Service on Monday last visited the
establishment of E. E. Fisher, a
bookseller and stationer, at l7O3
Pennsylvania avenue NV, and con-
f1scated a stock of foreign and do
mestic stamps. A second visit was,
paid on the following day, and when
Mr.. Barker departed he took with
him every stamp album in the store.
The albums contained facsimiles Of
certain stamps. The only reason
given for the Seizure was that the
pictures of stamps in the albums
come under the head of counter
feiting.
Mr.. Fisher. it is said, has de-
manded that his goods be returned
on the ground that the albums are
patented and that one branch of
the Government has not the au-
thority to seize articles plainly ex-
empted from such action by another
branch of the Government. It was
also claimed that the United States
has no authority as regards for
eign stamps. Further, he (Mr.
Fisher) relies on the fact that the
seizures were made without search
warrants.
"At the Treasury Department this
afternoon a Star reporter was in
formed that no information whatso-
ever can be furnished the public as
to the doings of the Secret Service
Bureau. A high official, however,
stated that the laws fully cover Mr..
Fishers case.
Section Sab. Revised Statutes of
the United States. provides that
postage stamps are an obligat ton of
the United States, while in Section
o43O 1t Is stipulated that any per-
son who executes a likeness Of
such obligation is guilty of a mis-
demeanor and (is) subject to a fine
OF $4,000 or Is years Imprisonment
or both. Section 4 of the Act of
Congress approved February 10.
1891, an act further preventing coun-
terfeiting or manufacturing of dies,
tools or implements used in counter
feiting and providing penalties there
for. and providing for the issue of
search warrants in certain cases,
reads that all counterfeits of any of
the obligations of the United States
or any foreign government or coun-
terfelts OF any of the coins of the
United States or of any foreign gov
ernment, and all material or ap-
paratus fitted or intended to be
used in the making of any such
counterfeit obligations or other Sc
curltleS or coins hereinbefore
mentioned that shall be found in
the possession of any person with
out authority from the Secretary
OF the Treasury or other proper of
, dcer to have the same shall be
taken possession of by any author
lied agent of the Treasury Depart
ment and forfeited to the United
States and disposed of in any man
ner the Secretary of the Treasury
may direct
THE opinion of the law officer of
the Treasury Department bearing
On the subject is that a patent does
not protect a person from violations
OF the law or, in other words, the
Government does not recognize a
patent when it violates the law"
All of which, admittedly, sounds
pretty terrible. But Mr.. Fisher was
not dlsmayed. Perhaps encouraged
by some of his customers, he stood
his ground. The Star report con-
tlnued: Mr.. Fisher has received a
communication from the firm in
Philadelphia which publishes the
albums, stating that every time
similar cases have. been tested in
the courts the decision has been
against the Secret Service. 80 1t is
understood that all stamp albums
offered for sale in the city will be
seized, but the Secret Service Off
clals refuse to talk on that subject"
A sequel appeared in The Star
Tor December 20, 1894, when-the
holiday business being a matter of
history - it was chronicled that:
Solicitor Reeve of the Treasury
Department has given an opinion to
Assistant Secretary Hamlin in the
matter of the stamp album seizures.
He sustains the legality of the ac-
ton OF the Secret Service officers
IN selling such articles under the
slmllltude section of the statutes for
the prevention of counterfeiting. He
advises that the further printing
of these albums be prohibited and
that the plates from which the
stamps-foreign and domestic-are
printed be confiscated and de-
stroyed. He recommends, however.
that publishers and dealers be al
lowed to dispose of stamp books
now in stock in the regular course
OF business, with the distinct under
standing that no more are to be
issued. He adds that our laws do
not prohibit printing of similitudes
OF foreign S >nps except when 1t is
done for purposes of counterfeit
ing. -
The stamp albums seized were
returned by the Secret Service
people on the 9th instant"
Meanwhile, possibly, Mr.. Barker
had looked up the meaning of the
word "similitude" and found that
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