Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1895 — STAMP ALBUMS. [ARTICLE]

STAMP ALBUMS.

Some idea of the extent of the ttamp mania may be gained from the recent surrender by New York ind St. Louis dealers in “stamp al■bums” of their plates from which they printed their foreign stamps. Each firm had over a ton of these plates, the mere possession of which tvas a criminal offense. The laws of the United States are very stringent jn this subject. In all probability the possessors of the bulk of foreign itamps are technical offenders, because they are nearly all counterfeits—i. e., manufactured in this jountry to supply the demand from jollectors. Foreign magazines containing cuts of United States stamps ipd coins will in the future be excluded from the mails entering this jountry. This apparently trivial natter has been the subject of a rejentconference between Ambassador 3ayard and Lord Kimberly. In this connection the astonishing fact has •ecently been disclosed that the pentlty for counterfeiting foreign itamps is much more severe than for ;ounforfeiting United States stamps, 'n counterfeiting of foreign stamps ;be penalty is not less than two or nore than ton years imprlsoment, vbilefora similar offense in coun;erfeiting United States stamps the jenalty is a fine of not more than 1500 and not more than five years mprisonment in the discretion of jlie court. A counterfeiter of United States stamps might escape, if might, with a fine of 11 and one lay s imprisonment. A similar offense in the case of the stamps of any oreign country would surely laud liin in the penitentiary for'not less .han two years, the law not giving he court any chance to go easy on hg criminal. It would seem .that

there was an excellent chance foi Congress to do some excellent work in this direction, but the probability is that it will not be done. In the meantime the stamp mania is liable to receive a very severe back set Owners of albums containing foreign stamps are not especially liable tc arrest, but the manufacture of counterfeits will, to a great extent al least, cease in the United States, and people afflicted with this peculiai mental penchant will be obliged to depend on legitimate sources to satisfy their cravings.