Washed Postage Stamps

Third Assistant Postmaster-General Barber, who has giveu the subject inuch attention, expreasea a belief that the governraent is annually defrauded out of $1,000,000, or 5 per cent. of the ainount of stamps sold, by the use of washed postal stampa. To be able to defiaud the goverument of so large an aniount it is evident that there must be an organized or Bystematic business carried on in thisline. In many cases, however, the washiug is so poorly done as to bedetected, in which case the the letter is treated as if not stamped at all and forwarded to the Dead Letter Office with other matter held for postage. While the government loses the amount that ehould have been paid for postage tho person practicing the fraud gains nothing, as his letter is not delivered.