For the past week I have been listening to people comment on the presidential election, the candidates, and the issues. It is simply pitiful to contemplate the amount of misconception, misunderstanding and willful misrepresentation concerning the statements of all the candidates.

We have similar conditions in the stamp trade. Every catalog or advertisement states what is meant by its descriptive terms. An item or lot described as v.g. (meaning very good) is not far up on the condition pole, as v.g. is in most catalogs definitely stated to be a lot with minor faults. Now it makes no difference what you, the individual mean by v.g., you must, in fairness accept the terms of the seller as stated in his catalog. He is not about to ship fine merchandise for a v.g. description just because you think that term should mean fine. On the other hand, nearly everyone in the stamp business will cheerfully make a refund for true errors that they have made in description. Please, for the sake of your own satisfaction, read carefully all the small print explanations of what you may expect if you send orders or bids to any stamp dealer. Don’t try to make their terminology fit your interpretation. All conditions must be construed as the seller explains his grading.

There will be a great increase in the harmony in our country if people will be more careful in making judgment of statements and public figures. So too, will your satisfaction in stamps be greater if you refrain from bidding on good quality when you intend to buy only fine or very fine.