New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A POSTAL CONGRESS

A POSTAL CONuhrnpo.
THE UNITED STATES NOT TO BE REPRE7ENIho ~
BERNE-EEroRMs TO DE CONSIDERED bf THE
CONGRESS.
TO the Edilor OF The Tribune
SIR: On the 18th Of September next, Postal
co,gra.s composed OF representatives OF the SeVerai
poat D,partmeuts OF the world Is to assemble 81
Bernie Switzerland. Tho Congress has Deen caIol ~
the instance Of the German PostOiHee when, uurl"R
the last few years. has stryen to occupy tue ieau
position in postal affairs Europe, ana undcr iocI"
and practical management has so FAR alVahceu do W
become almost q model in post-oice matters, III soo
respects even superior the British Postohce' i"e
ob,ect of the Congress Is the formation or GeheIai
Post Union to be composed OF all the Post departments
Of the leading powers. and ultimately 10 euol"Oc az
civilized na;lous, under which there Woud W es'"
lished uniform rates of postage ana cohuious iO '
transmission OF correspondence between the 5eYoraI
ambers OF the unlon The most prominent features Oh
the proposed union the entire abolition OF al uduS
charges malls well closed as OPEN Sent RON QUO
counry OF tho union through another and the conse-
quent abolition OF all accounts on postal htercouF9c'
rhe latter feature far a. IL relates to accounts Oh Tue
international hange Of correspondence mas or some
years past been basis Of all lately concluded poaa
conventions that is to say each country mas rot"ineu
all the hostages it collected On transit correspondence
however accounts have hitherto been necessary ateast
with the country OF transit and these accounts nave III
many cases constituted great sources OF difficulty ana
trouble Their entire abolition can theIeVre 0"' "
hailed with qualification another step In the march
Of progress.
Aside from the deliberations Of the Congress on the
subject OF the proposed Postal Union, the assembling OF
representative men OF the chief postal ADMINISTRATIONS
and friendly between them, cannot fan 10
exercise salutary influence and prove OF great prac
tioa benefit several administrations ana 10 the
people. The position 10 be occupied by the uhlIeo
states PostO.iice Department toward tue Congress
seems as got to be somewhat doubtful When a year
ago the Invitations issued for the assembling oi
the Congress, which first appointed TO meet In
September 1873 but afterward postponed for year,
our Pos,-Ose Department cordially accepted the bid
DIM and promised to send representatives.. But TINS
year appears to be the intention TO repudite the
former acceptance, and that consequently the United
states VIII not be represented ihls ueNrmlA'uouh
such &c be- the part II the ID partment cdnIot Dnt DC
regretted bY all friends OF postal progress III" lmptt
alive need of people at the present iliuc II shph
t,oy OF our postal intercourse with tOlclgu nations
matter OF great interest not onli 10 the comtIclI
community also the large number OF our clehS
Oh foreign DrJn still connected with theiF natFo MONIES
by relationship and early asa0eatOls NLli 10 cJiI-
plant perhaps made as To the rates OF poSee III
General, the countries Oh Europe arc
concerned it asserted that there exists no dHo.ly
in these rates; that the regulations goVerhliS tno
change uncertain and contradictory ih'9e com
plants, aud that might Do state are nO NIou.
FORCE aud must he a5 apparent 70 the ~ as
they 10 the pubic. In Order 70 rcm1uy tlSn no"
conventions witn nearly all OF the pl'tal aIiit'ta
tlOns OF II ropc VIII nc necessary ali tDIs oy ~ ~
be accomplished Ia no slrer or swtef mnnnet tndu w
intercourse, sucu as would DC dAOru AZ Iho
Congress- between able Intelligent and practical oincers
OF tue several administrations Tue CONVENTIONS NO"
in force adapted tho views now prevailing Oh
the subject postal intercourse, and the changes made
have QUIZ been the reduction OF hostages. WITHOUT
remedyin. evils compaiuel or As 10 tne PROPOSE
ton OF aDUllshins transit accounts the UAel States
would largely the gamer II 1t should be ADOPTED IL
would therefore undoubtedly be OF very great dement, 10
the United States and the people IL the POsOhce
department. should conclude to send representatives 10
the Congress trdst that the department, "hicn
under Mr. CIeswels able management made suCh rapu
progress the domestic postal tadlrs WIN take the
opportunity lnauSuraJe similar improvements III a
branch vi the postal service where III nts Oech stdy
needed for several years. While tue government OF
the United has always been represented OH
uccaslOus Similar Kinds, 1t would seem strange mat IL
shud NOT be represented III mdCter Of such direct ana
ueep interest to oar people. CIAIZES'
Aetc- York, July A5 1874,