The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-04-22

NERSAL POSTAL UNION.
/.
ISTRODUcToKY-NEw DUTIES IMPOSED on THE
ADMINISTRATION by THE UNIoS.
To he Honorable PostnGsteT- General, Honolulu:
SB.-The constitution Of the Universal Postal
Union-nOw really universal, for, outside Of the
Australian colonies, only two civilized countries.
Bolivia and Costa Rica, remain out Of it-has
justly been termed the most wonderful and most
important event Of history. II would be useless
here TO insist on the advantages which have
caused the success of the Union, and realized
the difficult task Of blending and harmonizing
the different, sometimes conflicting, interests OF
SO many nations. These advantages are chiefly
that all the members are placed on the same
footing, no matter what may be the difference Of
population, territory, or wealth and that the
same regulations are applied everywhere with
the same guarantees for the public
The first general result Of the Union Is. that
all the postal administration who participate in
il have been enticed, If not morally bound, to
adopt the best improvements and extensions
which may exist in any other country, and even
to accept things to which they had hitherto been
constantly opposed. Hence, new prospects and
duties are imposed on all the Administrations,
who vie with each other for modifying their old
internal regulations, so as to make them accord
with the new international ones, and for intro
ducing entirely new features, beneficial both to
the State and to the public. The progresses of
one impose themselves on all the others. and
now, in this branch Of public services more than
in any other Of our modern times, the adage is
found true "He falls back who does not keep
up progressing"
The entrance Of the Hawaiian Kingdom into
the Universal Postal Union has, consequently.
thrown open on the administration you so ably,
intelligently. and progressively direct, these new
duties and prospects,. the most important Of
which Is actually the study Of all the improve
ments the postal services here are susceptible Of.
The sentiment Of this obligation has led you to
ask me % study the different features Ofthe postal
services abroad. and signal the points which
II - -.
introduced in the Hawaiian service, at once or
in a near future.
This task I now undertake, after n careful ex-
animation Of the Regulations Of the different
States, and n diligent perusal Of the valuable
documents and information contained in that
excellent organ Of the Universal Postal Union.
the journal L'UaiOn POstais, published at Bern
with much talent by the worthy Bureau Inter
national"
The most remarkable feature Of the modern
post-Ofhce is that, whilst the main object of the
Institution was and il still the safe and rapid
distribution Of letters and correspondence of all
nature (the true mail mAtter"l, the actual
tendency Of the times Is to adopt and include
In its services anything. which. under the shape
Of presenting more adequate intermediary for
communication between the public, will also
produce fees or commissions, in fact anything
which will be n gain Of money to the Admins
tration as well as a benefit TO the people.
Thus, we have seen the postal transactions,
from the simple act of carrying letters, gradually
extend
Ito distributing articles Of value, papers,
small samples, larger packages of merchandise
2-To collecting drafts, bills, etc, and taking
subscriptions to national and foreign publica-
tons
$40 RENTING money orders, receiving
money on deposit, (savings bsnks) and lastly
emitting letters Of credit.
Accordingly. to follow the universal move
ment Of the age, the task of n Postmaster Gen
eraI Is not only to attend to the perfection of the
workings Of his department, but also to be ON
the look out and ask the Government to be
allowed 10 adopt any idea or sUggestiOH which IN
accommodating the public and helping the COM
merce and transactions Of the country, Will also
be a source of revenue for his department.
Here, however, according to modern views,
the purely financial side of the Postal Admins
r ~tration, the ambition of keeping the receipts in
advance Of the expenses, ought not to be the
chief object of a attention,
and this is specially true since the Universal
Postal Union. A frequent consequence of the
accession of second class countries to the Union
has been an augmentation of expenses, together
with a decrease of receipts. This however, must
not stop a Postmaster-Genera for two reasons
LIST. That experience has already shown that this
depression ii in an otherwise well-Organized
admigistrution-is very soon ended, the advant-
ages Of the system and the augmentation of traf-
hs resulting from it very quickly increasing the
revenue so a. not only to cover the expenses,
but to bring in a constantly increasing net profit
to the Government. I'd. Because the advantages
derived to a nation from increased postal facili-
ties are such that it is a question, not only
whether all the receipts of the service ought not
TO be expended for the use and Improvement of
the same. but also whether IT would not be bet
ter 10 pay fer it out Cf the public finances 50 As
to carry the service to it's highest point Of per
lection, even at the cost of a deficiency, mas
much A. the taxes paid by the people for this
purpose would be the most equitable Of all gov
eminent taxation. Thus the journal L'UHiOn
POfta< says The fact Of raising or reducing
the postal rates or the postal expenses - q
financial question which concerns the Govern
D. - TO- -
belongs to the Minister Of Finance to know
whsther IN order to maintain the financial
balance of the Budget, the Post must be n source
Of revenue or nod, or whether IL should not more
properly be n charge on the State, similar TO the
10y. the Navy. the administration Of Justice.
etc. &C" In many civilized countries, from
natural ~tdculties, the POst-Ofice has never
in he poorest gsltuii9 On and aE neysr.ns.ss tSie eEe =
their Just duty TO keeIst m and imDrove n a.
a hSa ~ I%v tbsi, sbare o5lldently the people
pose. Thus Greece, Russia, anu ~LiIe L,ye
yearly deficit in their postal services, % "A we'll
a. the United States have. The modest helh
lie Of Columbia counted in 1873 an excess OF e..
penditure over the receipts IN the postal depart
ment Of about 500, 900, and yet this same eoun-
try did not hesitate to venture into perhaps
further sacrifices to belong To the Universal
Postal Union. j don't expect however, that IN
Hawaii the present situation will be much
changed by the accession 20 the Union New
expenditures will be incurred. il j. true. but also
new receipts will be made, specially II the Gov
erument promptly introduces ONE Of the mosi
urgent improvements which can be suggested
from the experiences of other countries. Many
other desirable features and propositions will
come As soon as possible. but in their time, for
n IA not a necessity TO make at once all the
notifications possible. All the Post-Othce
Neutrality-suspicious. Of the world have proceeded
oradnaIIy or partially, and their efficiency
has Improved with their prudence new sug-
~eestions have often been tried between a lew
local Post-ofaces only before being adopted
generally.
INrEExAL SERvIcEs.-MoSOPOLY.
The first question which naturally presents
itself to the attention of the Hawaiian Admins
tration is that of the Postal MoHoPoty- All gov
ernments reserve TO their Postal AdmInistra-
lions the exclusive right Of carrying and dis.
tributing the correspondence Of the public and