Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-24
Questions to Be Brought Before It
for Debate.
CHIEFLY THINGS We DON'T WANT
The Parcels Post System to Be
Urged.
FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS

One of the most important propositions
to come before the international postal
congress Is the subject of territorial tran
sit charges. These charges arise from the
service of one nation in carrying the mails
of another across it's territory to a third
nation. In Europe by far the largest
service of this kind falls upon France, and
French common carriers receive from Eng
land, the United States, Germany, Bel
GUM, Holland and Denmark large ag-
gregate sum- probably not less than $780,
600 every year. These mails are destined
for Italy and the rans-Medterranean
countries, all the latter going by rail across
France and Italy to Brindisi, whence they
are sent by steamer to points along the
Mediterranean. Italy, of course. receives a
considerable sum in payment for her share
of the service.
The United States is interested in the
subject on account of the transit of French
and English mails across the continent to
San Francisco. whence they are shipped by
steamer to Australia, Hawaii, and Japa-
nese and Chinese ports. Originally this
struction of the Canadian Pacific railroad
most of the English mail matter has gone
westward by that road and the amount
paid this country for transcontinental mail
hauling has been only about $4,000 year.
Territorial Transit Charges.
The effort is to be made to induce the
governments embraced in the postal union
to forego the amounts paid them by other
nations for this service and make this
whole item of mail transportation practi-
cally free upon tine theory that what is
paid is practically Offset by what is
ceived To this the United States would
probably make no objection, and might
make it matter of earnest advocacy be-
fore the congress. France, however, would
doubtless make strenuous opposition. Her
service is too large to make any similar
service for her by the other nations CT the
union an adequate offset. AS there is a
strong sense of the necessary recfprocf-
ties between the nations in the union 1t is
not likely a proposition which would be
so manifestly burdensome to one Of its
principal members would carry. To the
United States it would be. however, an
advantage. The haul in this country Is
long one-much longer than in France, or
almost any other country-and as the COM
pensation is made by the kilosram for the
entire haul and not by the kilogram per
mile the pay is the same, no matter
whether the haul is 5000 miles or 30. An
alternative proposition will be discussed,
the features of which are that any coun-
try that may desire to do away with terri
torial transit charges due to or from an
other country may, by postal conventions,
agree to abolish such charges. Where two
countries are now performing nearly
equal amount of service for each other 1t
would be an advantage to both to abolish
the form of making payment to each other.
This plan would not disturb France in the
performance Of the vast amount CT postal
traffic devolving upon her.
The Parcels Post.
Another matter which will he thoroughly
considered is the international parcels post.
This system is in full vogue in the coun-
tries of Europe, and they naturally desire
to extend it to the United States, where so
large a proportion of our population has
come to US by immigration from across the
Atlantic. The idea is to have all mer-
chandise mailable Up to a limit of twelve
pounds. AS our exports are for the most
part bulky and the proportion Of Ameri-
cans living abroad is very small In COM
parison to the population of European
origin In this country, the balance of par
cells post business would be decidedly
against US. Another item to be considered
Is the fact that a large part of our foreign
bern population will be found at long dis
tances from the Atlantic coast. A major
ity of foreign mail matter received under
a parcels post system would go to the Mis-
sissippi valley. The average distance over
which a parcel would have to be carried
1t is estimated would not be less than 800
miles, while the average distance which
parcels are carried in Europe artery they
have reached the country of destination
is less than 100 miles. Another consids:a-
ton which will prompt the representatives
of the United States in the postal congress
to exercise the greatest caution will be the
necessity for quick and careful inspection
by customs officers of all parcels arriving
in the mails at Atlantic ports. There is, of
course endless opportunity for smuggling,
even in packages which are limited to
twelve pounds in weight, and this danger
is especially greater in the kind of mer-
chandise likely to be received than in that
which is likely to be sent out from the
United States.
Foreign Money Orders.
An effort will be made by the representa-
tives of the European members of the pos
tai union to establish with the United
States and Ell gland the same international
money order system which is in be-
tween the nations of continental Europe.
A money order sent from France to Spain
is very similar to one sent from Washing
ton to Baltimore. In other words, the Of
flee of origin 6nd the Office Of destination
ts il IL. Ill tho hIISiraoSS