Evening star., 1896-07-02

country carries the mails Of all others
Tree. The United States Is on record for
this reciprocal arrangement. Capt. Newton
M. Brooks. the superintendent Of foreign
mails, ana q veteran in the service, and
william Potter Of Philadelphia, our dele
carried specific instructions to vote for the
measure. 1t never reached q vote, how
ever. being smothered in committee. The
non-action was the result Of concessions
necessary to secure the adhesion OF all the
Australasian colonies to the union. The
maintenance Of the existing transit rates
was stipulated by them before joining.
Another condition proposed by these colon
les, but subsequently withdrawn, was that
they should be separated into two groups.
each group being accorded a vote instead
of one vote for the whole.
Germany's Plan.
Germany has another plan. This is to
examine the statistics taken during the
last two or three weighing periods, deter
mine the average receipts and expenditures
for the intermediate transit of mails for
each country. and make payments hereaf-
ter on this permanent basis. This does
away with triennial weighing This whole
subject came up at Vienna with a view to
action at the coming gathering. The indi-
cations now are that the average results
of the last two statistical periods will be
adopted as the basis of all intermediate
transit accounts up to the period Of assem-
bly, In the congress following that of
Washington. that is, up to 1893 The pro-
tests of small countries like Belgium, han
ding large amounts of transit matter,
doubtless will prevent total abolishment.
as by common consent one well-founded
dissent kills measure, and the much
agitated proposition to adopt a universal
postage stamp will be brought up for ac-
ton, and the outlook now is very favora-
BILE. No corntry now recognizes the stamps
or postal supplies Of any other country as
valid. The only exception is in the case
Of double postal cards. Issued by many OF
the countries. The reply card is good In
any country for return to the country
where issued. Except as specially provided
by each country, the universal stamp
would not be good for domestic postage,
but each country party to the union COM
pact would be required to recognize 1t when
addressed to or from any other country.
The proposition was brought up at Vienna,
was given a lively discussion there and
finally defeated. Instructions were given,
however. to the International bureau at
Berne. Switzerland, to inquire into the SUBJ
ject and make it's report.
The difference in the monetary values of
the various countries is The main objection
which has been urged. Its opponents say
such stamps In ore country at price
which would cradle them to sell the
stamps at a profit in another country for
Use there. The price, they say, might be
to induce purchases Of sreculators instead
Of post offices. thus impairing the postal
revenues of the country.
Not Enough Margin.
Its advocates, including our own postal
representatives, offset this by the argu-
ment that the marginal difference between
the currency values of any Of the coun-
tries Is not great enough to give a suffi-
cient margin of profit for the spectators.
Capt. Brooks. who is perhaps better au-
thority on international mails than any
body else in the United States. said few
days ago: Large quantities Of the stamps
when imported from one country to an
other would be subject to transportation
charges and customs duties. and this ex
pense when added to the original cost Of
the stamps would counterbalance the diff
ference in monetary value or at least would
reduce that difference that there would
not be a margin OF profit sufficient to al
low of their sale at a reduced price"
The internatio postage rates are fixed
by the postal union treaty in the French
currency. and this would apply to the uni
Nersal stamp. Not more than q centimes
Is charged for 16 grams in weight. The
recognized equivalent for the % centimes
in this country is cents; Great Britain,
two-pence-half-pe Germany, % pfen-
nige; Austrfa-Hungary. 10 kreuzer; and the
Scandinavian countries, 20 ore. This coun-
try's equivalent Is probably closer than
any of the others.
Still another measure which will be in
troduced Is one providing for universal re-
turn envelopes. a scheme similar to that of
the universal stamp 1t doubtless will be
adopted without material opposition.
All Of these measures. and others, will be
acted on In the course of the revision Of the
universal treaty. Several minor treaties
to which only few of the countries have
bound themselves, will also be up for re-
vision.
Outsiders May Join.
The trio of countries still outside the
union may be entitled to representation in
the congress before 1t is brought to a close
China already has definitely announced its
intention to join. Corea took steps to this
end, and was about ready to act definitely
when the China-Japan war broke out Mr.
Ye, her minister here, and several Of the
attaches. had called at the Post Office De-
partment and conferred with our officials
Since the outbreak of hostilities nothing
has been heard from them. The Orange
Free State has never officially made an in
Quiry into the subject, but her advent is
confidently expected.
China's action is a most radical one for
the conservative old empire. 1t means the
total abolishment of her present private
courier system, which affords the only mail
facilities for the celestals and the substi-
tuition of an entirely new system on mod
ern lines. The transformation doubtless
will be accomplished through the medium
Of experienced European postal off,
cials, whose services will be engaged
by the emperor. 1t may mean the
abandonment Of the general postal
agency at Shanghai. There citizens
Of the United States and of Great Britain,
Germany, France and Japan are afforded
full post Office privileges in separate agen-
cies so far as communication with the out
side world is concerned. Its discontinuance
would be deprecated by our officials, as it
is run on excellent plans China's acuui-
escence is all that is needed for its contin-
uance, together with the system now to be
established
Economical Living I'm Warrington.
To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
This is the poor mans age, notably in
Washington. A family in reduced circur,-
stances can live about as cheaply here as
anywhere, IL they will accept the situation
and not endeavor ito keep up appear
ances." This is just where SO many make
the mistake and consequently continually
complain of outrageous prices and hard
times man uould no fiStied fo fok