The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-05
BIG CONGRESS OF NATIONS.
Will Gather in Washington Next May
to Work for Universal Postage
Forecast Of Its Work.


Forecast Of Its Work.
Every civilized nation on the face u
the globe is directly interested In the
deliberations of the universal postal
congress which will meet in Washing
ton next May. The operations Of the
vast postal system. which already takes
in all but three of the organized govern
ments, and will probably embrace them
all before the congress closes, will be
reviewed by that body. and action TAX
en- on matters of the greatest COM
mercial significance.
1t will form one OF the most import
ant International gatherings ever held
In this country. says the Washington
Star. In the neighborhoOd Of 100 dele
gates from the various countries max
ing up the big Universal Postal Union
will assemble. and the ladies' who will
accompany them. and others drawn
here by interest in the occasion. will
swell the number. Those who will
make up the congress are picked men
OF the highest rank in the postal SER
vice of the world, men who have sat
at brilliant official banquets elbow to
elbow with the emperor of Austro-
Hungary, the King of Portugal. the
presidents of France and the Swiss fed
Grafton. and other foreign notables. All
official Washington will join. In one
way or another, in the entertainment
of the visitors
Its sessions will be the most formal
of any convention of either national
or International scope ever held here.
The first Wednesday in May Is the
liked date for opening, and for five or
six weeks afterward sessions will be
held daily. The proceedings will be of
a star chamber nature. though they
Will be made public in due time Every
word spoken officially from the time
the temporary president raps his gavel
TO declare the congress omen will be
in the French tongue, the language OF
the worlds organized postal service.
Every document connected in any way
with the deliberations of the congress
will be printed or written in the same
language.
EVERY SIX YEARS.
The congress meets every six years.
AS matter Of fact. it Is required to
meet every five years. This anomaly Is
due to the fact that the treaty conclude
ed by each congress generally takes eff
feet about year later. and the congress
meets five years later after the treaty
goes into operation. There are fifty
three countries embraced in the union.
The Cape of Good Hope. which entered
at the beginning of last year, was the
last country to join, China, the Orange
Free State and perturbed Corea are the
only important organized governments
yet outside. and these are expected soon
TO take steps looking to this end. Each
country Is entitled to one vote, though
1t may send as many delegates as it
may see tit to do. In former congresses
the chief representative has been the
director general of posts, or chief ex-
ecutive of the postal service of the reps
resentative country.
The United States, however, has never
been represented by it's postmaster gen.
eral and the first assistant postmaster
seherai has been the highest ranking
officer to attend. This, however. was
only In one case, that of ex-Postmaster
General Tyner. who was first assistant
both before and after holding the post
master generals portfolio, and of whom
Dom Platt once said that he start.
ed at the foot of the ladder, reached
the top and started back again.
Ever since the initiatory congress at
Berne at the close of the Franco Prus-
sian war. in 1873, when the organization
was perfected for the unfcatiOn of all
the great powers into postal territory.
the superintendent of foreign mails here
has been delegate on each occasion.
This plan undoubtedly will be followed
out next year, but there also will be
about a half dozen other high officials
delegated by the postmaster general
to attend.
In all probability the postmaster gem
eral VIII oper the congress. and it Is
more than likely that the first assistant
will preside over the meetings, IL suf-
ficiently equipped for the office. Ed.
Holm. the director of the international
bureau of the union at Berne and .pne
of the highest authorities on postal af-
fairs in the world, will be the secretary.
Mr.. Holm will not be an entire stranger
to Washington. as he was here last June
and made a study of our mail methods.
Where the meetings will be held is now
problematical. An effort will be made
to secure the use of the senate cham-
ber. This selection would be a fitting
tribute to the type of men who are cons
ing. They have convened in the senate
chamber in Berne, in the Bourbon pal-
ace. in Paris, in the Portuguese SUI
preme court hail. i'm Lisbon, and I'm the
hall of the Imperial Association OF
Horticulture. in Vienna. And the
proposition will be urged as only rea-
sonable in view of the congressional re-
cess at that time, barring possible extra
sessions.
Every facility will be accorded the
delegates. Each will be provided with
a desk whether the state chamber be
chosen or not, there will be corps Of
temporary employees. and for the gem
eral convenience a postofiice will be in
running operation on the spot. They
will be given by the postmaster general,
expectations are realized, though it
would be difficult to Surpass the Vien-
nese entertainment. Throughout their
stay their will be q brilliant dinner res
ception or excursion once week. The
initial dinner in their honor doubtless
will be glen by the postmaster general.
and probably Henry Clay Evans. Of
Tennessee. will be the host. A. dinner
by the president will follow, and then
one by the president of the congress.
Then 1t is likely a reception will be ten-
dered them by the district commissions
ers. The delegates will be shown about
the capital and make a tour of the
country at large.
The vital question before the great
sextennial gathering will be that Of
payment by one country for the trans