Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-25
FOREIGN POSTAL IDEAS.
Some Features Of Systems Abroad That Arc
Unused Here.

our chiefest interest in several OF the
subjects prominently before the Postal
Congress is that we have nothing 10 90
with them. This seeming paradox as
accounted for by the fact that a nation
cannot well undertake task in connec-
tion with foreign mails which II does
rot attempt in its domestic service. we
have no Identification books. agencies
for the sale OF newspapers cash on
delivery" system, or insurance OF man
matter in our postal service. and hence
we cannot enter into International COM
pacts for providing these features Tor
cur foreign mails. The principal here
illustrated has given rise TO series OF
international agreements as TO special
features within the general Postal
Union There are at least six such
cases of Emporium in imperio, and a
postal congress takes up for discussion
not only those subjects which concern
all it's members. but also those in which
certain groups Of nations are interest
ed. While the discussion of interna-
tional arrangements for doing the
things that our postofiice has never at
tempted is going on. the American pos
tai expert can BEST employ his time in
CL.LSlueTlIlS IL IL IliISuL Hpt NC NNtA ANA
him to adopt some of these features.
Hence our interest in them consists in
that we now have nothing to do with
them.
A German postoffice, for instance, is
an agency for receiving subscriptions
for all the publications in the empire.
That country. with Austria Hungary
Belgium, Brazil. Bulgaria and fifteen
others have entered into postal union
for this particular service y man
may go to any postotfice in Belgium
and ask for a list of the newspapers
and periodical publications of Bulgaria,
and if he sees any on the list for which
he desires to subscribe. all that it Is
necessary for him to do is to pay the
subscription fee to the local post
master. Then the identification book
system is something which number
Of nations have agreed upon. Since
Americans are a nation of travellers,
tit is a matter of some surprise that our
postofIice has never participated in this
arrangement. In European countries,
the local postoffice sells for small
sum an Identification book which des-
cribes an Individual holds his sigma
ture and photograph, and is provided
with a system of receipts which he can
give for letters, in foreign countries.
These identification books are recog-
nized by the postoffices of all the ma
tons which have an agreement for that
purpose. Another group Of nations
have a bill-collectifg system in con-
rection with the postoffice, but since
we do not have that feature to our do
nestle mails, it has been impossible to
go into the alliance.
A postal congress. such as that now
in session in this city, is not wholly an
occasion for American self-glorifica-
ton. Our relation to postal union prog
ress has been largely negative-we
have not INSTRUCTED its operation. The
part played by the United States in the
deliberations of this congress is lament
ably slight, if the documents before
the delegates may be taken as evil
dence Seven folio pamphlets of prop
ositions have been printed and set be-
fore the present meeting. 1t does not
appear that the United States had any
propositions to offer. Egypt and Bos-
MIA propose amendments to the main
treaty; we do not. In the matter CT in
ternatioEal money orders and parcel
American experience and skill might
suggest improvements; but they do
not appear Mr.. Wilson, after some ex-
perience as postmaster general, omitted
to make any recommendations to this
postal congress, and as Mr.. Gary is just
now beginning his postal career,he is to
be commended for cautiously venturing
no suggestions. AS stated in last
weeks letter. this country has no legit-
innate claim Of authorship of the postal
union idea. Our greatest contribution
to this movement was made by our pes
tai convention with Canada in 1851,
when the two countries agreed to keep
the postage that each might collect,
thus acting on the principle since con-
firmed by wide experience, that letters
balance one another in the intercourse
of countries. That great principle
which the United States and Canada
did establish hut an end to frivolous
postal accounts, and so became the
cornerstone Of the postal union. This