The times., 1897-05-14
HELD BETWEEN TWO FIRES
Attitude of the United States in
the Postal Congress.
yEXATIOUs TRANSIT TARIFF
Opposition to England in the Matter
of Ocean Revenue Taking Form.
Delicate Position of the United
states-Society Recognizes the
Delegates.

Transit tariffs were again forced to the
attention Of the subcommittee OF the first
commission of the universal postal con,
gress at the session of that committee
yesterday.
This is the question about which so much
has been written in The Times OF late and
one of the questions which has induced
such acrid discussions and undignified
proceedings in the congress. Only few
days ago il was decided 10 drop this
question in committee, and then force IL
before tie congress for consideration aud
final action. But the delegates who are
opposed 10 the transit tariffs have OF late
tecoine SO much encouraged that, despite
the heated antagonism of Belgium and
Italy, spuired on by the delegates from
Great Britain. that the question was re
vived in committee yesterday.
1t is believed that the voting strength
Of The committee is against the delegates
who favor reduction offenoval of the Lo x
put upon mali by tie u Iansit countries, and
that the majority reeoit viii be adverse
to the reduction of these charges. But the
/ fighting delegates from SouthAmerica, who
are acting largely under the inspiration
and leadership of the representatives froIn
the Argentine Republic, Chill and Brazil,
aIe expected to bring in a minority re-
port and then the question Win be fought
out in the congress. iti
If the question We're put TO fair and
square test the transit countries woulil be
largely outvoted There aIe three gov
erninents whichitis positively known would
vote for free eaDiinmediate transit who can
not Just now afford TO antagonize Great
Britain. These governments aIe sweden,
Spain and japan These delegates, could
they tc assured Of a combination which
would defeat the British combination.
would vote against her, but they cannot
afford to cprose her without the certainty
OF successful opposition.
The attitude OF the United States is IN
certain. 1t favors the abolition of the
transit tariffs as being great detrimcnt
TO the international postal service. Each
government, it believes, should do what 70
can to further the postal development aud
interests OF every other government. This
is the policy OF the United States. But
there are several governments which spccu-
late on the mails of other countries. Its
these governments which are making up
position to the proposed reduction.
The United States is in a dilemma. ft
wants to he polite in the diplomatic sense
OF the word, and wants TO join the South
American comb nation against transit
tariffs. 1t is quite probable that IL viii
not vote at all. The matter is SO close
that it may develop that the United States
has the telling vote in the congress, and
then this country will be between two
fires. If it votes the delegates from the
transit Countries of Europe Will think
it rude and impolite, and If 1t fails TO
vote the South American governments will
dcnounce it for not having the courage
of conviction.
The situation has beeh discussed by
Postmaster General Gary and his official
family, and it is quite probable that the
matter will be brought to the attention of
the Cabinet at its next meeting.
The question is, shall the United States
vote Ia the Congress the way it wants to
vote and the way its interests dictate that
1t should vote, or will it be so polite rs 10
allow Great Britain and her allies 10
carry their points and levy a tax on every
country which send mail through the
transit countries.
The Austrian government proposes
reduction in the tariff of 10 per cent for
six years and then further reduction till
at the expiration of the fifteen years the
transit tariffs shall have been abolished.
This is the proposition which was dis
cussed yesterday.
The society dignitaries of Washington
are awakening to the fact that the dele
gates ought to be better entertained than
the committee OF arrangements is doing.
Mrs. Brice yesterday notified the congress
that she will tender garden fete III
Saturday afternoon and evening to the
delegates. Today BIRTHS h Ambas sador
Pauncefote called at the postal congress,
and, after conference With British Dele
gates Walpole and Forman, invited the
congress to a garden party and recep-
tion at the British embassy on May ~.
The congress will go down to Mount
Vernon and Marshall Hall today, but the
committee Of arrangements would not
furnish the press with any information
as to what time the steamer River Queen
is to sail. 80