Evening journal., 1897-05-03
POSTAL CONVENTION.
Business Will Open In Earnest
Next Wednesday.
SOME MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED.
New Rules WIN BE Discussed and Prob
ably Adopted In substitution of
Old Ones In order Co Cow
er New Conditions.

er New Conditions.
Washington. May S-rhe postal op-
erations of the world viii pass in re-
view before one OF the most distin
guished bodies that ever met in this
country when the universal postal con-
gress convenes in this city Wednesday. |
II is the first time that the Universal |
Postal union. now comprising and con-
trolling, 50 far as the mails are con-
cerned. every organized government |
save three-China Korea and the |
Orange Free State-has had its dele
gates assemble In America, and the de-
liberations Of its fifth sextennial con-
vention will be marked by perhaps
more pronounced formality than has
attended any convention of either ma
tlonal or international scope thatthas
gathered In this country for long
period.
Sixty odd countries and provinces
viii be represented by about f20 dele
gates. each country having but a sim
gle vote. The sessions Will be held In
the historic old building which until
recently was the home of the Corcoran
art gallery. The hall has been eQalpped
with desks and other conveniences. and
a postotlice Will be in operation ON the
spot until the meetings close. The dele
gates who will form the congress are
men Of the highest rank in postal serv-
ice. The postmasters general Of several
nations are among them while leading
diplomats have been sent by some Of
the countries. A portion Of the dele
gates are already here.
II WIN Last Six Weeks.
The gathering will be in Washington
| from a month to six weeks. but the
congress itself will meet not more than
half dozen times. The real work,
save that OF ratification of proceedings
when the committees report, which be-
longs TO the fun congress. devolves up-
on the four committees, at least one OF
which viii be in session practically ev-
cry day except Saturday and Sunday
one committee will have charge Of the
general treaty which Is adopted at ev-
cry congress, and also viii settle ac-
counts between individual countries.
With the latter this country has Moth
ing to do. A second committee will take
up arrangements for exchange of LETT
ters of declared value. the parcels post
system and the postal books of Identity
used by some countries. A third will
consider money orders bills collectible
by post and subscriptions through post
offices TO newspapers and periodicals,
while the fourth viii put the new gem
eral treaty into definite shape for rati-
hcation.
The congress will be opened Wednes-
day morning by Postmaster General
Gary, who will deliver his salutatory
in English while the assemblage reads
the French translation. This viii oc-
cupy little over FIVE minutes. being a
formal welcome. Then the senior dele
gate, not now selected. will respond in
few words. The election of a pre-
siding officer viii follow.
General George Bachelor. ex-minis-
ter to Portugal and chairman Of the
United States delegation probably will
be the honored one. The business OF
the congress viii begin at once. all
proceedings being conducted In French
and behind barred doors.
The Work of the Congress.
Many measures will be brought for
ward for consideration. The new
treaty or general convention, and sew
eral minor ones. signed by only two OF
three OF the countries, Will be discussed
and adopted in substitution Of old ones
in order to cover new conditions. Per-
haps the most important proposition
will involve what Is known as the in
termediate transit system. This pro-
vides for compensation by the sending
country to all countries over whose
domains it's mails are transported. An
agreement to carry the mails OF all the
countries in the union mutually free
will be sought. but probably voted
down. Such countries as Belgium
which sends out little mail but over
whose lands much foreign mall is
, transported, at a big profit TO the king
3 dom. will object to cutting on this
I revenue.
= This practically defeats the scheme
as one well founded dissent kills g
e proposition. This country and few
8 others, however, have declared In IA
! vor Of the free transportation. Th'
a ultimate action, It is said, probably vii
q be the acceptance Of the average
% weight statistics Of the last six years
as a basis Of all intermediary transi
accounts up to the assemblage Of th'
next congressional is, up 10 lSO3-whei
I the issue will be revived.
The much agitated proposition e
adopt a universal postage stamp. no
. good for domestic postage, but 70
convenient communication betweei
countries, and the universal return
r stamped envelope proposition, havinI
10 a similar scope. also will be broueh
v up. but the probabilities Of adoption
5 are said to be against both, with tn
latter having the better chance of tn
;. two.