The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-12
POSTAL UNION IN DANGER
British Delegates Make Threats
of Withdrawal.
TROUBLE OVER OCEAN RATES
Great britain Bitterly Fighting u
Reduction, and as "a Last Resort
VIII Wreck the Union-DeIegates
Complain of Shabby Treatment.
A Boycott Against the Press.

Great Britain has threatened to with
draw from the Universal Postal Union.
This threat it is claimed, would, if carried
into effect, wreck the union. | t is charged
by the delegates from nearly all the other
governments that the attitude OF the Brit
ish delegates has been domineering, ty-
rannicaI and unreasonable.
The trouble came when, at the session of
the subcommittee OF the first commission
of the coBgress the question of a reduction
in the rate paid 10 ocean steamship COM
panies for carrying the mails was brought
up.
delegates Walpoie and Forman, Of Great
Britain, announced emphatically that the
government of Great Britain could not as
sent to this proposition Great Britain
would not permit it, She would fight the
measure to the last extremity, and If
reduction should be forced upon her she
would Withdraw from the Postal Union,
ana her delegates to the congress will
Withdraw and leave Washington. This
created d sensation among the dele gales
from the United States and the European
governments The committee is trying 70
bring about compromise, but the British
ers are stubborn The mails Of the world
are practically carried III English ships,
and to reduce the ocean ra ties would Cnr-
tail tile profits OF English companies
The delegates from the South Amt rican
republics and from the Greater Republic of
Central America are indignant at the man
nrr III which they claim to have been u
nGred in the appointment of the commit
tees Insignificant governments IN Europe
have h"eu gwen precedence owe: tHe %. "a
American republics on the first coHinis
sion tie central committee Of the CON
gresS, which has jurisdiction over the
only important matters u be considered by
the congress.
Tie Committee of arraG ccIuents is siis-
hrartnapi 3 th;. ne WIS fro n Richmond This
committee sent a gentle hint to Richmond
that IL (thc committed would deem it d
pleasure ii that Southern city would enter
tam the delegates to the postal congress.
The matter was given publicity in Rich
nond but the citizens have not responded.
The Jefferson Hotel management. u whom
aDplicatioa was made, has sent letter to
the committee setting forth that the dele
gates would be entertained at the rate of
81 a day each. This rate includes board
and lodging Carriages, washing, wines,
cigars, cigarettes, theatcr tickets, dna
meals sent to rooms would be charged eN.
ira The committee OF aTran gemeats has
about aban doned the proposed trip 70 Rich
mond and will probably try some other
city.
Many of the foreigners are grumbling at
their reception. They are criticising Things
American witt free tongues. They take
it as an Offense tina Z they have beenin Wash
fngton one week, and have not been
formally taken TO the Capitol, the White
House. or a single public building. They
are laughing at the reception which was
giventhem last ght by Postmaster General
Gary. They exclaim that it was Ye-
ccption to themselves. They did not meet
a single American official save some IF
those associated with the POSt0ffiCe I:e-
partmcnt They expected to meet many
representative Americans, hut there W as
nobody at the reception excepting the Gele
gates, their wives, the Postmaster tieneral
and family and the committee of arrange
ments and families of the members They
claim that it was very boresome affair.
The Universal Postal Congress is against
the press No news of the proceedings
a proposition is being agitated among the
delegates, and approved of by al least two
of the United States delegates, to exclude
newspaper reporters from the old Corco-
ran Art Gallery building, in which the
sessions of the congress are being held
One Of the delegates moved, when the
congress opened that list Of delegates
should not be furnished to the press, as. if
their names and addresses were printed,
they would be disturbed by members
of the press. This view of the matter was
taken by many other delegates, but the
list was obtained.
A representative of an American press
association approached a BIRTHS, deiega'.
yesterday to ask him why England OPP
posed the reduction of ocean rates The re
porter was snubbed and directly the Eng
Iishman reported to one of the Officers of
tho congress that he had been disturbed
by a member of the press, The Englishman
believed that the American reporter should
be excluded from the building.
one OF the United States delegates told