Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-16
FIFTH UNIVERSAL POSTAL CON-
GREss ADJOURNs.
TO MEET IN ROME NEXT TIME.
SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS DONE BY
THE CONGRESS-.
China and Orange Free State to Come
Into the UniOn-NO Universal
Postage Stamp Uniform
CoIors for stamps
New Treaty.

Washington, June 1.-THE universal pos
tai congress, the fifth convention of the
kind in the world, finished its labors to-
day after a closed session lasting several
hours The next session of the congress,
the sixth sexteunial one, will be held az
Rome, Italy. in February. 1903. The final
session was devoted TO the formal signing
of the general treaty and Of the detailed
articles. Every delegate signed these two
sets of papers, subject to the formal ratt-
fication OF his government, and. owing TO
the excessive amount Of labor involved,
signatures to other sets of documents were
waived. under u general authority for their
execution. The originals OF all these docu-
ments will be placed in the archives of the
state department for preservation. and
certified copies will be forwarded to all
the governments comprising the universal
postal union.
The deliberations Of the final meeting
were accompanied with much formality.
General s. B2tche!Ier, president OF the con-
gress, called the body TO order shortly be-
fore IL o'clock. and. after few inter-
changes of remarks and appropriate
speeches, the documents were signed.
Prior to the general session, meeting
was held under the direction Of N. Deles-
sert. the Swiss delegate and the dean OF
the corps according to age, at which
speeches of recognition of the services OK
the officials were made and valuable tokens
Oh GOOD VIII presented them oy the CON Gon-
gress. 1t was late this afternoon when
the final adieus were said and the wash
ingtOn postal congress was declared Ad-
journed to meet at Rome.
Following is an official resume Of the
results OF the work OF the congress-:
First-The principal treaty. which ex-
union; the declaration of the Orange Free
State (which failed TO send a delegate to
Washington that it hoped soon to enter
the union; and the declaration OF the Chi
nese empire (which was represented in the
congressl, that 1t will observe the regu-
latiOns OF the union as soon as the organi-
Zation of its service permits.
Second-The intermediary transit rates
have been facilitated and the tariff dimin-
ished quite materially on a graduated
scale for the ensuing. six years.
Third-Uniform colors have been pro-
jected for postage stamps.
Fourth-Postal cards unpaid are subject
to double tax: that is. cents, in place Of
the former tax, which was 10 cents. the
same as for unpaid letters.
Fifth-Circulars produced on a machine
0ypewritten) in quantities Of twenty cir
culars, all of the same character, are ad-
mitted 20 the international mails at the
same rates as printed circulars.
SiXth--Samples of merchandise are ad-
mitted up to $50 grammes.
Seventh-Objects of natural history, anil
mails, dried plants or preserved geological
specimens, are admitted as samples.
LIS LAtil-A ne AN-SlAJaA u LAAt CiSdlAoh VI
universal postage stamp was brought
up and the proposition defeated on ac-
count of the difficulty which would occur
IN putting into practice the important in
novation, especially because Of the diver
sity of currency standards.
Ninth-Special arrangements concerning
packages Of declared values. postal orders.
books of identity and subscriptions to jour-
nails have been thoroughly revised. This
country Is NOT actually concerned in these
arrangements. They mostly affect the
states of the continent of Europe.
The new treaty will become operative
January !. 1899. Most of the delegates left
the city for their homes tonight. having
booked passage on the ocean liners for
this and next week.