The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-06
GREETED BY GARY
CONGRESS OF THE TNTERNATIONA
POSTAL UNION OPENED AT
WASHINGTON.
SESSIONS ARE IN SECRET
THE PAST SIX YEARS TO BE
CONSIDERED.
DELEGATES MAY COME OUT WEST
1t Is Desired to- Give the FOREIGN
Members Some Idea Of the
Country.

WASHINGTON, May 5.-The Univer-
great hall of the Corcoran Art gallery.
About sixty counties, comprising most
of those in the postal union, were rep
resented. Korea, China and the Orange
Free State, which are now outside the
pale of the union, had delegates pres
ent. 1t is expected that the work of
the congress will extend over about six
weeks. Most of the work will be trans
acted by committees, which will SUBJ
congress once week. The present pos
tai agreement will be revised and re-
newed. Several important questions
will be considered, among them prop
osition to transmit the official mail Of
the countries which are members Of
the union, free of charge, the question
of increasing the unit of weight to be
carried under a fve-cent stamp from
one-half ounce to threefourths Of an
ounce and also proposition for uni
versal stamp.
The hall presented brilliant appear
ance when Gen. Batcheller, the premier
delegate of the United States, called
the congress to order at II O'Clock. The
delegates We're attired in dress suits or
full court costume, their breasts be-
spangled with glittering insignia and
enameled orders. The Oriental dele
gates were very picturesque in their
flowing silken robes. The decorations
OF the hall were lavish. The walls were
-:oI, fanoCfrjHC and Sh
with coats Of arms. The prevailing
colors were gold and crimson. The ses-
sion,s of the congress were held behind
closed doors Postmaster General Gary,
Assistant Postmaster General Heath,
Gen. Batcheller and Capt Brooks did
the honors Postmaster General Gary
delivered the address of welcome.
Camille Delessert, director Of posts
for Lausanne, Switzerland, the dean of
the union, followed the postmaster gen
eral with a brief address in which he
referred feelingly to the distinguished
members who had died since the con-
gress assem- bled six years ago at vi
enna. He paid glowing tribute to DR..
Won Stephan. whose vacant desk was
draped in mourning, surmounted by a
wreath of oak leaves and immortelles
NJ. Delessert then, on the part Of the
congress, proposed Gen. G. S. Batch
eller. the Oldest of the United States
delegates, as president of the con-
gress and he was unanimously chosen.
Gen. Batcheller made fitting re-
Spouse in French. Mr.. Fritsch direc-
tor of the department of posts for Ger
many, delivered a eulogy of DR.. Won
Stephan and Mr.. Neubauer supple
mented his colleagues remarks with
some words of profound regret.
M. Assault, administrator of mails
and telegraphs, of France, ON behalf of
the congress, made a brief address in
eulogy Or the president of the United
States and of the generous hospitality
extended to the congress by the Amer
lean government He concluded by
offering to the president the sincere
felicitatio of the congress. An elabo
rate luncheon was served at the con-
clusion of the preliminary exercises.
The committee on registered mails is
composed of the representatives of
twentythree countries with Mr.. Aus
ault of France. as president, Mr.. Chi
arabia, of Italy, vice president, and +.
Cermann, Of England, secretary. The
committee ON money orders, drafts and
newspaper Subscriptions is composed
of delegates from twenty-one countries
with Mr.. Fiitsch, of Germany, presi-
dent, and Mr.. Delessert. of Switzer-
land, secretary.
All the prCpoSiCOIS submitted by the
various countries to the postal union,
at it's headquarters in Berne. during the
past six years, will be submitted to
these committees for action and recon-
mendations OF the congress. Among
the propositions is one for an indemnity
of $40 on all lost reg. stored letters and
another for ordering newspapers of
foreign countries by subscription
drafts. A movement is on foot to Sc
cure an additional appropriation OF
$4,000 for the entertainment of the Wis
itors by the city of Washington. Con-
gress has already appropriated $50. 900
for entertainment by the government.
1t is probable that some of this money
will be expended in giving the dele
gates an excursion to the Mississippi
valley and the Northwest.