The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-24
Gossip at
the Capital

Special Correspondence of The Tribune.
Washington, April Bone week from
next Wednesday there will assemble mere
one of the most important gatherings of
the decadr-the fifth worlds congress of
the Universal Postal union. Its dcliber-
ations are expected to occupy two months,
ard they will be participated in by l25
delegates and attaches representing every
country of any consequence on the globe.
The place of mCe ting will be the handsome
building known as the old Corcoran Art
gallery at the northeast corner of Sew
cntcenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., Northwest, opposite the state, war
and navy building. The principal sub
ject of discussion before the congress will
probably be the reduction or abolition of
the rates of compensation allowed under
the present treaty to each country for
the conveyance over its territory of mails
of another country in transit to Codn-
tries beyond the intermediate country.
These rates are generally considered to be
too high at present and their mode OF set
tlcment too complicated.
AS the correspondent in this city of the
Providence Journal recently wrote to his
paper: "It is not too much to say that
the formation of the Universal Postal
Union has done more to promote the COM
fort and convenience Of the people Of the
world, and more to advance civilization
generally, than any other social or COM
mcrcill Improvement of the present gcner-
alton. And in considering the advan-
tages which it has given the whole world,
it IS gratifying to note tFat the United
States Is largely entitled to the credit Of
taking the initiative and pointing out the
way to other nations, Thirty-ive years
ago there were eight separate conven-
tions or treaties between the United
] i Ion,
| ernmo1ts, regulating the exchange of in
! tcrnational correspondence. Under these
/ conventions there wa great disparity
| I'm the rates of postage to ana from Coun-
| tries equally distant, and varying rates
/ to and from the same countries accord
| ing to the route taken, and there were
| many confusing differences in the meth
| DDS Of weighing, rating and classifying
| mail matter. As a rule, the rate of poo t
! age was many times higher than 1t is now.
| and the essential requirements Of speed
| ana safety were only measurably full
! filled. In addition, The complex accounts
| necessary to be kept with the various for
| Cign governments begot endless delay and
! annoyance But the Inconvenience, Diff
! culti5s and enormous postage rates at
/ tending that intricate system are now
! happily abolished, thanks to the sue
| Cessive congresses OF the Universal Postal
union; and now, through the establish
! ment of a universal tiVo-cent rate on al
international letters without regard to the
distance or route trayersed, and like uni
| form and reasonable rates on printed mat
ter and samples, the whole world has beer
placed upon an even footing.
at was during the old-time regime OF
| confusion and ireniciency that MOntgom
cry Blair, our postmaster-gcncral, OF
| August 4. 1862, at the suggestion Of Hon
John A. Kasson, then first assistant post
| MASTER general, adGl CSsed to our Sccre
tary of state, William II. Seward a let
ter requesting him to invite a conference
| of the postal authorities Of Europe anC
America, to meet at q time and place tC
be selected by them, to recommend t
their governments the adoption in inter
national postal regulations, of a uniform
standard of weight rates and conditions
and n uniform basis for sea and lam
transit charges, etc. The invitation eX
tended by our state department through
Mr., Seward was accepted by the govern
ments addressed, ana resulted I'm q confer
ence which met at Paris from May II t
June g. 1868. That conference was at
tended by the leading postal officials o
Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark
Spain, the United states. France, Grca
! Britain, Itaiy, the Netherlands, Portugal
| Prussia, the Sandwich Islands, Swltzer
land, ana the Hanso cities. This coun
try was ably represented by Hon. Johl
A. KassOn, now a. resident Of Washing
ton, then recently retired from the posi-
| tiOn Of first assistant postmaster-genCral
The deliberation of that important con
ference resulted I'm a wonderful simpll
fcaton Of the methods OF the intcrna
/ tional postal service. The delegates Wer
vested with no precise powers yet the
agreed upon certain general propositions
which they duly recommended to their re