The evening times., 1898-12-15
FAVOR THE POLICY
OF RECIPROCITY
Action Taken By the National
Board of Trade.
THE THIRD DAYS SESSION
Report OF the Committee on Postal
Affairs Submitted.
Advocate Consideration of the Es-
tabiisiiment Of Postal Savings
rauk-H eso,utions Adopted.

called 10 order this morning Mr.. Eb r
sole. of Cincinnati, presented the report
of the committee on reciprocity. This
committee points out that as the Govern
ment of the United States and Great
Britain have appointed a joint high COM
mission to consider the estabishme mt of
reciprocal trade relations with Canada,
and that it is manifestly appropriate IN
reaching conclusions in regard TO trade
questions, the interests OF the many
should be recognized as paramount to
those of TIE few. IL was resolved that
in the opinion OF the National Board of
Trade the commercial, manufacturing
and industrial prosperity of this country
viii be greatly promoted by the nearest
practical approach that can b. made to
the establishment OF complete recip. ocal
trade relations b1tween the United
States. Canada and the Crown Cooni S
of Newfoundland.
Mr.. Ebersole presented the following
resolutions concerning the extension of
American trade:
Resolved. That the National Board Of
Trade calls attention with pleasure 10 the
gratifying increase in our export trade.
especially in manufactured products which
ernbOdy the employment of American la
Dor.
The quality and utility of American
products are recognized wherever they are
kno-:n.
Through associated effort much can be
accomplished, and We commend all such
I efforts and believe our Government should
favor all reasonable measures TO deve.op
| foreign markets and foster our export
trade.
Resolved, That as a means to this end
reciprocal treaties should be negotiated.
| especially with the countries of the Ameri-
can continent"
| These resolutions were adopted.
Mr.. Giddings, from the committee on
postal affairs, presented the report of
| that committee. This report states that:
THE law determining the rates for
! hauling mail matter by rail has not been
/ modified for twenty years. notwithstand-
! ing the fact that during that period, ac-
! cording to Poore's Railroad Manual,
! freight rates have declined about 35 per
cent, and passenger rates have declined
. about Il I-2 per cent; and not
! withstanding the fact that after the
/ daily average weight of 5000 pounds is
reached the same rate is allowed per ton
for hauling 100000 pounds daily as is
| charged for only 1000 pounds; and since
! 1855 the mileage of the Star Routes has
! increased ii IL per cent and the aveTa Sc
| weight OF mail matter materially in
creased while figures show that the total
| cost OF hauling has slightly decreased;
while, during the same period the mileage
/ of railroad routes has also increased 4:
| - per cent, but the cost of hauling also
increased from $14 75s, 495. 90 to sS4 754 7i2 G.
OF an increase of over 135 per cent"
IL was resolved that 1.-The National
| Board OF Trade, without desiring to casi
| any reflection upon the great railroad in
Uerests OF the country, believe that tn,
| above facts demonstrate that the exist
! ing law which fixes the average rate OF
hauling mail matter at $40 per ton pei
! hundred miles, requires radical modiiicl a.
ton: and they respectfully petition Cen.
! Grcss to ACCURATELY ascertain how MANY
| times greater is the actual cost to the
| railroads of hauling ton or maii matter
! than the cost Of haulin5 & ton of IN scel.
| ianeous freight; and then to revise tbs
| rate upon such basis as will b. equta-
| ble 10 both the Government and the rail.
| roads the effect of which would be e
| largely decrease the deficit and bring Us
| nearer to our desired end of securing i'm.
| proved service and one cent letter post.
| age; believing that if the savings there.
by effected are not sufficient to give us
| in the near future, general one-cent let.
! ter postage il might warrant the imme.
! diats adoption of one-cent local letter
! postage
A resolution was introduced that the
! National Board of Trade should recon-
mend to Congress the adyisab.l lily of con.
| sidering the establishment of posta
! savings bank Opponents OF the propo-
| sition alleged that the postal savings
bank system in England is failure and
that in this country the Governmen,
| could find no means of investment which
would enable it TO pay the proper amount
1 of interest on the deposits. The resolu.
! tion was lost
1t was resolved by the board that Con
gress be petitioned to appoint a commits.
sion whose duty it shall be TO act in lay.
1 ing before and urging upon the severa
! governments of the world, using q go
standard for money, an appeal for adop.
| tion of money unit which shall conform
| to a common system, by the use of such
number of grains of gold of like percent
| age of fineness as shall correspond with
| units adopted by other countries or mul,
| tiples thereof-say to conform to the
present coinage basis of France and Ger.
| tain other continental countries-b,
which the % grains of gold nine-tenths
fine represents 5 francs, making fouI
marks of Germany, 4 shilings of the
| United Kingdom, one dollar of the
| United States, etc, represent a similar
weight and ffneness of gold to the
| francs of France and like coinagS of 9th
er countries.
1 The convention adjourned this after
noon TO meet again in this city on Jan