The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-25
NEW POSTAL PROBLEMS.
Offices to he Opened in Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippine Islands.
From the New York Tribi

I hASN dttN important questions 10 zeal WIN
/ in extending the postal service to the new
! territories about to be acquired by the
| government Heretofore the system has
/ been confined practically to the United
/ States Alaska and few stations estab-
! lished at Hong Kong and other points
! representing the only outside systems
/ controlled by this country. England.
/ france. Germany and in fact, most OF
/ the European Powers have numerous pos
! sessions scattered over the Eastern Hem
| isphere, While the United States owns no
/ colony off the Western continent There
! will be many problems TO solve in this
( new departure for Uncle Sam, and it NAV
! be some time before the new systems will
! he fully established and in shape for
| permanent operation. The appointment OF
! officers, the fixing of rates, the opening
| or offices and dispatching of supplies are
| all matters now claiming the attention Of
| the Postmaster General and his assist
| ants and, while thus far little mas been
| done except to establish temporary Of
! fees for the benefit of the officers and
| men of the army and navy. plans are
! rapidly being laid for a permanent system
| as soon as the American flag shall be
| firmly planted In the various colonies in
| question.
Early in June the department anticipat-
| ing the manoeuvres in the West Indies,
! issued an order directing that all mail
| matter for or from persons connected with
| the United States forces at Cuba and Porto
| Rico should be subject to the rates appli-
! cable TO domestic mails of this country,
| making the charge for letters two cents,
| the same as the inland rate The mails
/ are forwarded at every opportunity, being
| first sent to Tampa. and then to their des-
! tnation. Prior to this an order was issued
| to establish an agency at either Havana
| or Matanzas, or az such other port in
| Cuba as the United States mail steamers
| would touch for the purpose of landing
| and receiving mails, and a station has now
| been established at Santiago, that having
| been the first point where a permanent
| landing was made by the American forces.
| This is probably the first regular system to
| be operated by the United States govern
| ment off of the American continent, but Il
| is not at all likely that il will be the last
| The operations against Cuba having pre-
| coded those at Porto Rico, no action of a
| definite character has been taken in the
| latter ISLAM. The same regulations In con-
| nection with postal matters will, of course,
| prevail there as those in force in Santiago
| Until San Juan mas been captured or sur
| renders the mails viii be forwarded to
| those connected with the army and navy
| at the domestic rates, and as soon as the
| town has capitulated a regular Office will
| doubtless be established for all mails in
| tended for the island No appointment for
| this service has yet been made, but in all
|
| as the occasion requires il. The delivery of
| mail matter to the army and navy re-
| ceives much greater attention in America
| than in any other country in the world.
| European nations, as a rule, regard il with
| indifference and make a practice of for
| warding it only at long intervals.
| Beyond a temporary arrangement similar
| to that made In the South, no action with
| reference to the postal matters has yet
| been taken in the Philippine Islands. The
| final disposition of the group is problem
still remaining to be solved, and with the
| exception of establishing
| coaing station, which Is gen
orally favored by the Wash
| ington authorities, no settled policy has
| thus far been determined upon. The gov
| eminent is now carrying the mails TO the
United States forces at Manila
| at the same rates charged in this country.
but, owing to the great distance, these will
certainly be advanced should a permanent
| retention of the group be ratified The ex-
act state of affairs in the East is proba-
| bly, not known In this country; judging
| from the actions of Admiral Dewey, how
ever, he could, without difficulty, open
an office for Uncle Sam in Manila, or, in
fact a dozen of them, if he chose.
1t was reported some weeks ago that an
| appointment had been made and a requisl-
| ton of stamps sent to the East on one
| of the early expeditions. that an office
forces should arrive 40 make landing,
| and this may have been done TO cope
| with the matter temporarily. The Canary,
| Caroline and Ladrone islands are proba-
| bly, of less importance than the larger
| Spanish colonies above mentioned. While
it is true that the Charleston made "a
| friendly call at the Ladrones, where the
| news of the Spanish-American war was re-
ceived with much surprise, and incident
ally hoisted the American flag, this group
has not as yet been seriously considered
in connection with postal matters.
Advices from Washington indicate that
the domestic service is now being extend
ed TO the Hawaiian Islands, and that be-
fore long a regular system win be in OPP
Grafton between San Francisco and Hon
olulu. 1t is the desire of the Postmaster
General to have the system in proper run
ming order as soon as possible, and the
necessary changes and details are now be-
ing completed. AS far as practicable, the
service now i'm vogue in the islands will
be continued for the present, and the reg
ular rates will apply to all points within
the group When the present plans are
matured and the new system gets into
operation, it may, owing to the distance,
be found necessary to increase the rates
| slightly The United States stamps will
be substituted for those of Hawaii inn
mediately, and it is likely that a new and
complete postofiice will be established in
Honolulu, as well as in some OF the small
er towns, for the sale of stamps and mon
ey orders. Is will not be long before the
new service will be in practical operation,
and it will be a great improvement over
that now IN vogue between these Islands
and the United States.
1t viii be interesting 10 note the stamps
which will be used in these new American
possessions. Heretofore the United States
| government, having no outside possess
sions except Alaska, to which the current
issues were always supplied has never
| had occasion to issue postage stamps
other than those for domestic use. Wheth-
er IN the new order of things the regular
issues will be used, or supplies Sur
charged" for use in each colony, or fur
Their still, entire new issues authorized
is at this time difficult 70 say; but it Is
assumed that whatever action may be TAX
en- il will be watched with more than Or
binary interest. The subject is perhaps OF
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