The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-23
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UP TO EXPRESS COMPANIES
How Will They Manage That Treaty
on Weighty Parcels.


will take TO secure the abrogation OF the
postal treaty between this country and
Germany, by which parcels weighing I'D
to eleven pounds may be carried in the
international mail, has not been made
clear, but that something of the sort is
going on seems to be indicated by the
disposition now evident among many de-
partment officials to criticise the German
contract as a bad bargain, as well as
by the steady wall of resistance which
stands up against the negotiation of a
similar treaty with any other European
country. This compact with Germany was
made almost by stealth The public
knew nothing about the negotiation until
public announcement was made of the
result The general statues provide that
postal treaties may be negotiated by
the Postmaster General and confirmed by
the president. Had this one in partic-
ular required a two-thirds vote in the
senate the chances of its ratification
would have been small
Great Britain, which had been irving
for years to negotiate such a treaty with
US, has given up the attempt and is com
pleting an arrangement with an American
express company to cooperate with the
parcels post of England. With this piece
Of enterprise on the part of the British
postofiee, our country has no relation.
aside from the collection of custom duties
and of two fees. each of about % cents,
one known as the storage fee" and the
other as the clearance fee" on goods
entering our territory
With this English arrangement our ex-
press companies can find no fault. since
one of their number is the American
end of it. 1t appears doubtful if the COM
bination Will do much business because
Of the vexadous fees Of the custom house.
1t is the German treaty that the express
companies most fear. and official state
ments at intervals OF its lack of profit to
our government may confidently be ex-
pected AS a matter of fact, nobody
knows whether it is profitable or not
Each country-the United States and
Germany-keeps the postage on the
originating tariff. With US this is
twelve cents on a pound or fraction
thereof and the parcels may be a 5 large
as eleven pounds. Considering that the
return business pays Us nothing. our
average receipts on all would perhaps be
seven or eight cents a pound. making
allowance for the fact that packages
will not measure even pounds and that
the smallest Of all must pay twelve cents.
this is about the rate of the book post
and eight times a much as the second
class rate The business seemingly
should be profitable even Il the parcels
travelled in the United States the average
distance OF ordinary matter. in point OF
fact. sixty per cent Of the German par
GELS are delivered IN New York and
Brooklyn This proportion would prob
ably not be indefinitely maintained, how
ever
The need OF an international parcels
post is greater than would az first sight
appear. Merchandise in the postal
union means ..bona-hde trade samples
sent out with a view 10 increasing trade
and not because CT their intrinsic value.
The different interpretations CT the word
merchandise il domestic ard IN foreign
postage Is responsible for large share
OF the business Of the dead-letter Office.
Persons IT. this country desire 20 send
q little present 10 theIr kinf1Iks 81 The
Gid World. they SO 70 their local post
master. who. under our beautiful system
OF rotation in ofsice. Is usually a rev man
ard so cannot understand the technical
ties CT what Is perhaps the greatest
business on earth He sees THAT the
Christmas present IS what We woulo call
merchandise ana be looks up the rste
on merchandise for foreign countries
and assesses the postage accordingly.
providing the package IS under foar
pounds i gOes % New York sad when
found not TO bs a sample O 1erchau-
disc within the postal union meaning q
the term. Is sent back or who're ne return
address Is given thrown into the dead
letter of'ce.
The post oaice IS constantly irving 70
correct this misspprehensioa b. TIE
Issuance Of circulars, but huge Is the