Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-25
HOME FROM POSTAL CONGRESS-
Captain N. N Brooks Tells Of Work 40
OompliShsd at Rome,
SUCCESS or AMERICAN DELEGATES
Increase in Limit of weight of For
eiEn Letters IL the Principal RE-
salt of the MeetinE-America's
Extra Vote.
From a stan Correspondent

7
the foreign mails division Of the Post
office department, who, with Edward Rose
water. editor Of The Omaha Bee, was
delegate TO the International Postal con-
Egress which recently met in Rome, has
I returned to Washington and resumed his
duties in the Postofice department. Cap
/ tain Brooks, who has filled the position of
| superintendent OF mails for many years
| and who has been delegate to every in
| ternational postal congress for the last
/ fifteen years. speaks in most enthusiastic
| terms Of the work accomplished by the
! Americal delegates, and particularly OF the
| adaptability and the efficiency of his col
| league, Mr.. Rosewater, in not only being
! able to speak the official language OF the
! congress, French. but his broad and com
| prehensive knowledge of the postal service
/ Speaking of the work accomplished by the
American delegates. Captain Brooks said
! that the United States was accorded unani-
mously an additional vote by reason of the
possession Of the Philippines Hawaii and
| Porto Rico. which the European delegates
! regarded as colonies, but which the Amer
| lean delegates called possessions" This
| vote was accorded the United States by
the First commission, so-called and which
| would correspond 10 our committee of
| credentials. At the meeting OF the COM
| mission the application of other countries
! for additional votes by reason of their
colonial possessions were refused, but later
| by a majority vote concessions were
granted those countries having acquired
additional colonies since the former meet
/ ing of the congress in Berne. Naturally
the Americans are elated because they
were accorded a distinguished honor by
unanimous vote.
Weight of Foreign Letters.
Through the joint efforts Of the American
| and British delegates, after October 1, 1907,
when the new postal treaty made in Rome
will go into erect, foreign letters at the
! international postal rate of cents may
weigh one ounce instead of one-half ounce,
as now. The congress, which uses the
metric system in the weighing of mails,
voted to make the weight or a single letter
twenty grams. which is about two-thirds
Of an ounce. But the American and British
delegates insisted that. as their countries
were welded to avoirdupois weight and
that in consequence every scale in every
postofice and every business house in the
! United States and Great Britain would
have to he changed, which would work
! great hardship, the congress adopted
1 resolution that in the countries named
not having the metric system. letters car
! rying one ounce wouid be aocepted. .5os-
The American and British delegates stood
together on the proposition to reduce the
cost of postage on a single letter. but
as foreign countries run their postal sys-
tenn on a money making proposition the
reduction OF postage was voted down on
every occasion.
Through the efforts of the two English
an indemnity OF 20 francs $50 was adopted
in case of registered articles lost in
transit
Through the efforts OF Mr.. Rosewater,
who bore letters from a number Of prom
inent Catholics in this country, the Amer
lean delegates were accorded a private
audience with the pope on May "a, the
introduction being made by Father Meyer
of the Society of Jesus. They were
corded a reception in the working ofhce
of Plus Y. where they held an interesting
conversation with the head Of the Roman
Catholic church, who spoke enthusiastically
of America and its people.
Captain Brooks. who is not q Catholic,
said he was greatly impressed with the
dignity and the character of his holiness,
whom he regards as great and good
man.
] 1nTOuEnOul NHt COnbTtbs lHe AMERICAN
delegates were accorded every courtesy
and in the social functions arranged by
the dignitaries were received with dis
tinguished honor.
Presidents Travelling Expenses.
Congress has at last taken step which
should have been taken a quarter OF a
century ago in the passage OF bill, with
scarcely any opposition, approprlating
president. It has been the custom for
years for the railways of the country to
place at the disposal OF the chief magis-
trate all the facilities in their possession.
There is not a manager OF a "terkwater'
railroad in the United States who would
not jump at the chance to place his en-
tire roadbed and equipment at the disposal
Of the president Whenever the occupant
Of the White House has announced a de-
sire 10 travel the finest private cars have
been offered for HIS accommodation and
in many instances pilot trains" have pre-
oeded the presidential party TO secure the
utmost safety.
But year af0r year the feeling has been
growing that the president should not be
under obligations 10 the railroads or the
owners OF private cars, and only recently
Mr. Roosevelt announced that he would
]
companies. When he takes a trip by water
he has at his disposal always a small
naval vessel, gunboat or dispatch boat
but even on board a vessel nying the
presidential rag he pays his mess bnl''
for the reason that there is no fund out Of
which his table can be supplied. whether
on sea or ashore.
The demand from the country at large for
a chance TO see the Chief Magistrate in
propria persona grows each year. II Is
necessary for him - travel many thouss nds
of miles TO comply with this demand and he
cannot travel alone His entourage con-
sists OF anywhere from ten TO thirty per-
sons and the expense OF transporting such
a party would prove a serious tax upon
the presidential income-in fact IL would
take at least half OF his salary. When these
! facts were impressed upon the members Of
the house there was a prompt effort made
70 incorporate an item in the sundry civil
appropriation bill which authorized the use
OF $4,000 20 pay the presidents travelling
expenses. But Il was ruled out on a point
OF order. Very promptly the committee on
appropriations presented a separate bill.
making an appropriation OF like amount
for this purpose. and on Wednesday the bill
was passed after forty minutes debate un-