Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-08
POSTAL CONGRESS OF NATIONS
improvements in International Mail
Service Outlined by Edward
ROsewater.

While in Paris, en- route to Rome Mr..
Edward Rosewater, American delegate TO
the Universal Postal congress, was inter-
viewed by a representative of the Paris
edition OF the New York Herald on the
questions which the congress is to con-
slider. Mr. Rosewater is quoted, as fol-
lows:
"The first of these congresses" said Mr..
Rose water, met at Berne. Then followed
that Of Paris in 1878, then came Lisbon,
followed by the Vienna congress in 1891
and that of Washington in 1897. At the
latter congress the venue was next fixed
for Rome in 1904. Then came the Boer
war, followed by the Russo-Japanese con-
fiict. This led to a postDonement to the
present year.
"This time there will be hfty-eight ma
lions represented, every nation in fact that
claims any kind of postal system, with the
exception of. Afghanistan. At the congress
each nation has one vote, irrespective OF
its size. The number of delegates is not
limited some countries having as many
as I'VE. But though they may all take part
in the discussion, each country as / have
said, has one single vote. The proceedings
are carried on in French.
LAS you probably know, the headquar-
tiers OF the International Postal union are
In Berne, in Switzerland.
Each year the results Of the congress-
labors are put in the form OF a treaty,
which is signed by the delegates OF each
county who are given plenipotentiary
powers by their governments. In regard
to certain matters, which are regarded as
fundamental, the decisions OF the congress
must be unanimous. On other questions
a two-thirds vote suftioes.
This year there will be large number
Of proposals regarding international post
age. One OF these is to reduce the inter-
national rate to cents Another is to
make It cents. But the proposal which
l think has most chance OF acceptance is
one not to diminish the cost, but to In
crease the weight Of letters which may be
sent for the present scent rate from fifteen
to twenty-five grammes. 1t is universally
admitted that the present fifteen grammes
is insufficient.
Another important proposal is in re-
| gard 70 'echantillOns,' or samples. Al
present these must be of limited dimen-
sions and must not have saleable value.
/ These restrictions weigh heavily on the
/ business world and il Is proposed TO allow
/ samples having maximum value OF so to
/ be sent at the present rate Proposals
have also been made to increase the maxi
mum weight Of parcels sent from one
country to another. This will bring up
the question Of the repartition OF the costs
! OF transmission.
"As you probably know, IN regard to
letters the whole OF the money paid for
postage Is retained by the country from
which the letter is sent. The theory Il
that every letter receives an answer, SC
that no one is the loser by the system
But this rule does not prevail in regard
to parcels or money orders. In regard
to parcels money is paid for transit 4
every country. But this sum is hxet
one, irrespective Of the size and import
ance OF the country. A parcel traversinl
Belgium pays the same rate as II II crossed
| France, Germany or Russia.
II am afraid there is no likelihood OF tn,
| Introduction OF an international postage
stamp. convenient as Il would undoubtedl,
be. There are too many technical difncul
ties in the way. But one reform viii prob
ably be the Introduction OF letter shee
for commercial communica lions. which vii
be sent through the international post 70
2 cents, the price OF the present postcard
It win also be possible to prepay the repl,
70 such communications IN the country o
origin. This win undoubtedly be a Rreai
boon 70 commerce"