Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-30
IMPENDING POSTAL CONGRESS.
Importance of the Forthcoming ses-
RtOniin Rome.
IrON IN. - Iimes


Great interest will be taken in the
Universal Postal congress to be held in
Rome early next month. This will be the
sixth of these gatherings, the first Of
which was In Berne, Switzerland, in 1875.
That assemblage marked a departure
which has borne most important fruit and
which has led to increasingly benehcent
results The International Postal union
as II now exists has been a potent in
strumentality in drawing the various coun-
tries OF the earth together in a fellow
ship Of interests and purposes. II was
most fitting that the postal system as now
perfected and carrying with It vast good to
the world, should have originated in the
sturdy little republic in which also there
began that admirable organization known
as the Red Cross society. whose symbol
on the battlehelds and in the plague spots
of the globe is the promise Of humanity
and tender care. to the vast diminution of
death and suffering.
While there is no fixed law governing
the matter there is sort of understand
ing that the postal congresses shall be
called at intervals OF about three years. As
a fact, however, only 1--WE OF these confer
ences have been held, the coming one form
ing the sixth. Various reasons have led
TO the postponement of the congress from
time to time, the principal causes being
other affairs which have occupied the time
and thought of a number of governments.
Until the season was prOpitious and con-
venient Italy, on which devolved the OBJ
legations and responsibilities of host did
not feel justified in extending the Gus
tomary invitations. But obstacles seem to
have been cleared away, the notice has
been given in due and regular form and
the assemblage will be held in accordance
with the methods made and provided. All
the leading nations will be represented by
delegates carefully selected with a view to
obtaining the most practical returns from
the congress. Those sent on behalf OF the
United States are Captain n. M. Brooks,
Chief of the Foreign Division of the Post
office department and Edward Rosewater,
editor of The Omaha Bee. Captain Brooks
is a gentleman of long experience in his
official duties and has been member OF
all the preceding postal congresses; hence
he may be regarded as especially fitted for
the work before him. Mr.. Rosewater, with
close knowledge OF postal needs. will ably
support his colleague.
Several matters are mentioned as likely
to come before the congress. in which the
proceedings are quite sure to be deliberate,
owing to the diversity OF languages spoken
which will require translation and com
parison In order that there may be no mis-
understanding as to whatever agreements
are reached One Of the subjects quite GER
tain 20 come up is the devising OF a uni
versal postage stamp-that is one that will
be accepted in any Of the countries IN
cluded in the postal union as fair equiv
alent for the amount OF postage that would
be charged on a letter mailed there. The
situation is illustrated by an analysis made
by a careful observer, who notes that while
on a letter going from the United States Il
France or Germany the American pays
I'VE cents. on letter taking a correspond
ing course the Englishman pays two pence
half penny, on letter from France TO the
United States or England the FrenchmaT
pays twenty-five oentimes and the German
who malls from his country a missive go
ing TO either OF the other three pays twenty
pfennigs. None OF the foreign sums men
toned Is precisely equal to five cents. Thu
object Of the movement for the interna
tional postage stamp Is 10 equalize the cos
Of mailing a letter from one country q
another.
There are numerous other topics sched
uled for consideration, and the time OF tn
congress Il likely 20 be well occupied
Judging from the outcome OF those tina
ha1e preceded. great deal OF permanen
5000 a. affecting the international trans
portaiion Of malls may be anticipated