On Wednesday evening last the Y. M.
A. Literary and Debating Club discussed the following subject:—"Is the Admission of China to the Postal Union and the Abolition of all the Foreign Poss Offices a Consummation to be desired The discussion was introduced by Professor C. 8. Leavenworth, M.A., of Nanyang College, and Mr. F. Griffin. Professor Leavenworth led off for the positive side of the question and said "Concurrently with the enormous increase in the trade of foreign countries with China there has naturally been a great increase in the mail matter carried from foreign countries to China and vice versa, Some figures which have been furnished by the American Postal Agency at Shanghai will show this for one country, the United States. These figures show a great increase in the amount of registered packages, for instance, in the last four years. From the report of the United States Post Office Department we find that there is more mail matter carried to China than to a good many other countries of the world. Thus, there is more mail matter carried to China than to Turkey, to Spain, to Portugal or to any country of South America. When we think of all the countries which send mail to China, the total must be very great indeed and is no small matter by any means, This shows the importance of the question before us. I would discuss it from four standpoints.
As the system stands now it is one of confusion and of inconvenience. It is inconvenient, for instance, here in Shanghai because there are six or so different systems of stamps, of mails, of P.O. boxes etc. It is inconvenient when letters arrive. Suppose traveller is in Shang-baland his mail comes addressed " poste restate," he will have to go around to all the different post-offices perhaps, before he can obtain it. Then there is also a lack of responsibility and of centralized administration in the confused system as it exists at present. There is also inconvenience resulting from varying rates. For instance the last. edition of the Postal and Telegraphic Guide of Japan shows that the rate on a letter of 15 grammes from Japan to the Japanesa Post. Offices in China as at Shanghai, Hankow. and other places is 3 sen. To places in China where there are no Japanese Post Offices the rate lis 10 sen, That is, for instance, from Japan to Shanghai, the rate is 3 kon. while to Woosung 2 few miles down the river it is 10 sen, The result is confusion, Contrast the system as it would be under one Chinese Customs Post Office. There would be no inconveni diferent mail and stamp varying rates.
By the Chinese Post Office, is, of course, meant the Imperial Customs Post Office. On any arrangement in the future by which China would enter the Postal and foreign post-offices in China be abolished, it would of course, mean the status quo, the system of the Customs Post Office manned and superintended by European. which wowd be the "Chinese Post Office." The Customs Post Office would undoubtedly gain large and extend-powers in such a case. Tt is. and would he, a system like the Imper'al Maritime Customs of which it forms a part, managed by Europeans in trust for the Chinese Government.
The system now is one of cut-throat competition between the different post-offices. There must be heavy losses on account of exchange when at almost, every post-office you can buy the equivalent of ten ten-cent stamps for $1 silver at face value. We have already seen the enormous mails to China and so can realise the largo amounts involved. A system, however, of competition at a loss means, sooner or later, a combination, a " trust." Hence those who think that the fact of the foreign post-fices competing among themselves means a result of less cost to likely find that, combinations and agree. the users of the post-offices may ver
ments will bring prices to the same old notch again. There is a 3 cent rate from the Japanese post-office here in Shanghai to Japan. If China enters the Postal Union would it not mean that that rate would cease? Not necessarily. The Postal Uniion Convention of Washington of 1897 distinctly says that there can be more restricted Unions formed anywhere to reduce rates, Such a Union would undoubtedly be formed in Eastern Asia. The Chinese post office rate to Hongkong now from China proper is only 4 cents an? not 10 cents per oz. for letters. But how about the now reduced rate by which letters are taken to England from Shanghai for 4 cents? I would answer that if Shanghai can send letters to England for 'a 4 cent rate and if a letter can be taken from New York to Manila and vice versa for 4 cents silver which are such great distances, so cheaply, public ep'on all over the world may very soon probably demand tmiversal postal rate of 4 cents instead of 10 cents.
There is the question of abstract justice tobe considered which ought to appeal to seven more strongly than the question of our pocket books. What justice is there in forcing the CHinese Post Office to run at a loss in its own country due to the competition and cut rates of foreign post. offices here? Further, there is a colonial rate of 4 cents from Shanghai to England.
Why should this be?
Shanghai is not a British colony. We must not let the "bias of class" affect us. We must remember that "Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just."
It seems as if the foreign post-offices were simply so many wedges to force in foreign influence. There is a foreign post-office at Peking and yet Peking is not a Treaty Port. Every one in this audience is undoubtedly &n favour of the "Open Door." A system which brings in so many foreign influences must mean over again the old, bitter, disgusting story of international pickerings and jealousies and the wringing of concessions from China. Tt is part of a policy, which has caused too much trouble and sorrow in the past.
This system of the future when China enters the Union will be, as has been said before, the system of the status quo. of the Customs Post Office, only more extensive than it is at present, superintended and directed by Europeans in trust for the Chinese Government. a system like the splendid system of the Maritime Customs which has been so successful in the past.
'There is, perhaps. a vague impression as to the safety of the present system of the Chinese Post Office. This is only vague. Itishard to trace down facts in this regard. People, wherever they are. in any' country, are always grumbling about the Post Office. Incidents which are mentioned are only isolated facts. We must deduce general principles of sweeping condemnation from a few separate occurrences. As the system operates now in Citina, a letter comes for 10 cents) from a foreign country and is delivered tony one who resides fin place where there is 2 post-office and vice versa. If a person resides in a place where there is no post-office an additional charge is made which is paid to the registered postal company which carries the letter. The rates have been very fair in the past. Even if there is a loss that should not, come in as a question for, while it is the ideal of a government to run a post-office without loss, yet it sometimes cannot be done as, for instance, in the United States, where there is a continual deficit. Yet, none the less, it is a function of a government to carry mails even if it can not reach the ideal of no monetary deficit in the operation. It is no wonder that the Customs Post Office runs at a loss now when we consider the competition of foreign post-offices.
Let us look at the rates for ordinary letters. The Chinese Customs Post Office took letters (until the new schedule came into force) for 4 cents silver per oz. By the new schedule it is 1 cent per 4 oz. In China, we must remember, that transportation facilities are very, poor and also that the distances are very great. In the U.S.A. the rate is 4 cents silver per 1 oz. In England it is 4 cents per 402. but there the distances are short. In Japan it is 3 cents per 4 oz. while in France it is 6 cents per }0z. So we see that the do-mastic rates in China are very fair indeed. We can trust the Chinese Post, Office in that matter.
China, at the last Postal Ni n, almost came into the read in the Convention of 1897 that the protocol remained open to the Chinese pire, "whose delegates to the Con-press have declared the intention of that country to enter the Universal Postal Union on a date to be fixed hereafter." Corea and Turkey are in the Union. Why should not China save face" by being admitted? In Turkey, it is true, there is a system of foreign post-offices, French, Italian and Austrian. That because there is no system in that country like that of the Chinese Customs Post Office in China to represent the country.
There isa great future for China. My ivate opinion is that we are in the bening of a new Renaissance and that the country will be opened up and that there is an era coming of independence and prosperity. Surely concurrently with that should come the admission of China to the Postal Union like the other countries of the world.
The question reads, is it a consummation to be desired? We are not limited and asked to think of to-day or this week or this month. We are asked to think of the future, of the ideal toward which we should work. Then surely it is a consummation to be devoutly desired.
Mr. Griffin, in his speech for the nogative, brought forward several arguments to show its impractibility. He mentioned the fact that the question of China entering the Postal Union was not a new one; she was invited to do so at the convention of June, 1897, but rightly declined. the conclusion of his able and interesting presentation which came with convincing power to his auditors. the discussion was participated in by many other members. When the Chairman, Mr. F. H. Hiscock, put the question to the Club a majority of votes were cast in fa-your of the negative S0°____—"Wor Omer, Mars?" may be a rough form of salutation, but the kindliness of its intention cannot be questioned; therefore it may not be out of place to adopt it here. those who may be suffering from bad health can be speedily relieved from their misery byt he aid of Holloway's Pus and Ointment. or dmidMle-aged. For weakness, la tude, They ar- equally good for the old, yourly, fever, diarrhea, dysentery, measles, croup and similar complaints, these medicines cannot be equa'ted; whilst for skin dive ses, sores, ulcers, scrofula and old wounds. they have effected cures in cases declared hopeless by eminent medical men. Full direction 3 to the use of these remarkable remedies are given to purchasers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.