men should be seen during this convention. The members of the committee are:

W. H. DOUGLAS, New York; JOHN G. CROXTON, Philadelphia; F. L. HITCHCOCK, Scranton; ROBERT N. HARPER, Washington; JOHN S. LAWRENCE, Boston; EDWARD H. HORWOOD, Hoboken; W. B. LIVEZEY, Newport News; G. WALDO SMITH, New York; Hon. JOSEPH A. GOULDEN, New York; E. R. WOOD, Philadelphia; ROBERT RAMSAY, Baltimore.

Mr. HITCHCOCK.-I suggest that this committee be given power to enter upon a campaign of literature upon this subject. I make that motion.

Mr. HARVEY. I suggest that Mr. REYNOLDS be added to that committee.

The PRESIDENT.-Mr. REYNOLDS can be added. Mr. REYNOLDS, of Scranton, will be added to that committee.

DEATH OF HON. JOEL COOK, OF PHILADELPHIA.

Mr. ROLPH, of Philadelphia.-Mr. President, you referred this morning to the death of Hon. JOEL COOK, of Philadelphia, a member of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, member of Congress and one who had taken an active part in this body. I therefore present, on the part of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, the following resolution:-—

The Philadelphia Board of Trade by the death of JOEL COOK lost an able, cultured President, who for many years guided its welfare and interests in a manner that carried not only its highest appreciation, but, in addition, commendation for his untiring and unselfish work in its behalf. His public services always for and in the interest of his State and country, reflected the greatest credit upon him as a man and a citizen. His active co-operation and advice in the National Board of Trade merited and has their warm approval.

The Philadelphia Board of Trade feel that this modest record of his career should be engraven upon the records of the National Board of Trade at its first meeting since his death, and a copy be sent to his family by the Secretary of the National Board of Trade.

Upon motion the resolution was unanimously agreed to.

ORDER OF BUSINESS.

The PRESIDENT.-Is the Committee on Conservation of Natural Resources ready to report now?

A DELEGATE.-The Chairman of that committee announced earlier in the evening that they would not be ready until to-morrow.

The PRESIDENT.-The report from the Committee on Currency and Banking is deferred. Is the Committee on Postal Affairs and Parcels Post ready?

POSTAL AFFAIRS AND PARCELS POST.

Mr. FINLEY ACKER, of Philadelphia.—Mr. President, I assume that the convention does not wish to spend any needless time in discussing subjects upon which we are all agreed. The question of 1-cent postage is one upon which there has never been any division of opinion. The committee unanimously recommend this. Upon this subject the only question is as to phraseology, as there is never any question about the principle of the resolutions. The congressional bill which accompanies the report simply recommends the adoption of I-cent letter postage instead of 2-cent. We submit the following report:

Regarding One-cent Letter Postage, the following resolution was recommended:

WHEREAS, Under the wise and able management of the present Postmaster-General the deficit in the Post Office Department seems to have been very largely decreased during the past year.

Resolved, That the National Board of Trade reaffirms its former recommendations to Congress for the immediate adoption of one-cent letter postage, and recommends the passage of H. R. Bill 28,223, introduced by Mr. Sheppard.

Regarding Government Printing of Stamped Envelopes, the following resolution was adopted :

WHEREAS, It is a well-known fact that the work of the Federal Post Office Department is greatly facilitated by having envelopes clearly and uniformly stamped with the address of the sender; and

WHEREAS, The United States Government now furnishes to order in lots of 500 or more, stamped envelopes bearing the return address at a price but little above that of the stamped envelopes alone, by reason of the fact that the envelopes can be stamped and the address printed all at one operation; and

WHEREAS, This practice results in a great saving and convenience to the public and is in entire accord with the clearly recognized policy of the Post Office Department to render the best and most economical service possible, and cannot be construed as unfair competition with private interests; therefore be it

Resolved, That the National Board of Trade is opposed to the passage of H. R. 3,075, known as the TouVelle Bill, forbidding the further sale by the Federal Government of stamped envelopes bearing the purchaser's return address, as a measure which is inimical to the interests of the general public.

Regarding Parcels Post, the following resolution was adopted:— Resolved, That it is inexpedient to take any action regarding Parcels Post at this time.

Mr. SHEPPARD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads

and ordered to be printed.

A BILL

To establish one-cent letter postage.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That upon all mail matter of the first-class as defined by chapter one hundred and eighty of the laws of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and

seventy-nine, entitled “An Act making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty, and for other purposes" and by that Act declared subject to postage at the rate of three cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof, and reduced by Act of March third, eighteen hundred and eighty-three, to two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof, and reduced by Act of March third, eighteen hundred and eighty-five, to two cents for each ounce or fraction thereof, postage shall be charged on and after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and eleven, at the rate of one cent per ounce or fraction thereof, including drop letters, and for each additional ounce or fraction thereof the postage shall be one cent additional.

I move the adoption of the first resolution, the one in regard to I-cent postage.

The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. ACKER.-The second resolution is in regard to the Government printing of stamped envelopes.

I might say, in explanation of this, that the envelope manufacturers of the country have felt that they were discriminated against by the printing of the envelopes by the Government without cost, thus concentrating into the hands of the party who gets the contract for printing for the Government the benefit not only of the enormous sale of the envelopes, but also the benefit of the printing. About a year ago the Government was party to a very aggressive campaign in advising the general public to buy those printed envelopes and that caused agitation which resulted in the envelope makers of the country combining to try to have the Government discontinue that custom.

On the Programme are resolutions both in favor of the bill which prohibits it and the resolution suggested by the Boston Chamber of Commerce opposing any change. The committee, after careful consideration of all the facts in the case, concluded that because of it having been an established usage for so many years and being so great a convenience to the general public and of such little interest to any one particular printer, it would be wiser to continue the present system. I think it was claimed that there were about 100,000 printers or envelope makers in the country who would be interested, and the total amount would be perhaps only $5 to

each. So that in consequence of that small advantage to the envelope manufacturers, but the great advantage which the present system is to the public, they thought it unwise to discontinue the present system, and they consequently recommend the resolution which you have just heard regarding the Government printing of stamped envelopes.

As the Chamber which I represent has presented a resolution favoring this bill, I will ask a gentleman from the Boston delegation to move the adoption of this resolution.

Mr. GEORGE S. SMITH, of Boston.-I move its adoption. The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. ACKER.-The other resolution is in regard to parcels post. The question of parcels post came up and this situation is recognized: That the question of parcels post is one upon which the commercial interests of the country seem to be very widely separated in opinion. There are some who are strong advocates of a general parcels post, because they feel that it is in the line of progress. They feel that every transportation advantage should be given to the commerce of this nation, because the lower the rates and the greater the facilities, the more rapidly will commerce develop and the wider can it extend its field of profitable operation. On the other hand, there are certain interests in this country who feel that the operation of an extended parcels post will interfere with their business, and that feeling has developed into one of intense hostility. Therefore, in view of the fact that the only bill before congress at the present time is one that relates to rural parcels post, it was felt that this Board was not called upon, at any sacrifice to itself, to take action on this question, and after considering all the facts in the case, they adopted this resolution:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to take any action regarding Parcels Post at this time.

I take pleasure in offering that resolution.

The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. McKIBBEN, of Boston.-Mr. President, in the absence of any instructions from the Boston Chamber of Commerce