Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1904 — LETTER RATES IN ITLAY. [ARTICLE]

LETTER RATES IN ITLAY.

Postage Reduced on Account of Action , of International Congress. Stamp collectors will soon have another Italian stamp to add to their collections —that of 15 centimes —and It Is thought, after the postal congress In April, will attach more value to that of 25 centimes, as it will likely go out of circulation. Italy is now obliged to reduce her internal letter rates (hitherto very high) from 2 pence to 1% pence, as the law already passed prescribes, of course thereby reducing her revenue very considerably; but she was constrained to do so, or otherwise she would have been placed in a very peculiar position at the coming congress, which will be held in Rome. There it will be proposed to reduce International letter rates from 2\'j pence to 2 pence, so if Italy held to her former rates her citizens would pay as much lor a letter from Rome to Frascati (an hour by rail) as from Rome to India. As tin' home rates are to bo reduced there are some who would like a radical change, making it a uniform penny postage, as in England, while now, although it is 2 pence in the provinces, It is only a half penny in the city. This, however, Is far too radical for the Italians, who like to come to their Improvements in a gradual way or when they are dragged out of them by the force of circumstances. Apropos of the high letter rates, a peasant once went Into a Rome postofflee to send a letter to Frascati. When he was told it would be 2 pence he thought it more "than he could afford and then said: “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. If you will send it for a penny it may go.” And to this day he considers himself very badly used because his offer was declined.