Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-25
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

| The Bureau Of American Republ cs was es-
| taSiished, and ne of railway was sur
! veyed down the backbone of the American
| continents. In pursuance Of the recommen-
| aatons CT the cgnfcrem-e: 4 un form )de OF
| nomenclature was prepared by the Bureau
! OF American Republics, and an interna-
| t!onal monetary conference, to consider the
adoption of uniform international gold
| and S liver currency. was held; but that Is
| all our government has ever done toward
| carrying into effect the resolutions adopt
| ed. The arbitration treaty was not ratified
| no steps have. ever been taken to secure
| uniform customs regulations, as recon-
| mended. or sanitary regulations or patents
| and trade mark laws, and nothing has been
| cone toward reforms n port dues. OuOr
| Congress has refused to ADOPT the metrical
| decimal system used by the other American
/, countries; 1t refused to charter an inter-
| rational bank; and I revoked the series OF
| reciprocity treaties which were negotiated
| under the recommends tons of the first con-
| ference
The Second Conference
| The second pan-Amarcan conference,
| which was held in the City of Mexico dur
| ing the winter of 1GO1-'O2, recommended the
adoption by the governments represented
IN 1t, Of the provisions conta ned In twenty
| three different Instruments which were
| described as follows:
l. SIX conventions and four treaties"
One protocol" of adhesion to the con-
'oi'Iois SIGNED al Inc hague in 1899
.. Eight resolutions
4. Three Recommendations
3. One proposition"
The delegates from the United States.
Nicaragua and Paraguay prudently, though
unnecessarily, set forth in signing these in
struments that they signed ad referen-
Gum The precaution was unnecessary be-
cause nothing done by ambassadors. plent-
potentlares, or delegates, no matter how
plenary their powers may be, may be bind
imp upon their governments If not a1nroy
ed or ratified by the latter In due constl-
tut:onal form.
Guatemala Salvador and Honduras are
the only nations that have ra titled all az
The fWenty-three Instruments and the
recom1ne ndations contained therein.
Inc united States has ratified only the
convention for the exchange of scientific
ana ether publications; and the 'sconven-
ton. for arbitration of pecqIniary claims
Our Congress has taken no notice of the
other recomTne nlia tons.
Nicaragua has ratified only the "conyen
tion Tor the protection OF literary and ar
'tistlc works; the convention" for the nrac
tlce' or liberal professions and the Pretty,
on patents of inventions.
Peru has ratified the resolution on the
reorganization OF the bureau of America n
fepNol1cs; the Convention on the practice
OF liberal professions; the treaty for ar
bftratlon Of pecuniary claims; and the
convention for meeting of a goographt-
cdI congress at Rio de Janeiro
costa 3ica has ratified only the copyrjeht
convention; the convention" for fhe
practice of the liberal professions: and the
treaty for protection against anarchism
Paraguay has not so far as the records
| snow, approved or ratified a single one of
the twenty-three instruments, Signed ad
referendum" by Senior Baez, it's representa-
tive.
Neither Brazil, Argentine Republic Chile
Bolivia or Uruguay have approved or rati-
fled a single one of the instruments above
named Although one of the resolutions
rrror rs h.
sanitary convention should be held Gas it
has been) at the city of Washington, the
governments of Brazil, Argentine Republic,
Paraguay and Uruguay did not send dele
gales, but recently held a sanitary conven-
ton of their own at Rio de Janeiro.
Few Practical Results.
1t will thus be seen, that so far as the
practical results are concerned the two
previous conferences have not been very
effective. This is not due to any lack Of
zeal or wisdom on the part of the delegates,
however, but to the indifference or neglect
of their governments. The moral results
have been much more important, If not en-
tlrely satisfactory. 1t is a good thing to
| bring people and nations together as often
as possible, for social intercourse and the
Interchange OF ideas and experiences In
that respect the conferences have been pro-
ductve OF great good. They have caused
a much more friendly feeling among the
American republics than has ever existed
before, <and have caused a better under
standing all around-of motives, purposes
and methods The meeting at Rio de
Janeiro villa undoubtedly have the same
beneficial effect, and If Secretary Root at
tends delegate from the United States
| as he has promised to dot cannot but be
of mutual advantage to all concerned.
The Blaine-Conkling Feud.
AS everybody knows there was an eternal
| feud between Roscoe Conkling and James
| G. Blaine. But for this fact either one or
! the other, or peril .ps both might have been
| President of the United States, and Gar
field might have outlived his term. Their
personal animosity was the cause of the
most serious distraction the republican
| party has ever suffered. The quarrel origi-
| mated in a debate in the House of Repre-
sentatives in 1883. over the conduct of Gen.
! James B. Fry, who was provost marshal at
| New York. when Mr.. Blaine made a bitter
| personal attack on Mr.. Conkling, which the
| latter never forgave. From that date until
Conkling was buried, although the two
great leaders sat in the House and Senate
| together, and were constantly thrown into
| the society Of each other, they never shook
hands or even spoke to each other but
once.
| Senate chamber and William A. Wheeler,
Vice President of the United States was
| the only witness. There was no reconcilia-
| ton, no apology on either side and very
| few words were spoken-an expression of
| appreciation from one and an acknowledge
| ment from the other-and, after this truce
| of moment, the feud was resumed as be-
| fore. Mr.. Wheeler is my authority for the
story, which Mr.. Blaine, few months be-
| fore his death, confirmed. 1t came about in
| this way:
President Hayes removed Chester A. Ar
| thur from the collectorship at New York
and Alonzo b. Cornell as naval officer, and
| appointed Judge Robertson for collector
and Col Merritt in Mr.. Cornelrs place. who
were politically and personally Offensive to
| Mr.. conklng. The President gave as his
reason for the removal that Gen. Arthur
| and Mr.. Cornell were not fit for the Offices
frm1a.ion of their successors on the ground
| that they had been unjustly accused, and
/ it was expected that Mr. Blaine, who had
/ just entered the Senate, would sustain the
j administration because Of his hostility 20
the senator from New York.