The Washington times., 1906-09-20
ROOT WILL FIGHT
FOR PAN-AMERICA
viii Use His Influence
With Congress This
Winter.
WILL FOSTER FRIENDSHIP
Cooperation With South and Cen
tral American Republics Would
Increase Commerce.

Secretary Root is expected TO exert
all his large influence with Congress
next winter for the most considerate
treatment Of the Pan-American repub-
lies to the south OF the United States.
Just what measures ne viii advocate
is a matter of a great deal Of curiosity
here. Even the officials OF the Bureau
OF American Republics are not Informed.
They expect. however. that me viii al
low no chance 10 90 by Of bettering the
relations between the United States and
the Central American and South Amer
lean countries.
Congress has never taken any partlc-
ular pains 10 better relations with the
countries 10 the south. AT the first Paa-
American conference and at tho second
various measures were agreed TO subject
10 ratification by the different govern
mcnts. The Senate paid about as little
attention 60 these matters as pOssIDls
and treated the South American and
Central American governments with
scant courtesy II ratified none Of the
acts Of the Pan-American conferences
and. in fact. the only step Congress has
ever taken IN this direction was the pas
age Of legislation that amounted 10 the
establishment Of sanitary convention
with the Pan American countries
Would Increase Good Feeling
Il remains 20 be seen whether Secre-
tary Root can get Congress TO do any
better by the third Pan-American con-
ference than has been done BY preceding
conferences, or whether Congress Will
choose to ignore the meeting al Rio as
completely as If IT had never been. 1t
Is certain that action by the Senate or
by Congress as a whole that seemed TO
align the legislative body in sympathy
with the Pan-American conference
would go far toward increasing the good
feeling entertained by the southern re-
publics for the United States. Presuma-
bly, this Government will be expected 70
indorse the action at Rio on arbitration.
on uniofrm customs regulations and a
number of other matters of which no
detailed report will be forthcoming,
probably. until the delegates from this
country return from Rio.
Would Aid Commerce.
II Mr. Root can now impress on Con-
gress. especially the Senate. the desir-
ability of treating Latin America with
due consideration. there is no question
a great step toward better relations
with that part of the world will have
been taken II is generally thought a
considerable impetus will be given the
movement for a ship subsidy measure
by Mr. Roots trip and hts insistence
on closer relations with South America.
A long step has been taken toward uni
formity of port laws and customs regu-
lations in the adoption by the confer
ence Of a resolution for the establish
ment Of a bureau Of the Bureau of
American Republics TO study customs
regulations. and also consular laws and
statistics, for the purpose of bringing
about simplidCatiOn and uniformity. II
is said if the American republics should
devise such uniformity IL would be worth
10 per cent more IN commerce TO the
United States. The rest of the civilized
world would be obliged to follow suit.
The report on customs legislation, con-
sular regulations and statistics is 70 be
made "a the next Pan-American confer
ence. and so Congress will not have 20
pass on II Immediately.