The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-08

heading main topics have been sug- gested by the committee on program,
 as the subject matter for such resolu- tions as the delegates may consider proper. The ideas of Mir Roots com mittee have been indicated under these heads: The more rapid communication between the different nations, the con- clusion of commercial treaties, the greatest possible dissemination of statistical and commercial information, and measures tending to develop and extend commercial intercourse be- tween the republics composing the conference.
 The careful phrasing of the last few words quoted provides the opportunity for delegates to exercise their talents to the disadvantage of those countries which, for some reason or other, have been assiduous in their efforts to dis credit the probable results of the com ing conference. Argentina, Colombia
 and Venezuela have been the restless republics throughout the course of the
 preliminary arrangements, and have
 shown little disposition to do anything
 which would add to the success or
 prestige Of the meeting at Rio. Nol
 one doubts. however, that their own in
 dividual interests will suffer in a com
 mercial way from the lukewarmness of
 their attitude. Hence 1t Is considered
 not at all improbable that the conser-
 vative element sh these three repub- ,lics, recognizing this fact before the Congress has been long in session
 will endeavor to retrieve the mistakes of the preliminary interchanges and
 take up the threads of debate as soon
 as possible.
 There is no absolute prohibition against permitting delegates to begin
 their service at any time convenient to them. so that one of
 the dissenting republic might re-
 frain from accrediting its delegates to
 the congress until the scope of the con
 ference in its actual workings was definitely shown. This one paragraph gives the opportunity, however. for en-
 tering of objection by any individual delegate against considering the com mercial interests of any country which
 is not officially represented on the floor of the conference at the time this sec
 ton is reached and acted upon.
 Another subject which has an especial bearing on freedom of commerce be- tween the American nations Is that of sanitary police and quarantine. The delegates will be asked to give consid- eration to the sanitary convention sign ed ad referendum at Washington, and the one concluded at Rio de Janeiro, and to agree upon action in the form of additional recommendations on mat ters affecting the public health as will most effectively enable each of the re- publics to assist the others in the pre- vention of epidemics and the reduction of mortality from contiguous diseases, This is a matter which is of especial | interest to the sontnern ports of this country.
 One of the points upon which the | American delegates will seek especially | to obtain information and regulation is
 the interest with which quarantine of dcers of the Southern republics will apply recent discoveries of noted Amer | ican investigators on the spread Of Icontagious diseases, The interference with commerce consequent upon a strict enforcement of rigid quarantine regulations is considered. whether rightly or not as raising son'H d'fYH"- ence of opinion between the Southern | delegate and our own F. presentaI4ve.. 1 After the American army officers had completed their tremendous task of cleaning up the principal Cuban cities Iduring the American occupation of the
 island, and had relegated to the na-