The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-12

work. The bureau was organized in 1890
for "the prompt collection and distribution
Of commercial information With the in
creased friendship and intercourse between
American nations new needs have arisen.
and there IL much for the bureau to do
beyond the questions Of only.
In reporting the resolution to the con-
ference the committee says:
In place Of providing for a bureau OF
purely commercial character, as was done
by the first conference and confirmed in part
by the second, this plan provides for a con-
stitution which is more In accord with the
spirit Of the institution, namely:
ITO serve as a durable nucleus Of informa-
ton for the American republics in their
reciprocal relations, and as a COMMITTEES In
trusted with the uuty Of making effective,
by means Of notifications, the resolutions
and conventicu' adopted by the Interna-
tional American Conferences"
The securing Of Publications OF steps
taken by conferences Ia an important mis-
sion. Every conference has adopted, and
the present one will adopt many agreements
In one form and another which must be rati-
fed by Governments. In the past many
OF the Governments have never taken action
on agreements made by their representatives
IN conferences, and the need Of some agency
10 call attention to the necessity Of ratihca-
tons Ia imperative. The bureau could fill
this mission admirably.
By the resolution the life OF the bureau
for another period Of ten years ia assured.
This plan OF providing for the institution Tor
periods Of that length was adopted by the
first Pan-American Conferences in 1890, and
has be n followed since.
The resolution specifies the purposes OF
the bureau as follows: To compile and
distribute commercial information and
make reports on the subject; to compile
and classify all that pertains to the treaties
and conventions between the American
republics and between the latter and nom
American States; to report on educational
matters; to report on questions indicated
bv resolutions Of conferences; TO assist
in obtaining ratihcations Of resolutions
and conventions Of conferences; TO ex-
ecute all resolutions pertaining to 1t adopted
by conferences; 10 act as the permanent
committee OF Pan-AmeTican conferences,
submitting projects which might be in
cluded among the subjects OF the next
conference, making known TO the various
Governments the projects at least six
months in advance Of the conference; TO
mlbmit reports on the work Of the bureau.
and TO have charge Of the records OF the
conferences.
Il will be seen readily how much greater
are the urposes OF the bureau thar for
the prompt collection and distribution OF
commercial information
The bureau Is to be administered as
in the past, by a governing board consist
ing OF the diplomatic representatives OF
ALI the Governments accredited TO the
United States and the Secretary OF State
in Washington, but under the new plan
there will be an executive or supervising
committee consisting OF o members
Of the governing board and the Secretary
OF State, who will be the chairman both
OF the supervising committee and OF the
governing board.
The selection OF the supervising committee
will be by lot, the governing board at its
| meeting next November being required
to establish by lot the order Of precedence
OF all the diplomatic representatives. h
first four on this list and the Secretary OF
State will constitute the committee. The
| four members aside from the Secretary OF
State will be replaced at the end OF a year
by the second four on the list.
When this detail OF the reorganization
was discussed on the floor Of the conference
there was An emphatic objection from DR.,
| Emilio Arevalo, delegate from Ecuador,
who declared that the Secretary OF State
Of the United States would have too much
power. He moved that the resolution be
amended 30 hat In chairman OF the com
mittee should be one Of the diplomats in
Washington. DR.. Arevalo's objection was
answered by Senior Quesada OF Cuba. chair
man Of the committee, 50 efectually that
the motion OF the Eouadorian secured but
one vote, his own.
The governing board and the executive
committee are required to hold meetings
every month, with the exception that the
governing board need not meet in June,
July and August.
The collection OF information is provided
for in the following article Of the resolution:
In order that the bureau may obtain
the greatest correctness possible in its
publications each country belonging to
the MO shall transmit directly to said
bureau two copies Of the documents or
Official publications having reference to
the matters connected with the purposes
Of the union
Further provision is made that the pub
locations Of the bureau shall be carried
Rratuitously by the mails OF the American
republics. Hitherto the bureau has issued
a bulletin once a month containing in
English and Spanish commercial informa-
ton from all the republics. This plan
will be continued, but hereafter there will
be no charge for the bulletin or any other
publications Of the bureau.
Following the adoption Of the resolution
- TO- - Noo ,a-owro-h hnytnw
20 do with the publication Of maps, a reso-
luton was adopted by the conference urg-
ing that all Governments pay Immediately
their share Of the fund for the erection OF
. new building for the bureau In Washing-