Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-07-21
AMERICAS MEET
At RIO JANE|R0
Third international
Conference on
Monday.
BUSINESS AND SENTIMENT
Combined Serve to Draw
Western Hemisphere
Nations Together.

Rio Janeiro, July 21-The American
delegates TO the International Ameri-
can conference with the exception OF
Van Leer Polk have arrived here.
Secretary Root is at Pernambuco on
board the U. S. cruiser Charleston and
will reach Rio Janeiro July 26th.
Following are the delegates from
the United States:
william /. Buchanan, of Buffalo,
chairman; Tulio Larrinaga, commits
sioner from Porto Rico, to the United
States Congress; Professor l.. S.
Rowe, of the University of Pennsylva-
MIA; Van Leer Polk, of Tennessee; Pro
fessor Paul s. Reinseh, University of
Wisconsin; Andrew J. Montague, for
mer governor of Virginia; Charles r.
Dean, secretary.
The third international American
conference, which will be called to or
der in the Brazilian capital at Rio
Janeiro on Monday next, is one OF q
great trilogy of American family gath
erings during the close of the past,
and the beginning Of the present cen
tury destined, in the opinion of publi-
cists, to have a most important bear
ing on the future OF the nations OF
the western hemisphere. Conceived in
the mind of the late Secretary Blaine,
the idea of bringing into close rela-
tons the different governments of
North, Central and South America had
not only sentimental and political,
but also a business like side that at
once attracted the attention of Eu.
rope.
For up to the early COS ow-
ing in large part to difficulties of
communication; to lack Of cables; to
the mutual absence Of knowledge OF
the resources of the two continents
of the western hemisphere, the COM
merce between North and South
America had been Insignificant in vol
ume and the commercial nations of
Europe were monopolizing the trade
Of Iatin-America.
First Congress Of Republics.
So TO meet this condition and to ef-
feet an exchange of natural and manu-
factured commodities to the mutual
benefit Of tie countries of North, Cen
trail and South America after many
months of negotiation necessary to
allay the jealousies of the lesser
states, in October, 1889, representa-
tives of all the republics of the three
Americas gathered in Washington and,
after a brief tour of the principal in
dustrial cities of the country, we're
called to order by Secretary Blaine to
consider measures for the common
veal Many important subjects were
discussed during that conference; In
fact 1t has been thought that the
program was too pretentious, but SUBJ
stantial results were achieved. The
survey for the intercontinental rail-
way, now making rapid strides to-
ward completion, was inaugurated.
Provision was made for securing uni
formity of customs regulations so far
as the different business methods OF
the various countries would admit.
The Bureau of American Republics
was created and is now doing useful
work. An advance was made toward
general reciprocity though the project
has even yet failed to reach fruition.
A monetary commission was had
with sensible benefit to the currency
relations of the American republics.
The metric system moved ahead an
other step; being authorized in the
customs service Of the United States
and other countries. These were all
valuable achievements, but there was
more to be done and the conference
recommended that the work be carried
forward by another congress.
Former Meeting at City Of Mexico.
This second conference was held in
the City of Mexico, in 19O1-O2, while
many of its recommendations have not
yet been generally carried into effect
this second gathering also was pro
ductive of good. What was accom-
plshed was this: the approval O1
Guatemala, Salvador and Honduras oi
all the twenty-three instruments sign
ed at The Hague, the approval of the
United States Of the convention fo1
the exchange OF publications; the
treaty on pecuniary claims and the
scheme for the reorganization OF the
Bureau of American Republics; the
approval by several of the South anG
Central American nations of some oi
! the most important of the treaties pro
posed by the second conference; sub
sequent congresses which adopted reg
ulations for the improvement OF Gus
toms relations; sanitation Of Amerd
can port cities and the regulation o.
the coffee growing industry. But this
conference also left behind it unfn
ished work, hence the gathering a
Rio Janeiro. The City of Mexico con.
ference felt that the tenryear periot
proposed by the original conference
for the holding of such family gath
erings was too long and proposed |
five-year period.
| This Session Promises Good Results
! So the Rio conference opens under
the most promising auspices with the