The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-01

and staff of the Bureau. will be q | capacious, typical, Spanish patio, over 50 feet square, in the front section. covered by a glass roof that can pc | opened in summer and closed in winter, thus providing protection against the weather for constantly running foun- tains and continually growing troptcai plants; a large reading room. 100 by 60 feet where can be seen all the South as well as North American publications, and where books can pc consulted from the Columbus Memorial Library, which has the best collection in the United States of works on the American Republics; and q beautiful, dignified. assembly chamber, 100 by 70 feet, that, for present purposes, may be called the Hall of American Ambas- sadors." which will provide the only room of it's kind in the United States specially designed for international conventions, receptions to distinguish ed foreigners. and for diplomatic and social events of kindred natures.
 Other important divisions of space will include q handsome room for the Governing Board of the Bureau; four committee rooms suited for diplomatic conferences; a stack room for the Library that will hold 250,000 volumes; large offices for the Director and the Secretary of the Bureau, with their assistants, including editors, statisti- clans, translators. librarians, account ants, clerks, and stenographers. Much of the decorative finishings of the in- terfor will be in rare woods from the South American forests. contributed by tho different countries that support the Bureau, while the walls of the Hall of American Ambassadors" and other principal rooms will be decorated with mural paintings, pictures, statuary etc, suggestive of Pan-American history development. and progress. At the main entrance of the structure will be two heroic marble figures symbolizing, respectively, North and South America.
 The institution which will occupy this building was founded seventeen years ago at the First Pan-American Conference held In Washington in the winter of 1SS9-1890, and presided over by James G. Blaine. The original object, as announced, was that of mak- ing the American republics better ac- quainted with each other and of ex- changing information about their re- spective resources and trade. It never. however. had the complete support and interest of the United States. or of her sister nations. until Hon. Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States made his memorable visit in 1906 to South America. The Third Pan-Ameri- can Conference, assembled at Rio JdnelTOs BTazti, LII loVo, WhlCl lS dt- tended, passed strong resolutions in favor of the reorganization of the Bureau and outlined a plan to make it a world recognized institution for the promotion of both commerce and comity.
 The Bureau is strictly an information al and independent organization, subor- dinate to no Department of the United States Government, and maintained by the joint contributions. based on popula- ton, of the twenty-one American gov ernments. Its affairs are under the ad- ministration of a chief officer, called Director. who is elected by the Govern ing Board of the Bureau, consisting of the Diplomatic Representatives in Washington of the Latin American governments, presided over by the Secretary of State of the United States. The present Director is John Barrett, former United States Minister to Colombia, Panama, Argentina, and Siam. The Secretary of the Bureau is Doctor Francisco J. Yanes, an eminent Latin American scholar. Since the new administration took charge of its af- fairs, the correspondence of the Bureau has uuadrupled while the demand for its printed publications has tripled. Its practical use is demonstrated by the fact that during the last six months it has developed business that has ad- ded at least st5.000.O0o to the value of an-American foreign commerce. Its present object, in short. is not only to advance commerce and trade, but to strengthen comity and friendship among all the republics of the western hemisphere.