The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-01
Has Grown to Be an Institution
of Vast Importance.
1T HAS FL MEMBERS
Is Now in Receipt Of Thousand
Letters a Day.
Columbian Memorial Library
Contains 1000 Volumes.

Washington, Aug. 1.-The Bureau
of the American Republics, the Pan
American bureau. as II is at times
called. is a unique institution in the
history of the worlds international
relations. 1t was founded IL years
ago. in Washington. during the ses-
sion of the first Pan-American con-
fernce, which was presided over by
James G. Blaine There was nothing
premeditated about its origin. The
purpose of the early founders was
simply to provide some place where
there could be collected information
as to the production and commerce.
the customs. laws and regulations OF
the countries forming the conference.
This bureau, then called the COM
mercial Bureau of the American Re-
publics. was the official organ of an
association entitled The International
Union of American Republics, COM
posed of the independent nations of
the western hemisphere. The num-
Der has now become 81.
The list of directors who have adj
ministered the affairs of the bureau
since it was organized is as follows:
William E. Curtis, 1S90-1S93; Gin
ton Kurdish, 1ssS-1ss7; Joseph P.
1s9s-1sss; w. w. Rockhill. 1899
1905S william C. Fox 1s05-1s07;
John Barrett. 1907. The present di-
rector, Mr.. Barrett. has been United
States minister to several Latin
American countries. including Argen-
tina, Panama and Colombia. He was
also q delegate to the second Pan
American conference at Mexico in
1901. commissioner general of foreign
affairs at the st. Louis exposition in
1902-03. and at the beginning of his
diplomatic career United States
minister to Siam in Asia.
For the first 10 years after it's or
ganization the bureau was busy in
compiling, editing and arranging the
documents and data collected under
the supervision of the directors by
the cooperation of several republics
composing its membership.
Many Pamphlets Issued.
Up to June, 1895, 81 pamphlets and
special publications had been issued,
including handbooks of IA. republics.
The character of these was of great
interest to the people, not only of the
United States. but also of other
countries of the world, because such
a systematic presentation of the his,
tory. geography, social and COM
mercial conditions of governments
and peoples bound together by a COM
mon tie, had never before been at
tempted. In October. 1893. there ap-
peared the first number of what was
q
was report on coffee, the intention
of the bureau being to issue similar
reports on other products at regular
intervals. In December, 1898. this
monthly bulletin began to contain
news items data of general informa-
ton, and condensed notes on the re-
publics composing the union. From
this date it assumed the form and
character of a magazine, which have
been successfully maintained to the
letin was published in both English
and Spanish; in April. 1895, Portu-
guese articles were added: in Nav
1896, French also was introduced In
August, 1896. the bulletin regularly
appeared in these four languages.
French. to recognize in this way the
organic share of each race in the con-
quot and development of the bureau.
In June, 1904. appeared the first
number OF commercial code, a die
tionary and translation of business
terms current throughout the reuub-
lies OF the Union. This has now been
finished in three volumes, one each for
English. Spanish and Portuguese, and
is considered most valuable and
trustworthy addition to the working
knowledge of the whole Industrial and
education world.
Columbian Memorial Library.
The Columbus Memorial library is an
integral part and an important feature
of the International bureau. In addi-
<tion to the collection of general liter
allure on Latin America. which in
the historical. descriptive social and
political phases of life in all the re-
publics, the library has an unusually
large and constantly growing collec-
ton OF official documents and publica-
lions relating to the statistical and
commercial conditions nf he no.
OF the International Union Certainly
in no one place in the world can so
much valuable material on this partic-
ular line be found under a single roof:
daily and weekly newspapers, monthly
reviews, official reports and govern
ments studies similar to those of the
United States departments of agricul-
ture and of commerce and labor. d.
arios oficiales Congressional records)
and many miscellaneous pamphlets
come to the shelves of the library reg
ularly and are on file for students and
readers who wish to consult them. The
contents of these publications are at
once analysed and indexed in the cata-
logue The library secures also resi-
dence and trade directories of cities
and countries, as well as such printed
matter as will give a working basis
for making selected lists for various
kinds of correspondence.
Second Pan American Conference.
The second Pan-American confer
ence at Mexico continued the pro-
gramme of the bureau, but the third
conference at Rio de Janeiro, in 1906.
which was attended by Elihu Root.
present secretary of state. greatly en-
larged its scope and sphere. The
resolutions passed at this conferences
decided that the purposes of the in
ternational bureau of the American
republics are:
l. To compile and distribute COM
merclal Information and prepare COM
mercial reports.
2. To compile and classify informa-
ton respecting the treaties and con-
sventions between the American repub-
Flics and between the latter and non
American states.
8. To supply information on edu-
cational matters.