he can not profitably trade with us. Therefore he rejects the idea of making a single reduction upon a single article of exportation or importation. While I can not see the logic of this reasoning, my friend may possibly see it in some light in which it has not been presented to me. But he insists upon arraigning these heavy duties. Now, I have shown that, so far as the impost duties are concerned, they are higher on the average in the Argentine Republic than they are in the United States.

Now, Mr. President, do you ask me if I indorse everything in the tariff policy of the United States? I assuredly do not. I have distinctly shown what has produced the tariff policy of the United States. I made that, I hope perfectly clear a few days since. I am not a devoted advocate of high tariff duties; I never was. But when these invidious comparisons are made between the policy of the Argentine and that of the United States, I deem it my duty, Mr. President, to array the figures before this Conference, and show my friend that we are not so unjust and harsh in our policy as he would imagine.

And now let me say, as was truthfully said nineteen centuries ago: "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

Mr. QUINTANA. Mr. President, the honorable delegate from the United States has been given in the discussion of this subject a special position and one which the Argentine delegation has in no wise tried to deny him. Far from this, Mr. President, when the honorable delegate stated that he must know in extenso, and have a translation in English, to study and prepare himself to reply to the address of my honorable colleague, Mr. Saenz Peña, the latter was the first to arise and ask that the wishes of the honorable delegate, Mr. Henderson, be acceded to. This honorable gentleman has just replied to the last observations of Mr. Saenz Peña, adducing a large num

ber of considerations and citing statistical data even from anonymous and malicious publications, which it is a pity to have been brought into the debate. I refer to the article from the River Plate Times quoted by the honorable delegate, and I say to myself that when this situation has presented itself, when my colleague, who belongs to the committee charged with this subject, is absent, it is not possible for us to be contented with a mere hurried translation, which can not give us any clear idea of the speech of the honorable delegate and much less afford us all the statistical data which he has just cited in the presence of the Conference.

I request, Mr. President, that his speech be translated and delivered to the Argentine delegation, because that delegation must needs in the presence of the Conference impeach the correctness of that anonymous and, I repeat, malicious publication which has been distributed to the honorable delegates. The Argentine delegation places at the disposal of the honorable General Henderson all the statistical data of its country which it has in its possession and which is that relating to the year 1889. I would demonstrate to the honorable delegate, my colleague will demonstrate it, and he himself may see that those reports are incorrect and that there is not a single commodity from the United States which is burdened in the Argentine Republic with duties such as burden articles from the Argentine Republic imported into the United States.

To those assertions, so informally brought into the debate, I might reply, Mr. President, were it neceswith the statistics I hold in my hand, and the

sary,

honorable delegate may see them, that, for instance, olives have a duty of 30 cents per kilogram, that refined sugar has one of 9, starch 5, meats 30, preserved fruits 5, and that there is a multitude of free and most important articles, such as machinery of the United States, which is, happily, so much used in my country for the rapid development of agricultural interest there noted. All that machinery, and especially the agricultural, have been free of duty up to 1888, and to-day are only burdened with a 5 per cent. duty; that is to say that the Argentine Republic only burdens this important branch of the exports of the United States with a duty so low that it hardly merits notice, and this includes not only raw material but the manufactured article.

Therefore, Mr. President, I move that the speech of the honorable delegate, Mr. Henderson, be translated in extenso, as all the others made in this Conference have been.

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair sees no objection to the speech of the honorable delegate from the United States being translated in full and placed at the disposal of the Argentine delegation.

Mr. ESTEE. Mr. President, is there any objection to future communications or addresses on this subject being submitted after a vote? I presume we have already made up our minds upon this subject. Of course, it is perfectly proper that the honorable gentleman from the Argentine should have an opportunity to respond, but let him present his speech whenever he is ready, at any time before adjourn

ment.

Mr. QUINTANA. Mr. President, the Conference has

resolved heretofore that the discussion on this subject should conclude and that it should be voted on at this session; but the debate has not really terminated; there is pending an untranslated speech, and which consequently can not be replied to. However, Mr. President, that speech having been made by one of the United States delegates, and another of that country's delegates having made the motion to take the vote on this subject, I am willing that the Conference vote immediately, if there be no objec

tion.

Mr. ESTEE. Mr. President, I would not ask the vote to be taken, except that the honorable delegate from the Argentine may respond hereafter. I do not desire that he should be prevented from making a response. The question, perhaps, is that if the gentleman from the Argentine wants to address this Conference again upon this subject he may do so. Then, perhaps, another gentleman may want to reply, and my suggestion was only for the purpose of coming to a vote, as we have already made up our minds, and at the same time permit the gentlemen to carry on this discussion after we dispose of the subject. This discussion does not seem to touch the report at all. The discussion now seems to be upon the question as to which is the best country, the Argentine or the United States. That question has no more to do with this report, in my poor and humble judgment, than the next total eclipse of the

moon.

upon

Mr. MENDONÇA. I was just remarking that we can not close the discussion with a vote-for that is the general way of winding up all the discussions-and

at the same time permit discussion by speeches that would be communicated to the Chair. I think when this Conference was considering whether, as soon as the discussion was ended to-day, the vote should be taken, that the case was a very different one from the present. The discussion is not ended. Our colleagues from the Argentine Republic are not satisfied in finishing the discussion now, so they avail themselves of the privilege of answering the speech of Mr. Henderson and sending the answer to the Chair. That I do not think is a proper way of discussing a matter. I think we ought to translate and give to the honorable delegates from the Argentine Republic the speech of the honorable Mr. Henderson. Of course that will take time, but we can not take a vote upon a matter and then afterwards continue the discussion of the same matter.

Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. President, it is quite unnecessary for me, I think, to assure this Conference that if the honorable delegate from the Argentine desires time to make any reply to the few remarks that I have made, intended simply to vindicate the United States and answer what I suppose was intended as an invidious comparison with the tariff policy of the Argentine, the United States delegation would certainly not vote against the proposition to give the gentlemen any time they choose to ask. I was not aware that I said anything which would excite any discussion; what I said was simply defensive, and not of an aggressive nature, and only in response to the speech of my friend from the Argentine. There were other points which I might have answered, but I thought it unnecessary to continue a discussion in