honor to explain that, in virtue of this arrangement, should it be accepted by the Argentine Republic, these companies, to which I have referred, could not continue to collect the dues which they do at present, and that then these dues would fall upon the Argentine exchequer and would be prejudicial to it.

But the honorable delegate says that this is disadvantageous to commerce. He will permit me to show him that this might be prejudicial to the producers and consumers of the Argentine Republic, but by no means to the commerce of other nations.

It is well known that each consumer is obliged to pay the real value of the article, and amongst the factors of this price there is included the cost of freight and porterage, and the other costs incurred, which are paid in the port of the nation in which the products are to be consumed in the same manner as when the products are exported to foreign countries. It is the producers who indirectly sustain these costs and pay the port dues to which the vessels carrying the produce are liable. Therefore the Argentine delegation, without fear of damaging the interests of the other nations represented in this Conference, may, and ought to, insist upon the proposed amendment.

It is equal to saying to another nation that it must endure the consequences of a reduction in rates. What would the honorable delegate say if I answer him, in turn, that it would be better for the United States to remove or lower the duty on our wool. Then, indeed, the commerce between the Argentine Republic and the United States might develop in a manner that surpasses imagination. Notwithstanding the Argentine delegation has been far from proposing

such a thing, much less exacting it, although we are under the painful impression that although the American nations were convened to this Conference to discuss the measures for establishing close relations and to develop, as far as possible, their commercial interests, not only are there maintained in this country the high duties which fall upon Argentine products, but they are actually about to increase them at this very time.

I hope the delegate will take these expressions in the best and most cordial of intentions. I simply desire to convince him that, just as some difficulties exist for the United States by reason of predominant ideas of the Government, there are also others existing for the Argentine Republic, to prevent the carrying out of the desire for uniformity of port dues, to the extent of injuring its treasury by the payment of lighthouse charges and other expenses contracted for with private companies.

Mr. ROMERO. I beg that the president will order the reading of the article as it will be presented for the

vote.

I would say, in passing, that the amendment offered by the delegate from the Argentine Republic is not in the form in which it was offered yesterday, because, after some discussion, he manifested a willingness to say, instead of contracts signed, pending contracts. Mr. VARAS. I have waited up to the present, Mr. President, to learn whether any other delegate had any suggestions to make in regard to the first article or resolution now under discussion; but, as I believe there is nothing new, I ask that the president will order the reading of the several amendments or ad

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ditions proposed, in order that they may be all taken under final consideration.

Mr. HURTADO. I offer the following amendment:

First, That all the charges imposed upon vessels as port dues shall be reduced to a single one, to be known as tonnage dues.

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. If there be no gentleman asking the floor, the vote will be taken upon the question. I will state that the amendment offered by the honorable delegate from Colombia (Mr. Hurtado) does not change the sense, but only the wording of the text, and in the opinion of the Chair it will be saving time for the Conference to decide which of the two texts shall be accepted, that proposed by the committee, or that proposed by the honorable delegate from Colombia.

Secretary RODRIGUEZ. The amendment proposed by Mr. Mendonça will not be read, because it is withdrawn. That offered by Mr. Hurtado is that

All the charges imposed upon vessels as port dues shall be reduced to a single one, to be known as tonnage dues.

And that offered by Mr. Quintana is that

Except in case of light-house dues and other charges collected by private enterprises under pending contracts made with the Governments.

This was finally changed and made to read, "By virtue of contracts made with the State."

The PRESIDENT. Those are the amendments which have been made to article 1.

Mr. VARAS. My honorable colleague, the delegate from Salvador, has made a suggestion to me, which I think opportune, and I now offer it to the consid

eration of the Conference. It agrees with the desire which I have always manifested to conciliate, as far as possible, the suggestions of every one, in order to attain the best result in this matter as in others that have been brought before the Conference. The object, therefore, in making express mention in the body of the report, that the exemptions of these payments or dues should not be understood to include those duties payable by private concerns, nor those collected upon wharves not intended for the use of the authorities, nor intended for public use, is to incorporate this resolution in the body of the others, in order that it should appear as what might be termed the text of the law.

I considered this suggestion so opportune and well thought that I perform a duty by transmitting it to the table in this form.

As regards the suggestion made by the delegate from the Argentine Republic, I considered it acceptable and I would add to it the following which I will also send to the table in order that it shall be considered when the vote is to be taken.

Except also pilotage and other dues for services rendered by private enterprise, and for wharfage and dock dues, if not destined for public use without compensation.

In order that it shall not be understood that the wharves destined for the landing of merchandise might be used free, and that the dues paid are not port dues but separate payment for the use of the wharves.

As far as the proposed amendment is concerned, it consists in the substitution of one word for another, and it is with some hesitancy, Mr. President, that I

called the attention of the Conference to an amendment of this kind.

The delegate from Colombia thinks that the word charge (carga) should necessarily be substituted by the word duty; and I say necessarily, because if the gentleman had not so deemed it I do not think that he would have advanced an amendment of such nature and importance. The necessity which requires the amendment presented to the Conference imposes upon me, as a member of the Conference, the unavoidable duty, demanded by politeness and courtesy, of explaining the reason why the committee used the word charges (cargas) and not the word duty.

Our attention has already been called to the fact that the English word charges is equivalent to, and agrees better than any other with, the common meaning of the words in both languages.

On the other hand, the word charges (cargas) is Spanish, pure Spanish; it has a legal meaning and acceptation, at least in my country, and when we speak of public charges (cargas) we mean a contribution, a tax or duty, in fact, an impost, whatever its nature, which is levied upon the citizens; and if this is the meaning of the word charges, then I think that it is properly used in the report. When the honorable delegate recollects that the object is to comprise under a single denomination all the dues referred to, and if this is the case, how shall we specify and classify this fact? It seems to me by the use of the word charges (cargas), which I see has been accepted by the Argentine delegation, as it was left in the report when the amendment offered was accepted.

I think, Mr. President, that this is more than suffi