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tions for the sake of unity. I thought I had stated that if both were recommended some nations, which have accepted neither the one nor the other, might, if there are ten, for instance, incline five towards the one and five towards the other, and thus continue the division; whereas if the Conference recommended one it might happen that the ten nations which have not accepted either would be apt to accept that which was recommended to them, and thus a step would be taken towards unity. I said that the Lima convention seemed preferable to me, and my opinion is supported by that of the honorable president of the committee, who is a competent authority and whose competency has been acknowledged by the honorable Delegate for the Argentine. I recollect that that honorable Delegate stated that both conventions were essentially similar, although that of Lima differed as to details.

Mr. GUZMAN. What I did say is, that some persons had expressed that opinion.

Mr. ROMERO. The honorable Mr. Hanson, who is likewise another member of the committee, has stated in the plainest manner that in his judgment the convention of Lima is more thorough; but, I repeat, my purpose has not been to give preference to the Lima convention; it might be the case that that of Rio de Janeiro is superior to or at least as thorough as that of Lima; my chief aim is that the Conference recommend the adoption of only one, that which may be considered best. The reasons I adduced to prefer that of Lima were, the opinion of the honorable president of the committee and the circumstance that that of Lima had taken place at a later date than that

of Rio de Janeiro, and the reading of the dates given by the honorable Delegate from the Argentine Republic does not seem to contradict my assertion; it is true that but few months have elapsed between the two, but the one is subsequent to the other. The honorable Delegate for the Argentine does not think that any scientific discovery has been effected of which the Congress of Lima may have been aware. I adduced this argument merely as a possible thing, and as one that did not transcend the bounds of possibility.

If the Convention of Rio de Janeiro were to be accepted in preference to that of Lima, owing to the circumstance set forth by the honorable Delegate for the Argentine that the former is in the form of a treaty while the other is but a draft, the Mexican delegation would accept it. It does not and can not make this point a matter of self-pride, still less has the speaker the remotest idea to offend with his words. the exquisite susceptibility of any one of the honorable Delegates here present. His only desire has been to propose something that would lead to a more practical result, to the result of unity, if it be possible; and it is a satisfaction for me to find that the honorable Delegate for the Argentine found this idea so acceptable that, in substance, he agrees with me. He has stated that he would support the decision that should recommend only one convention, if this is to be that of Rio de Janeiro. This is precisely what I desired, that only one should be recommended; if that of Rio de Janeiro is more acceptable, let us recommend that one; it shall also have the vote of the Mexican delegation, for what I seek is uniformity in any pos

sible way; and in case that the withdrawal of my motion should facilitate the closing of this debate, in order that the report may at once be voted upon, I am perfectly willing to withdraw it; but, at all events, the negative vote of the Mexican delegation, if the recommendation of both of the conventions should be insisted upon, will not signify the rejection of the report, but, as I have previously stated, the desire to have only one of the two conventions recommended; so that if the negative vote should be in the majority, the Mexican delegation would vote afterwards in favor of the report of the committee, which has among its members very competent persons, whenever it should recommend the adoption of only one of the two conventions.

Mr. QUINTANA. Mr. President, I congratulate myself and am thankful for the words spoken by the honorable Delegate for Mexico; but, on the other hand, I have never in the least intended, as to him, either an ulterio purpose or a personal attack. I have had reference to the consequences that would arise from the option made by the Conference between the one and the other convention.

This being premised, I am compelled to set aright some matters, because I can not consent that the last statements made by the honorable Delegate for Mexico should go uncorrected.

The Argentine delegation stated from the very first that it would vote for the report of the committee, but inasmuch as the Delegate for Mexico objected to this course and desired that only one convention. should be recommended, I indicated the fact that we were not in accord. The honorable Delegate for

Mexico did not confine himself to the statement that the adoption of the one or the other convention should be recommended; he said that the draft of the Convention of Lima should be accepted, setting aside that of Rio de Janeiro. To this I replied that, in the event of selecting between the two conventions, the Argentine Republic would choose that of Rio de Janeiro, and it is evident that we were not in accord as to this point.

But the honorable Delegate adduced the lapse of time between the two conventions as an argument, a posteriori, in favor of some advance in science. To this I showed that but little time had elapsed and that during the same no discoveries had been made. It follows that this reason could not be used as entitling the draft of Lima to consideration over the Convention of Rio de Janeiro. Moreover, the honorable Delegate has not taken into account the radical differences between the two conventions; the one is a simple draft or project, while the other is a formal convention, obligatory, and in actual operation. Therefore, in case one of the two conventions should have to be selected, this fact is too forcible to be ignored, as he himself has just acknowledged.

But the honorable Delegate invokes the testimony of the honorable chairman of the committee, and also that of Mr. Hanson. Let him allow me to say that all of us have heard the honorable chairman of the committee; the latter says that his individual opinion is in favor of a sanitary congress to which the consideration of the Convention of Rio de Janeiro may be submitted; that is to say, that the honorable chairman of the committee did not recommend the

draft of Lima which the honorable Delegate for Mexico recommends for acceptance.

As to Mr. Hanson, if I have understood the translation which has been made of his speech, it seems to me that he referred to a scientific authority much entitled to our consideration, that of the SurgeonGeneral of the United States; but this gentleman, far from asserting any superiority of the Lima Convention over the Convention of Rio de Janeiro, notwithstanding that that of Lima is more recent, has said that both are equally good.

Mr. ROMERO. That portion of Mr. Hanson's speech to which I referred was not translated. If the honorable Delegate desires it I will beg Mr. Hanson to express again his views on this subject.

Mr. QUINTANA. No, sir; it is not necessary, for, as Mr. Hanson himself has stated, the opinion of the Surgeon-General is that both conventions are equally good, and I regard it with great respect.

But, I again repeat, the Argentine Republic has in nowise opposed the report of the committee; it has declared that it accepts it for the reasons that the Conference will readily understand, and for which it opposes the adoption of the draught of the Lima Convention and the rejection of that of Rio de Janeiro, which is what the honorable Delegate for Mexico proposed.

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Mr. GUZMAN. I am about to say two words which, my judgment, may assist us somewhat in reaching a prompt solution.

I am aware that the remarks of Mr. Romero, as well as those of Mr. Cruz, have been made in perfect good faith, and for the purpose of avoiding that con

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