cient, without my entering into a critical examination of change of language which results from the form proposed by the representative from Colombia.

Mr. HURTADO. In the amendment which I offered, Mr. President, and which was simply one of wording, I substituted for the word charges (cargas) the word duty. Charge (carga) it is true is a Spanish word; it means the weight of one thing upon another; an attack made by one battalion against another; the quantity of powder used to load fire-arms; in fact it has other meanings not necessary to examine at present; but "charge" as a duty, a tax, an impost, can not be used except metaphorically, and as we are not here speaking figuratively, it seems to me that the word could be replaced by another, such as the duty, which gives a correct idea of what it is desired to explain. I do not pretend to say that the wording of the report is defective and imperfect, and I will not examine it further, but it does seem to me that where it reads, "the charges which are imposed upon vessels," it ought to read, "the duties imposed upon vessels." This is correct, and therefore I made the motion.

Having made this slight explanation, I will take my seat, saying that as far as I am concerned I have no objections to vote for the article just as it is, because I do not pretend to say that it is imperfect; but only, I repeat, the word charge (cargas), used only in a metaphorical sense, might be taken as an indication of the desire of the committee.

The PRESIDENT. Mr. Hurtado's amendment does not change the idea of the article, but simply modifies the wording, and it seems to me that we would

proceed with greater ease if we decided upon the form in which the article should remain, whether in that as prescribed by the committee or in that proposed by the delegate from Colombia.

Mr. HURTADO. It appears to me, Mr. President, that I made an amendment to an article under parliamentary rules. This amendment is the one which should be voted upon, and I believe it is in order to do so, because an article might be first voted upon and then the amendment offered might be taken up, but if the President thinks that the order proposed is the most adequate, I have no objection whatever; that is to say, that the vote would be taken as to which of the two should be considered, the original article presented by the committee or upon that as amended by the speaker.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair understands that this is not an amendment to the article but simply a question of wording.

Mr. HURTADO. I understand it, Mr. President, as an amendment; because one word changed for another, modifies the subject, if not substantially, as it does in the present case, at least the form.

The PRESIDENT. I have no objection to submit the article to a vote in the manner and form suggested by the delegate from Colombia in order that the delegates may say whether they prefer it in the form presented by the gentleman or in that offered by the committee.

Nevertheless, the Chair still thinks that the amendment offered by the delegate from Colombia does not, in any way, affect the fundamental idea of the article as presented by the committee, and therefore it believes that it is in order to take the vote upon the

idea contained in the first article of the report, leaving for afterwards the vote as to whether the final wording presented by the delegate shall remain or that presented by the committee.

Mr. HURTADO. What I propose, Mr. President, is a question of concordance and nothing more, because the correction is in perfect accord with the English. The president can form a correct idea of this because he knows both languages and the translation made by me is a literal and correct translation from the English. The Spanish text is not in harmony with the idea of the committee because there are no such things as charges; (cargas) the word in this sense is not used in Spanish: the (cargas) charges made by a landlord; the charge made by my coachman, but the word can only be used in this manner in a metaphorical sense. For greater clearness I will read the definition given to this word in the dictionary. "Carga" (charge): The weight of one thing upon another. The burden carried by a man or a beast, or a vessel a load of grain, salt, etc.

* * *

*

the charger used

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A charge of powfor measuring a All this shows, Mr.

der * charge of powder, etc. President, that it is only in a figurative sense that the phrase can be accepted to indicate the desire of the committee; that is to say, only in this sense can it be taken as tribute, tax, duty.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair thinks, in spite of the remark of the honorable delegate, that his amendment will not affect the fundamental idea offered by the committee.

Mr. HURTADO. It does not alter it, Mr. President. The PRESIDENT. In that case the honorable dele

gates who approve the idea of the committee may vote for it, and we will immediately proceed to determine the definite form it is to take, that is, if it is to remain as proposed by the honorable delegate or as presented by the committee.

Mr. HURTADO. Then we will have another discussion, Mr. President.

The PRESIDENT. There is no necessity for it; the Chair does not think that there will be any debate after the profound and prolonged discussion which we have had upon the subject.

Mr. ROMERO. I believe, Mr. President, that it will be easier to proceed according to Rule 13, which

reads:

All amendments or amendments to amendments shall be referred to the respective committees unless the Conference decides otherwise, and they shall be voted upon before the resolution or report the text of which they are intended to amend.

Otherwise there would be two votes; one in general upon the article and another in detail upon the terms of the same.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair has not forgotten this Rule, put the difficulty only arises from the nature of the amendment offered by the honorable delegate, which is only a question of wording, and which, if it went to the committee, would suspend the debate. Nevertheless, the Conference can decide as it thinks best, or we may adopt, also, the measure of taking, in a single vote, an expression of the delegates as to the form in which they approve the report. I should like to know the will of the Conference upon this subject.

Mr. QUINTANA. I would ask the president to inform me in what the difficulty consists.

The PRESIDENT. The difficulty is that the delegate from Colombia offers an amendment which does not alter the idea presented in the report about to be submitted to the vote, and in such case, what is the first point to be voted upon? The amendment offered by the honorable delegate from Colombia or the report as presented by the committee?

Mr. QUINTANA. I thank the President for the explanation which he has been kind enough to give me, and I will only take the liberty to remark that the Conference can not waste time upon such things; I think that the honorable delegate could determine the question by suggesting what, in his decision, ought to be done.

Mr. GUZMAN. I ask that the President will order the reading of the amendment offered by the delegate from Colombia.

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. The secretary will read the article in the form proposed by the honorable delegate from Colombia.

(The secretary read the article with the amendment offered.)

Mr. QUINTANA. The Argentine delegation finds itself in a peculiar situation; it will vote against the article, whatever the form given it, whether it have or contain the word "impuesto" (impost), "derecho" (duty), "cargas" (charges), or all that extensive nomenclature gone over, if the addition by it proposed is not included.

Mr. GUZMAN. I ask the floor to express my concurrence in what the honorable delegate from the Argen