126 FINAL ACT OF SECOND PAN AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS. 



tries, but the necessity of a compilation according to a definite plan was 

 recognized, and, in view of the importance of the subject, the compilation 

 according to this definite plan was not only to be published in any one 

 language, but in the languages spoken in the American Continent, namely, 

 Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English. 



The purpose of this recommendation was far from academic, although 

 the compilation according to a definite plan and the publication in the 

 different languages might be considered as an end in itself and justify the 

 time and labor involved. The Congress, however, felt that the com- 

 pilation according to a definite plan to be adopted was a prerequisite to 

 the proposals for an improvement of the laws of the different countries, 

 because any reform of this kind, and indeed any reform, should be 

 undertaken in the fullness of knowledge. Not the least valuable result 

 of the recommendation is that the compilation according to a definite 

 plan to be adopted, published in the different languages of the Americas, 

 will give rise to the criticism and comment of those most interested and 

 most competent to criticise, with the result that proposals will not be 

 adopted, even if made, without regard to the experience of the different 

 countries in fostering and regulating the mining industry. 



In connection with the improvement of the mining laws of the Ameri- 

 cas, there are many features wherein they might be made more nearly 

 uniform, especially in the matter of reporting the statistics of mineral 

 production, of labor, and of accidents. 



Furthermore, uniform laws on these subjects would render the mining 

 and metallurgical reports of the various countries comparable one with 

 the other, which is highly desirable for the consideration of data drawn 

 from so many and so varied sources. And in this connection it is well 

 to point out, in further justification of the recommendation, the large 

 amount of duplication in statistical work and the lack of uniformity in 

 the data collected to be compiled, as well as in the method of presenta- 

 tion, making it necessary, for the purpose of comparative study, that a 

 higher degree of uniformity of statistical methods be secured, that the 

 duplication of work on the part of statisticians and producers be minim- 

 ized, and that the suggestion of uniformity be extended to cover all 

 statistical work relating to the development of mining in North, Central, 

 and South America. 



For these reasons, which could be elaborated upon, the Congress 

 decided to recommend that the different Governments appoint a com- 

 mittee to consider the question of the uniformity of mining statistics 

 and as a result of its investigation to recommend to the respective Gov- 

 ernments such measures as, in the opinion of the Committee, would tend 

 to systematize, simplify, and standardize such statistics. 



