The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-02-22
CONGRESS OF AmERioAN STATES.
Full Text of Senator Frye's Bill Intro
duced in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Frye will
introduce the following bill in the Senate
Tuesday:
Be it enacted, etc.:-That the President be and
he hereby is authorized and directed to invite on
behalf OF the government and people of the United
States delegates from each of the republics of
Central and South America, including Mexico
and San Domingo and the Empire OF Brazil to as
senbie i'll Washington on the trst day of October,
1885, to consider and decide upon such questions
as shall be to the mutual interest aud common
welfare OF The American people and that each OF
the Independent nations Of this hemisphere shall
be entitled to send as many delegates as each may
for iiSef determine. but i'll the discussion OF
questions i'll TIE Congress no delegation shall have
more than one vote.
SECT 2-That in forwarding this invitation to
the constituted authorities OF the several indepen
dent governments of the American hemisphere
the President OF the United States shall set forth
that the said Congress is called to consider:
First-Measures that shall tend to preserve
peace and promote the prosperity OF the American
nations and to present a united resistance against
the encroaehments OF an European monarehial
power and to preserve the Integrity and present
territorial constitutions of each against forcible
dismembermet.
Second-Measures toward the formation of an
all American customs union under which the
trade of American nations shall so far as it is
practicable and profitable be confined to Ameri-
can waters; and there shall be a free interchange
of the peculiar natural and manufactured pro-
ducts of each
Third Establishment Of direct regular and
frequent lines of steamship communication be-
tween the ports OF the American continent.
Fourth-Establishment OF an uniform system q
customs regulations in each of the independent
American States 60 govern the expectation and
importation of merchandise, an uniform method OF
classification and valuation Of such merchandise
in the ports OF each country and an UNIFORM SyS-
ten of invoices
Fifth-Adoption of common system of weights
and measures, and uniform laws to protect the
persons and property, patent rights ana trade
marks of citizens of either country in the others
SiXth-Adoption of common silver coin, which
shall be issued by each government in such
amount as shall be proportonate to the popua-
tion of each the same to be legal tender III COM
mercial transactions between citizens OF all
American nations
Seventh-Agreement upon and recommends
tons for adoption to their respective governments
of a definite plan for the arbitration of all ques-
tons, disputes and differences that may now OF
hereafter exist between them
SECT. 3-That such delegates as may attend
said Congress shall be guests Of the government
of the United States and shall be entertained
from the time of arrival i'll this country until the
time of their departure, in such manner as shall
be consistent with the dignity of this nation ana
the Importance of the duty they are appointed 10
perform, and that the sum of 100000, or SO
much thereof as may be necessary. IS hereby ap-
propriated out of any money in the Treasury noU
otherwise appropriated the same to be dls,
bursed under the direction of the Secretary OF
State.
SECT. THAT the President of the United
States shall, before the adjournment of the pres
ent Congress, by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, appoint twentyfour delegates 10
said Congress, selected equally from the Two po7
litical parties, at least three of whom shall be
learned in International law and the remalnueI
men VINO are actively engaged in agriculture,
manufacturing and the expectation and impOTIa,,
tion of merchandise; and said delegates appointed
on the part of the United States shall serve WIN
out compensation other than their actual ell
penses
In an interview Mr.. Frye said that the OBJ
ject of this bill, as was shown in its several
sections, was to bring the nations OF the
American hemisphere into closer political
and commercial relation; and that while lss ne
did not advocate any political compact Whlcn
might involve the United States in any COM