Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-03

Pennsylvania; Henry G.. Davis, West Vir-
yinia, and T. jefferson Coolidge, Massachu-
| sets
/ Representatives OF south America.
few moments later the Brazilian com.
missoners, Senior Lafayette Pereira, the
leader Of the Liberal party and formerly
secretary OF the treasury, Senior Salvador
Mendonca aud Senior Vslents, accompanied
/ BY their attaches, Seniors vas Comedies aud
Martens. were introduced, and very soon
the others came in as follows: Senors Vim
cente G. Quesado, Rogue Saenz Pena and
Manuel Quintaoa, Argentine Republic;
Senior Juan +. Velarde, Bolivia; Seniors J.
| Hurtado, Carlos NJ Silva, and Chinaco
Cslderon, Colombia; Senior Perez Zelodon,
Costa Rica: Senior Jose Maria Camaano
| Ecuador; DR. Fernando Cruz. Guatemala;
S,nor Jeronimo Zslaya, Honduras; Seniors
| Mathis Romero Dr. j. ". Navarro, and
Jose Mes Lymantour, Mexico; DIR. Horacio
Guizman, Nicaragua; Senior Alberto Min,
Paraguay; Senior +. C. c. Zsgarra, Saliva
dor, and Seniors Meanor Rolet Perasa and
Alexandra Urbanefa, Venezuela
Secretary Blsine's Address
The delegates being assembled Secretary
Blaine, who had been busy doing the
courtesies of the occasion, arose and called
the congress To order and delivered the fol-
lowing address:
GFNrLENEN OF TIVE SArIoSAL Cox
FERENCE: Speaking for the government OF
/ the United States | bid you welcome TO this
| capital Speaking for the people Of the United
i States, bid you welcome To every section and
/ To every state in the Union. You come In re-
/ Spouse 10 an invitation extended by the pres
| ident on the special authorization Of congress.
| Your presencs here Is no ordinary event. IL
| sgnihrs much to the people OF all-America
| to-day. IL may gnify far more in the
days TO come. No conference Of ma
| tons has ever assembled to con-
| slider the welfare of territorial possessions
| 40 vast and To contemplate the possibilities OF
| n future so great and so inspiring. Those now
i sitting within these walls are empowered to
| speak for nations whose borders are both the
| great oceans, whose northern limits are
| touchedby the arctic waters for Loo miles be-
yond the straits OF Behring, whose southern
extension furnishes human habitatiOns far
| Their below the equator than elsewhere posi-
| BILE on the globe. The aggregate territorial
| extent Of the nations here represented falls
| but little short 81 l=,OdO,OyU of square miles
| more than three times the area of all Europe
| and but litsle less than one-fourth part OF
| the globe; while in respect TO the power Of
pro iucing the articles which are essential to
| human life and those which minister to life's
| luxury, the constitute even a larger proper
ton Of the entire world. These great posses
| sions to-day have an aggregate population ap-
preaching lai,OCO,U0, but IL peoped AS densely
| a. the average of Europe the total number
| would ex eed 0JO,00,UO
| What the Conference Can DO.
| While considerations of this character must
| inspire Americans, both South and North.
/ with the liVeliest anticpations of future
grandeur and power, they must also impress
| them with "A sense of the gravest re-
| sponsibility touching the character and
development of their respective nation
alities The delegates whom l am now
addressing can do much to establish
| permanent relations Of confidence, respect and
| friendship between the nations which they
| represent They can show To the world an
| honorable and peaceful conference OF seven
| teen independent American powers, in which
all shall meet together on terms Of absolute
| equality. a conference in which there can be
| no attempt To cOerce single delegate against
his own conception OF the interests of his ma
| ton; conference which will permit no Sc
| cret understanding on any subject. but will
frankly publish to the world all its eonclu-
siOns; a conference which will tolerate no spir-
1t OF conquest. but will aim to cultivate an
American sympathy ~ broad as both CONT
nents; conference which will form no selfish
| alliance against the older nations from which
We are proud 10 claim Inheritance: a confer
ence, in fine, which will seek nothing. pro-
pose nothing, endure nothing that Is not in
| the general sense Of all the delegates timely
| and wise and peaceful.
| a Plea for Closer Relations.
I - vet we cannot be expected to forget that
Our oHlHl"h tate nns ''sssssv inhabitants of
the two continents which, at the close of four
| eenturi's 5, are still regarded beyond the sea as
| the New world Like situations b.s,at III =
stmpathies. and impose like a..l-- " -.
| In the firm belief that the nations OF America
ought To he. and can be. more helpful, each Il
the other, than they now are, and that eacf
| will find advantage and profit from an en-.
| larged int, recourse with the others. We be
lievc that we should be drawn together NOR,
closely by the highways of the sea, and tha
| at no distant day the railway systems OF tn,
north and south will meet upon the isthmu.
aud connect by land routes the political anC
commercial capitals of all America. We be
lieye that hearty cooperation. based on heart
confidence. will save all American states from
thu burdens and evils which have long anC
| cruelty afflicted the older nations of the world
Some MilI-nniai Suggestions.
| We believe that spirit of justice, of com
mon and equal interest, between the Amer
| lean states will leave no room for an artifi
cial balance OF power, like unto that which
| has led To wars abroad, an drenched Europ,
| IN blood We believe that friendship, avoweC
with candor and maintained with good faith
| will remove from the American states tn,
necessity of guarding boundary lines between
themselves with Notifications and military
| fore :. We he ieve that standing armies, be
| yonh those which are needed for public ordel
| and safety OF internal administration, SHOULD
be unknown both American continents
| We believe that friendship and not force, tn,
spirit of Just law, and not the violence %
the mob. should lie tue recognized rule Of al
ministraton between American nations anC
in American nations
D--iI able Communications.
| TC these subjects. and those which cog
ma q thereto. the attention OF this conference
is earnestly and cordially invited by the gov
eminent OF the United States. 1t will be
great gain when We shall acquire that com
Il mn NH oil tx.s.