The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-28
FROM BEHRlNG STRAIT TO PATAGONIA.
From Arctic to Antarctic Ice Without
Change of Cars.
Mr.. Calderon's Hope OF Railroad
Traversing Two Continents.
A Bolivian Delegates Views Of the
Pan-AmerIcan Conference.

WASHINGTON, November H.-Mr. Ignacio
Calderon, a distinguished merchant and writer
of Bolivia, has presented to each of the dele
gates to the Pan-American Congress copy
of little pamphlet entitled "The Congress
at Washington and Its Mission" Speaking
of the results of the Congress, he says: "We
should not hope too much Of this present
Congress at Washington. The meeting of
the representatives of the Republics of the
New World will only be a preliminary trial,
which will be an opening for the series of
revolutions by which the economical and
International order will realize uniformity
Of tendencies, of which the democratic ideas
are composed, and upon which they are
based. The programme Of questions to be
considered which Is embraced in the call of
the United States is quite extensive and COM
plicated, and IL carried out would realize
very important results"
1t Is very natural, he says, that all the
republics Of the new world, should come to-
gether to organize for the development of
their institutions and the progress and pros
perity of their people. The great significance
Of the present Congress at Washington is
the fact that from henceforth there will be-
gin new era of International relations
and harmonious DEVELOPMENT Of all repub-
lies. Speaking of commercial relations he
says: I'VE can find everything we need in
the United States-everything that the ex-
igencies of civilization have made indls-
pensable, as much in the home as in the
public administration. Everything that
modern industry can produce, either in OBJ
jects for domestic use or in machinery and
scientific appliances, is manufactured In the
United States. The mechanical talent of
ha boz 10 hfoIa oil tha
and to 1t civilization owes the most inn
portant inventions of the century. IL in
such market we can obtain all we need In
exchange for our natural products, taking as
basis for our transactions the silver which
is the money accepted In our Republics: If
in this way we can shake off the tribute of
gold which Europe demands OF us, 1t Is very
plain that the condition of commerce would
be greatly bettered and with 1t that OF all
our industries"
IF we could destroy the effects Of the de-
preston which every day grows greater, on
the only metal which we have at our dis
posal to pay our obligations with, and again
give 1t Its monetary value In the markets
where we buy what we consume, step
would be given toward great and beneficial
results for the development of these coun-
| tries. Exchange is today sort of night
mare to the merchant, and causes him to
| doubt as to the safety and amount of profit
1 Ou Hlo lucICduLil6 tIduSdCblOuo. lu6
| ity of the American republics produce silver
and use this metal as coin. II, therefore, a
| system of international coins were to be
established by which the weight ofllsilver in
one country would be the same in all the
others which may enter into the agreement,
| we would obtain the commercial inde-
pendence which would put us in safety as re-
CARDS the depression Of the value Of our
| silver and fix sure foundation for 0uI
securities. In order to carry into effect the
establishment Of a common system Of custom
houses we must increase the relations be-
| tween the republics by helping the construc-
| tiOn of the railroads and establishing lines
| of steamships which will make the transpor-
| tIon of the articles cheap and prompt. The
United States, ON their part, will have to
modify the absurd system of protection, un-
| der which Is organized their customs system
| of the present day. Let us prepare the road,
| so that what was dream Of some will be-
| come reality, and so we shall soon see a
railroad which, leaving at Behring Straits,
| will stop at the not less freezing regions Of
| Patagonia, and which will unite in one COM
mon tie Of progress and fraternity all the
sons OF the vast continent"