The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-10-04
CONGRESS OF AMERICAN MA.
TONS.

This meeting which occurs at Wash.
ington the current week is regarded by
those best acquainted with South Ameri-
can affairs as the most important inter
national event this continent of re-
cent years. 1t is Secretary Blaine's pro-
ject, and he has gwen it long and earnest
attention. He has already reached
Washington to give it personal supervI-
sion. The attention to be paid delegates
under his arrangement will exceed any
previous government reception of for
eign guests. The interest throughout
the South in this congress Is universal,
as the belief exists there that it will
surely result in largely increasing our
trade with Central and South American
nations. A single statement made here
will show that there is room for Won
derful increase in trade between these
countries. Eighty-nine per cent. of the
imports of the South and Central Ameri-
can states comes from Europe; IL per
cent. comes from the United States. On
the other hand, for every 81 worth OF
goods we sell to these countries, we buy
SIS worth. We buy coffee and sugar
from Brazil, wool and hides from the
Argentine Republic, and other La Plata
republics, costly lumber from the ANA.
zon and its tributaries, and allow the
sellers to take our cash and 20 to Europe
for goods that We should be able to
supply from our own manufactures.
That nothing practical has yet been done
to facilitate this exchange Of products is
evidenced by the fact that even the dele,
gates from the Argentine Republic were
compelled to come to New York by way
of Liverpool. The Spanish-American
delegates are nearly all in Washington
There are thirty-fve authorized repre-.
sentatives from South and Central
America with their secretaries and fami-
lies, and of these all have arrived and
reported except one from Chill and one
from Ecuador, who are expected before
the party starts on its tour through the
principal cities of the United States.
They are described as very bright
and interesting lot of people, and one
correspondent notes the fact that high
mass at Washington Catholic churches
was we'll attended Sunday, showing that
most of the delegates are Catholics.
Senior F. G. Perra, secretary of the
Spanish American Union, told repor-
ter Sunday that the proceedings of the
congress would probably be kept secret,
that being the usual custom.
The work of the convention will not
be binding on any of the countries re-
presented, as the results would have to
be submitted to the various congresses
for legislation, but the recommendations
from such representative body will ma
turally have great weight with the re-
spective governments, and there Is little
doubt that formal approval of the DELHI
erations will follow.
Mr.. Pierra said the delegates looked
forward with eager anticipation to their
trip of inspection throughout the United
States, which would be in the nature OF
instruction for most of them. They are
all representative men of intelligence,
we'll versed in political economy, and
they would IN his opinion be sure to APP
preciate the advantages of close trade re-
lations with a country whose industries
were properly exhibited, as he presum-
ed those of the United States would GER
tainly be.