, 1889-10-03
THE TIE THAT BINDS.
American Nations Coming More
Closely Together.
Identical Interests Bring About
Community Of Feeling.
Secretary Blaine Addresses the
South American Delegates.
The North and South Americas.

ht lNoElh anu soutn aulCIaCds.
WAsuINGToN. Oct. 1.-The delegates
to the international American conference
were entertained at luncheon by the presi-
dent to day. Secretary Blaine spoke to
them as follows:
Gentlemen of the international Ameri
can conference:.Speaking for the govern
ment of the United States | bid you
welcome to this capital. Speaking for the
people of the United States l BID you
welcome to every section and to every state
in the Union. You coine in response to
an invitation extended by the president
on special authorization OF congress.
Your presence here is no ordinary event.
1t signifies much to the people of
America to-day; 1t may signify far more
In the days To come. 1t is the first con-
ference OF nations ever assembled tn con-
slider the welfare of territorial possessions
SO vest aud TO contemplate possibilities of
the future SO great and SO inspiring.
Those now sitting within these walls are
empowered to speak for nations whose
borders are on both great oceans; whose
northern limits are touched by the Arctic
waters for thousands of miles beyond
the straits of Behring; whose southern
extension furnishes human habitations
farther below the ecuador than is else
where possible on the globe.
While considerations of this character
must inspire Americans, both South and
North, with the liveliest anticipations OF
future grandeur and power, they must
also impress them with a sense of the
gravest responsibility touching the char
acter and development of their respective
n~stionalities. The delegates whom | am
addressing can do much to establish per-
manent relations of confidence, respect
and friendship between The nations which
they represent.
They can show to the world an hon
orable, peaceful conference of seventeen
Independent American powers which all
shall meet together on terms OF absolute
equality; a conference in which there can
be no attempt to coerce a single delegate
against his own conception of the interests
of his nation; a conference which will
permit no secret understanding on any
subject but will frankly publish to the
world all of its conclusions, a conference
which will tolerate no spirit OF conflict.
but will aim TO cultivate an
American sympathy as broad as both
continents, a conference which will form
no selfish alliance against the older ma
tons from which we are proud to claim
an inheritance, a conference In fine which
will see nothing, propose nothing, endure
nothing hat is not IN the general sense
of all the delegates timely and wise ard
peaceful.
And yet we cannot be expected to for
get that our common tate has made us in
habitants OF Two continents which at the
close of -four centuries are still regarded
beyond the seas as the new world. Like
situations bcget like sympathies and i'm
pose like duties. We meet In the firm
belief that the nations of America ought
to and can be more helpful to each other
than they now are and that each will find
advantage and profit from an enlarged in-
tercourse with the others.
1--WE believe we should be drawn to-
gether more closely by the highways Of the
sea and hal at no distant day the railway
systems of North and South will meet
upou the isthmus and connect by land
routes the political and commercial CAPT.
tails of all America. We believe a hearty
reception based on hearty confidence will
save all American states from the burdens
and evils which have long and cruelty at
tected the older nations of the world.
We believe the spirit of Justice, Of COM
mon n equal interest between American
states leave no room for an artificial bal
ance Of power like unto that which has
led to wars abroad and drenched Europe
in blood"
At the conclusion of his speech Mr..
Blaine withdrew.
Resolutions were adopted naming Blaine
for president of the congress. A number
of committees were appointed and the
congress adjourned until Monday, Nov.
16. Blaine then escorted the members to
the white house, where the president gave
a special reception to the delegates at go,
one of the features of which was an infor-
NAL lunch served in the state dining room
at 2. The reception took place in the
blue parlor The members we're presented
by MIR. Blaine first to President II ~trrison,
then to Mrs. Harrison and thou to the
members of the cabinet. After social in
%terchange the party repaired to the diaing
room and partook of lunch. The center
piece of the table was a large floral repre-
sentation of the western hemisphere.
South American dishes and South Ameri