Brookings County sentinel. (Brookings, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1890, 1890-05-23
NTER-COLONIAl ROAD,
Secretary Blaine Urges the Ap.
preparation for a FreIim-
inary Survey.
President Harrison Heartily
Seconds the Scheme-Some
of It's Advantages.
Joe Manley Says Blaine Would Like
to Be Senator Again-Matters
in Washington.

WASHINGTON, May 20.-The president
has sent to the senate and house copy
of a letter Of the secretary of state trans.
mitting the proposition adopted by the
Pan American congress for an inter.
colonial railway. The letter of the sec.
retary is as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, D. c. May 12, 1890.
To the President:
have the honor to submit herewith q
plan for preliminary survey for a rail.
way line to connect the great CONNER.
cial cities of the American hemisphere.
No more important recommendation has
come from the International American
conference, and earnestly commend ii
to your attention, with full confidence
that prompt action will be taken by con.
gress to enable this government to par.
ticipate in the promotion of the enter.
prise. The resolutions of the conference
are accompanied by special reports con.
cerning the transportation facilities that
already exist in the several American
republics. These reports comprise all
the information that could be gathered
upon this important subject, and will be
found both interesting and authentic.
Under the generous and progressive
policy of President Diaz, the railways OF
Mexico have been extended southwark
as well as northward, and toward the
tine syetem has been equally rapid
Lines of track now reach from Buenot
Ayres to the northern cities of that re.
public, and nearly to the Bolivian boun.
dairy. Chill has profitable system OF
railroads from the mountains to the Pa
cific ocean. and the completion of the
tunnel that Is now being pierced through
the Cordilleras will bring Valparaiso
within two days travel of Buenos
Ayres. In the other republics similar
enterprise has been shown. Each has its
local lines of railways and to connect
them all and furnish the people of the
Southern continent the means of con.
venient and comfortable intercourse
with their neighbors north of the 18th.
mus is an undertaking worthy the ell
couragement and cooperation of this
government In no other way could the
government and the people of the United
States contribute so much to the devel.
opment and prosperity of our sister re.
publics. and at the same time to the ex.
pansion of our own commerce.
A very important feature of the report
to which especially direct Your atten-
ton, will, be found in the international
declaration that the line of the proposed
railway shall be forever neutral terri
tory; that the material necessary for the
construction and operation of the road
shall be admitted free of customs dues:
and that it's property and revenue shall
be always exempt from all forms of tax
alton This guarantee having all the
force of treaty will stimulate private
and public confidence. and then lead to
the investment of capital that might
otherwise be reluctant and distrustful
1t is proposed that survey to ascer-
tain the best and most economical routes
be made under the direction of an inter-
national commission. and that the ex-
pense be shared by the several nations
of the hemisphere. in proportion to their
respective populations. The share of
the United States is estimated to be $65,
600, and / would respectfully suggest
the propriety of securing from congress
an appropriation for that purpose.
The headquarters of the commission
by vote of the international conference
will be located in Washington, and it is
proposed to invite the commissioners to
meet here on the 1st of October next or
as soon thereafter as practicable. for the
purpose of organization, and initiating
the work of the survey. Respectfully
submitted, JAMES u. BLAINE,
Secretary of State.
In his letter of transmission. the presi-
dent says:
Public attention has been chiefly at
tracted to the subject of improved water
communication between the ports of the
United States and those of Central and
South America The creation of new
and improved steamship lines undoubt-
edly furnish the readiest means of de-
veloping an increased trade with the
Latin American nations. But it should
not be forgotten that it is possible to
travel by land from Washington to the
southermost capital of South America,
and that the opening of railroad commu-
nication with these friendly states will
give to them and to us facilities for in
tercourse and the exchange OF trade that
are of special value. The work contem-
plated is vast but entirely nracticable