The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
MI. HELPEB's INTER ooNTIHBNrAp
RAILWAY.
He Expects IL TO ne Ruuning from Canada
to Patagonia In Six Yearo.

vop Extraordinary and Minister PientpotsnttarS
for the Kingdom ~ Spain
DISTINGUISHED Sin. Tho bravest and wiscst
and best man with whom 1 have ever been
nersonnlly acquainted, Abraham Lincoln, had
tho habit OF prefacing many of his more oracu-
lar utterances by tho statement of q few
simple and analogous facts, 8. skilfully woven
together. and so admirably adapted tn the In
Simultaneous and comnleto comprehension of
lis auditor or auditors. that what he said never
failed TO serve as n perfect Introduction to the
larger and more momontous matters which he
would then evolve from his massive and mag
unanimous mind. q
In a vcry..fechle and imperfect manner. In
ovitably so because OF the sad md obvious I'M
ferlority of. my own intellect. / will here imi-
tate the EXAMPLE OF tho long. headed and
stout. hearted patriot who was. in my humble
Judgment. next to Thomas Jefferson, Americas
most profound and illustriors statesman, who
died four years before l was born. ."
This being the 30th day OF November. 1900,
which Is one of my most welcome aud delight
full anniversaries, I am WILDLY impressed with
the fact that 1t ls just thirty years TO day since
| conceived, under somewhate extraordinary cir
substances. the idea of an intor-continentnl
railway throuch the three Americas, from
BehrinC Strait to the Strait of Magellan: whinh,
when built. Is, l feel confident. destined to be-
GENE n mutually beneficial and ever-enduring
highway OF all our leading New World nations.
an indcstructible and necessarily advantage
GUS interlink between all the mainland repub-
lies OF our Western hemisphere.
As n conservatpr ana promoted OF general
peace and prosperity and progress. this MATCH
less measure of INSTRUMENTATION with all
the peoples Of two vast continents, and the
large and elongated isthmus that connects them
AN astoEishinRly extensive isthmus of such
unrtvallcd magnitude, considered In It's en-
tirety. that il has long been mapped and de-
scribcd by Geogrnphers ~ n third America
will doubtless serve with increasing activity
and power and betterment to the end Of time.
AS already Indicated, my conception Of the
unequallcd enterprise here mentioned occurred
on the 3oth A. OF November. 1868. / was then
at sea. an extremely rough sea that brought
nausea. on my way back to New York from
Buenos Ayres, the elegant and superb capi-
tai OF the Argentine Republic: where. for q
period of more than four years. I had been the
American Consul, and whore | had the happi-
ness 10 find the estimable and excellent lady
who afterward became my vito. and whose
maternal GRANDPA Their was the last Royal Treas
urer for Soain In the River Plate countries.
Ninety-eight-days had becn.occupieIs by the
ship that took me from New York to Bucnos
Ayres in tho early part Of 1862. and in the
course OF my return. when only a few hundred
miles north OF Montevideo. | became very
deeply concerned in cClIecturing and wonder
Ing how many more days. or less days. would
be unavoidabiy consumed III completing my
homeward voyage: remembering az | did that
several vessels. in consequence of Gains aud
storms and kelp and lnisnavtEation. and other
irregular and unusual distractions and adj
vc:sc influences. had required and u'ed moro
than 100 DAYS in finishing their purrosed pas
saccs Eetween the iwn ports her" designated.
From that day 10 this, day and night, my
mind %hasshcen rorc absolutely engrossed with
That gigantic proic"t than with all other CALI
irgs confined. During the. first fifteen years
| worried as-ltuOGsiy but unavai!laCiy with
indiv! iuals. from no one OF whom, however.
could ] obtain any Cooperate or encourage
ment whntcvsr: they all believing or seeming
to believe. that the scheme was impracticable.
Just as. tor many wears. the stolidly iucredu-
lous contemporaries of Columbus. when not
absorbed in the, solemn services and bloody
rites OF the Ir0uisition. iokod and iecred him
o"caus" of what. in their own pitinbie short
siEhtedness and self,Suh,ciency. they were
pTclnsterofis propositions.
liter srsnainG a. Of his own resources sour in
p~ensable cooperation. heart-sick and impov;
erishcd Columbus. shoeless and footsore and
t t..r6Sah avn, Har f"ns Counties nae Of Of i!an'p o ssior sn is
was at last his good fortune To meet the noble
SPANS most brilliant and precious jewels in
the history OF human affairs.
Later, in II manner compelled TO turn my back
aunins, all individuals. be,ook myself to
,.overnmcn S: beginning almost simultaneous
Rcproiic. and ever since then. thanks to tie
enlightened and progressive tat-smanship of
the age, ! have had Gradual and fratityins and
li,ninarv surveys and other essential labors
p-snars,ory w TO sp nro[ 1 obIx Isad p ,o sn arrl IN s ,hs
betting accomplishment OF the colossal rn-
dertakinS; The T~oVsinments OF G3rth ana
Indirectly at my own instance. from time TO
time already expended a sum total OF about
$3.50, 900. not so much as ono cent of which,
however. has ever found. or ever will find. It's
way into either of nv nwn h. nds or into any
one of my own pockets.
Before the close OF the coming session of
our Congress at Washington, or very soon az
nHHrup I n"D nE1tra by yhn Hon Taa-
sltt. President of the lntcrcont!nental Railway
Commission, official and fa"orable reports will
proper concert OF action can promptly be had
among all the republics which are especially in
ter@steG in facilitating the s~peediest possible con-
strUction of the projected road. il may be COM
pIeted and In actual oucration all the way be-
tween Canada and Patagonia within the next
six or seven years, for with thousands. and per-
haps tens OF thousands of nble-bodied and we'll
paid and enthusiastic laborers earnestly ut
work or many sections OF the line at the same
time. the apparently formidable endeayor will
in really SoUn become II genial task or easy ana
glorious ~copsummation
Within three months after the completion
II the Three Americas halfway. or that parttc-
ular %portion Of it hc.e but too inadeauately
outlined. 1t will not only be, possible but quite
essary. at least II million of voluntary end val
idnt soldiers On the northern coast OF South
America. another million or more on the east
ern coast OF Central America. and two mil.
los. more or less, on tho southern coast or
North America, not in any sort OF antaGonism
friendly and fraternal ,wishc.. and, overtures
TO fight toeether. shoulder tc shoulder, and TO
FIGHT TO the finish. in any jus. and patriotic
cause thai may summon thcm 10 n L anly and
naval and military eXertion OF their combined
and Irresistible vnlOr.
Whether the graceful and lovely and cour-
aGeous and unconGueraoIc island ~ Cuba 81 All
achieve her well-mcrited indepcndence prior
to the completion OF the Three Americas Rail-
way is as yet an unsolved problem, but fapil-
lar ms | am wit. the highly commendnhle tenn
per and disposit ON OF all the Spantsh-Amert-
eau republics. as also with the concurrent
temper and disposition of the | nited States,
l venture 10 predict that Gre the lapse ~ ono
year from the opening Of railway communities
tion between BuenoS Ayres and New York. OPP
pressed and dOwntroddcn Cuba VIII, with the
mighty and overwhelming aid OF her coGtinen-
tai and numerous and inyinCible allies. arise
in her righteous indignation and wrath, ahd
cast aside forever the: unspeaSably CALLING
and degrading yoke which has been SO insen:
safely forced up0n her by the crafty and cruel
and tyranuical monarchy of Spain.
Meanwhile any real or so.catlel triumph OF
the Spanish army In Cuba will. in tho very
nnInrn ~ fhlnrs. rertn'nlY provo to DO only