Arizona republican., 1899-10-13
COMMERCIAL CONGRESS
Ope0ing of international Event Ali
 Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, Pa. Oct. 12.-Imposing ceremonies marked the opening this af- ternoon of the International Commer-
 cial congress. The exercises were held
 in the auditorium of the National Ex-
 port Exposition and consisted of ad-
 dresses of welcome by state and city
 officials and prominent representatives
 of the leading commercial bodies of
 America, with responses by delegates
 from all quarters of the world.
 More than 1000 delegates occupied
 seats in the great hall. which was
 bright with elaborate decorations in which the flags of all nations had a part. \ large party of foreign diplo- mats. with other distinguished guests from Washington, shared the seats on tho platform with the officials of the congress and representative citizens of Philadelphia and the state at large. Occupying seats in the auditorium were regularly accredited delegates from thirty-nine different countries whose respective governments selected them solely for their superior qualifi- cations in presenting the importance of closer trade relations with the United States.
 Enterprising native bankers from the distant shores of Japan sat side by side with merchant and manufacturing magnates from the great trade centers of Australasia and South Africa. In the section allotted to the European delegates were representatives of the commercial bodies of Paris, London, i Vienna, Budapest, Gothenburg, Basic, Brussels, Bruges, Nancy, Berlin, Ham burg, Wesel, Florence, Naples, Turin, Liverpool. Sheffield, Dundee, Aberdeen, Saville, Christiania and numerous other cities.
 The republics of South America, al- most without exception, were well rep resented. From the West Indies the largest number came from Jamaica, l though Trinidad, Bermuda and other i islands were represented From South Africa were representatives of the chambers of commerce of Johannes burg, Cape Town, Pietomaritzburg and ] Port Elizabeth. Forty delegates repre- | sented industrial Australia and New i Mexico had delegates from | Vera Cruz, Matamoras, Toluca, Guada- | aja1a and other cities. From China here were representative business men from Hong Kong, Shanghai Canton and Tientsin. The delegation from Canada and British America comprised delegates from Rossland, Victoria, St. Johns, Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, Brantford, Brockville, Hamilton and Kingston.
 The large and representative charac- CT of the gathering gives promise that he great results expected to be at aimed by the congress will be in a a1ge measure fulfilled. These results, ,riehy stated, are a clearer idea of the commercial needs of the people of diff erent cIinaes and lands, and the man
 er in which these wants can best be upplied. The two weeks sessions will e occupied by discussions of the -orld's trade by men most competent $ nd best informed upon the subjects .hich they will treat of On foreign -ade in general, the number of papers ( nd addresses will almost equal those r all other subjects combined. A sub sct of extreme importance is on the Z dvantages of a uniform classification commercial statistics, and the need f methods adopted through intelna- onaI conferences. The advantages of Q international parcels post will be ,nsidered at length, and especially as
 stimulus to American export trade. !, he inter-oceanic canal will receive 8 [ rge share of attention. f, Under the head of international F mixing and currency the fouow1ns 9 b5ects will be thoroughly discussed: T banking in it's relation Q