Okolona messenger., 1906-07-25

i S4AT IT, days. To students OF worlds hit
/ KEA MFA tory and to statesmen, politician
' EEI and captains Of commerce every
where in the civilized world thi
conference will be intensely interesting, but espeC
tally so to those of the United States. 1t marks th
beginning OF an effort along new lines by the gov
ernment OF this country to capture the countries
South Amerlca-industrially and socially. Instea
OF sending an army OF conquest, with guns and ban
ners breathing and defiance, or expedition will
consist chiefly of one man-Secretary OF State Elih
Root or Square Root as his college mates calle
| him. However, Mr.. Root is host in himself
Whether or not he deserves President Roosevelt
glowing encOmium-that he is the ablest mind tha
this or any other country has produced in this ger
eration-he is conceded to be splendid lawyer, a
organizer of the highest order OF executive ability
diplomat of the first water-and so an ideal re
preventative of the governments carefully laid pla
to disarm the long cherished preudices of the Span
lsh peoples of South America and to inspire ther
with feelings OF confidence and good will towards th
United States. Truly it is noble mission, skill
fully planned.
This Pan American conference will be the thir
of it's kind. The first was held in Washington il
1890 and amounted to little more than a soois
gathering OF diplomats representing the South an
Central American republics. This country stoo
aIoof com 9arativey speaking, and took no activ
interest in the affair. The second conference whic
was held ia the City of Mexico, in 1901, was
larger gathering and during its long session. lastin
several weeks many subjects of Importance weT
discussed and the foundations were laid patrotica
" and inlelligensly for more friendly relations b.
tween the interested countries.
This conference at Rio is much larger and
every respect more important than its predecessors
Twenty one countries OF South ana Central Amer
ca, including Cuba, have sent strong delegation
composed OF their best men, public officials. law
vers, business men and scholars and the Unite
hoo a Qh
delegation, headed by Chairman w.
Buchanan, exminister to Argentina an
Panama, aud very popular in South Ameri
ca on account OF the tact and ability he dis
played arbitrator in setting the long dispute be
tween Chile and Argentina. The other American
delegates Professor L. s. Rowe, OF the Universi
ty Of Pennsylvania; Tnlio Lsrrinaga commissions
from Porto Rico to the United States congress- Val
Leer Polk, of Nashville, Tenn; Andrew J. MOnta
que, former governor of Virginia, and PrOfessO
Pau s. Reinsch, Of the University of Wisconsin
These are strong men, learned in law and trade
and their knowledge Of the Spanish language vii
be very valuable in bringing them into closer tOucl
with the South American delegates.
| The business Of the conference will include four
tee0 subjects, ranging from international law and
arbitration OF disputes, the future policy OF th
hemisphere, to trade questions and closer and more
rapid communications between the various conn
tries. This leads mp to the idea of Pan-AmericaE
down to the toe Of Chile, passing through amOs
every country this continent. This railroad hal
been for years project of some Of the Latin cOun
tries and ways and means will be discussed at thC
conference to build.it.
But while the conference will undoubtedly bC
fruitful Of good things for the United States and al
the nations concerned our chief interest will be il
Mr.. Roots mission Of good will. Can he capture
the suspicious 6paniardsi It anybody can he car
but it is tremendous task even for q man Of hil
special qualifications. The people Of South Amer
lea have hated the Americana for generations. They
have hearty dislike and contempt for us socially
and they fear ns politically. They are pnncti
iOus people, attaching an exaggerated Importance
TO matters OF dress and etiquette and they look
down on the plain, blunt ways and speech OF Amer
leans. Moreover, they believe that the United
States coVets their territory and is only hiding itE
time to swoop dalAs. and take 1t. This fear hal
been greatly inte 81 since the revolution al
Panama, which wa : 5zed BON bS. The Sopth Amer
lean demagogues and, indeed, the sIN aatic re.
presentatives Of European countries Which now
have the lions share OF South American trade, az
proof OF the sinister designs and unscrupuOus char
acter OF the United States government.
Secretary Roots special object In attending the
conference is to remove these fears and suspicious
from the minds Of the Latins and to give them
hearty official assurances OF our governments un.
selfish friendship and altruistic attitude to
wards them. To this end, after the conference il
over be will visit every cOnntry the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts and will wind up his journey in the
Central American states in October.
This il the 6rst time that q United States either
Of high standing has visited the Latin republics and
Che Importance Of the step is evidenced by the iac