Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-01
AN ADDRESS BY ROOT
At Special Meeting of the Pan
American Congress.
RIO De JANEIRO YESTERDAY
A Splendid Exploitation of the
Worlds Progress.
OPPORTUNITIES OF A NATION
Future of Republics and the Advan-
tages of Self-Government
Brought Out in Comparison.
OPPORTUNITIES OF A NATION

| Secretary Root and his party, accom-
! panied by members of the diplomatic corps
| went to Rio de Janeiro yesterday afternoon
| from Petropolis on a special train. He was
met by a large number of prominent per-
| sons, who went across the bay In three
ferry boats. Upon arriving in the city he
| drove to the Abrantes Palace, where tea
| was served.
| Mr.. Root had quiet dinner at home
and rested until half past o. when he left
the palace to attend the special meeting
| of the Pan-Americau congress, held in his
| honor.
The pavilion was surrounded by troops
and Thousands of students, who carried
torchlights. The streets leading to the pa
| vilion We're festooned with garlands of
| flowers and made brilliant with many
| amps.
| At 10 pm Senior Nabuco, the Brazilian
! ambassador to the United States, opened
| the session with an address, in which he
| praised the American Secretary. Mr.. Root
! replied as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: 1 beg you
| TO believe that highly appreciate and
| thank you for the honor you do me-
II bring from my own country a special
greeting to our older sisters in the civiliza-
| ton of America. Unlike as we are in
many respects. we are alike in this, that
we are all engaged under new conditions,
| free from traditional forms and limitations
| of the old world, in working out the same
| problems of popular sef-government. This
| is difficult and laboriouS task for each of
us. Not in one generation nor in one CEN
| fury the effective control of a superior
sovereign so long deemed necessary to gov
! eminent be rejected and effective self
! control by the governed perfected in It's
| place.
THE first fruits of democracy are. many
| of them, crude and unlovely. Mistakes
| many, partial failures are many, and sins
not q few The ran3citV for salt n
ment does not come to a by nature.
1t is an art TO be learned as we'll as an
expression of character to be developed
among the great number of men who exer-
else popular sovereignty.
"'ro reach that goal toward which we
are pressing forward. the governing of the
multitude, we must first acquire the knowl-
edge that comes from universal education,
the wisdom which follows practical expe-
rience, that personal independence and self
respect BETTING men who acknowledge no
| superior self-eontrol TO replace that ex-
ternal control which democracy rejects re-
| spect of the law, obedience to the lawful
| expressions of the public WILL consideration
! of the opinions and interests of others
! equally entitled to a voice in the state a
| loyalty to the abstract conceptions of ones
| country as inspiring as that loyalty of per-
| sonal sovereignty which has so ilumined
| the pages of history. the subordnat ton of
| personal interests to the public good and
| love of justice, mercy liberty and order
The Worlds Progress.
| IAN these we must seek by slow and pa
! tent effort. How many shortcomings there
| are In our own lands and among our own
| peoples each one OF US is conscious yet no
| student OF our times can fail to see that not
! America alone, but the whole civilized
world, is swinging away from the old gov
| ernmental moorings, and intrusting the
| fate of civilization to the capacity of the
popular mass TO govern; BY this pathway
mankind Is travelling whithersoever il leads
and upon the success OF this great under
taking the hope of humanity depends
Nor can we fall TO see that the world
Is making substantial progress toward more
perfect popular self-government l be-
lieve 1t TO be true, viewed against the
background of conditions century a gen
Grafton. even decade ago, that the gov
eminent of my own country has advanced
in the intelligent participation of the great
mass of the people, the fidelity with which
| they are represented, respect of the law
obedience to the dictates of sound morality
and in effectiveness and purity of admin
istration. Nowhere is this progress more
marked than In Latin America. Out of the
wreck of Indian fighting, race conflicts and
civil wars strong and stable governments
have arisen. Peaceful succession in ac-
cordance with the peoples will has replaced
the foreible seizure OF power permitted by
the peoples indifference. Loyalty to coun-
try its peace. dignity and honor have risen
above the partisanship of Individual lead
ers. The rule of law supersedes the rule
of man. Property IS respected the fruits
of enterprise are secure, individual liberty
is respected, continuous public policies are
followed and the national faith Is held sa-
cred This progress has not been equaled
everywhere, but there has been progress
everywhere. The movement is in the right
direction, and it is not exceptional
The Growth of Each Nation.
THE present affords just cause for sat-
isfaction. and the future is bright with
hope. Not by national isolation have these
results been accomplished nor is prog
ress so to be continued No nation can
! live unto itself alone and continue to live
The growth of each nation is part of the
development OF the race. The race may be
10 the leaders or 1t may be to the lag
| CARDS. but no nation can long continue the
EARNEST IN advance of the general prog
I ress OF mankind and no nation not doomed
10 extinction can remain the farthest be-
mind With nations. as with Individual men,
intercourse and association are the correc-
! ton of the egotist. This is a condition to
| growth In civilization. Peoples minds are
| not open to the lessons of the worlds prog
/ ress, whose spirit is not stirred by the as
struggling the world over for liberty and
| cation.
In the steady and benefieent advance 70
| promote this mutual interchange and as
\ sistance the American republics are en-
gagged In one great task inspired by the
same purpose and progressing on the same
| principles. i understand II to be the fune-
/ ton OF this conference that not one but
all of our countries shall benefit the other.
that there Is not one that cannot receive
benefits from the other; that there IS NOT
one that will not gain by the prosperity,
peace and happiness OF all
| According TO the program there is no
great no impressive single thing to be
done by you. No political questions are
! to be discussed: no controversies are to be
settled. and no judgment Is to be passed
upon the conduct OF any state, but MANY
subjects are to be considered which AFFORD
| the possibility of removing the barriers
| to intercourse and ascertaIning at COM
mon benefit. the advances that have been
| made by each nation IN knowledge expe-
rience, enterprise and the solution Of dim
| cult questions of government
| To Danish ALI Prejudices.
| you are to deal with the ethical stand.