Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
MR., CARNEG|E'S GIFT
Possibilities of the Bureau OF
American Republics.
MAY BE MADE MORE USEFUL
Medium for Exchanging Ideas and
Opinions.
TRADE MIGHT BE INCREASED
Short-Sightedness of the Imposition of
the Head Tax on Foreigners
Coming From Mexico.
TRADE MIGHT BE INCREASED
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The munificence of Andrew Carnegie in
Offering three-quarters of million dollars
to pay for the erection of a permanent
building for the bureau of American repub-
lies has directed public attention to that in
stitution, which is capable of much greater
usefulness than it has ever shown. Mr..
Carnegie feels a personal interest in it be-
cause he was present and assisted at its
birth. 1t originated at the first nternation-
al American conference in 1889 of which he
was a member, and was suggested by a
curious circumstance. When the delegates
from sixteen American nations arrived in
Washington to attend that conference they
were treated to the most remarkable rail-
way excursion ever known. train Of five
Pullman cars was provided for them and
carried them upon a journey of 5000 miles
for nine weeks at a cost for the government
of the United States of more than 100000
The expense would have been much great
er but for the hospitality offered them by
the citizens of the places they visited. Ihey
went as far east as Portland, Me-, as far
west as Omaha and as far south as Louis
vile, and saw pretty much everything there
is to see within those limits, Social COM
mercial, industrial and educational. They
were entertained in a most sumptuous man.
ner everywhere and met thousands of the
best men and women in this country. They
saw our most celebrated universities, the
greatest industrial establishments In the
world; they visited Niagara Falls and
Mammoth Cave, West Point and Annapolis
and every other spot of peculiar interest
but, what impressed them most was the
ignorance of the people of the United States
concerning the countries they came from
Their children know all about the United
States; their newspapers have correspond
ents in our great cities and their magazines
are continually filled with articles descrip-
tive of our customs and conditions; hence
they were naturally astonished that so little
was known among the educated people OF
La Grande Republica. as they call ouI
country, about their affairs and progress
and civilization.
The climax occurred at a banquet given
in their honor in Washington, where q
justice Of the United States Supreme
Court sat at the table between Carlos Mar
tinez Silva Of Colombia and Judge Alfonso,
chief justice of the supreme court of Chile.
These two gentlemen were among the most
distinguished of the delegates; they were
eminent all over the southern continent for
their ability and their learning, and were
as familiar with the affairs of the United
States and European nations as they were
with their own. Several times during the
course of the evening they were shocked
by the ignorance of their distingu ished
neighbor concerning Central and South
America. and finally, when he asked DR..
Silva what language was spoken in his
country, he was too much overcome to
reply. The same question was asked OF
Judge Alfonso, who quietly answered that
his fellow-ctizens spoke the Spanish
language.
Bureau of Information Suggested.
The next morning these delegates related
their experience to their colleagues, and
described their amazement, and DR.. Silva
ference should be to organize bureau OF
information to educate the justices of the
Supreme Bench of the United States and
other ignorant Americans concerning the
geography of the hemisphere. The sug-
gestion was heartily approved, and after
the usual formalities a resolution was
passed recommending the establishment OF
what is known as the bureau of Ameri-
can republics. Each of the American ma
lions pays Its share of the expense of main
tenance, according to Its population. and
the primary purpose is to keep our people
informed of the resources. the commerce
and the history of our nearest neighbors.
Thus far it has occupied a rented build
ing. Shortly after its establishment.
through the influence of Mr.. Blaine. both
houses of Congress appropriated half a
million dollars for the erection Of a suit
able building, but Mr.. Holman Of Indiana,
who bitterly opposed the project, played
one Of his familiar tricks and ran his pen
enrolling clerk. so that the provision did
not appear in the law as approved by the
President. Various legislation has since
been directed to the same end, and as Sec
rotary Root stated in his letter to Mr..
Carnegie the other day, there is already
available for the erection of building an
appropriation of more than quarter of a
million dollars, which, added to Mr.. Car
negie'S gift, makes the sum available more
than a million dollars.
1t is very desirable there should be a
permanent building for the bureau-a COM
mon home for all the citizens of all the
American republics and source of in
formation available to every one who feels
an interest in their welfare. One of the
most important functions of the institution
is to promote acquaintance and good will
among the citizens of the different Amer
lean republics, and that can readily be
done by encouraging them to use the bu-
reau as a medium of communication as an
agency for advertising and for exchanging
ideas and opinions. That feature has never
been developed, but Is capable of great
possibilities.