The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-05-14
Secretary Of State Makes a
Ringing Address in Favor of
Peace on Continent.
PEACE BETTER THAN WAR
And the Spirit is Really the All,
Rather Than the Matter
Between Nations.


WASHINGTON. ID. c., May III
Secretary of state Elihu Root spoke
as follows at the laying of the corner
stone of the Temple of Peace this af-
ternoon:
MIR. President and Gentlemen:
1--WE are here to lay the corner
stone of the building which is to be
the home Of the International Union
of American Republics.
THE wise liberality of the Congress
of the United States has provided the
means for the purchase Of this tract
of land-five acres in extent-ncar
the White House and the great Ex-
ecutivc Departments. bounded on ev.
cry side by public streets and facing
to the east and south upon the public
parks which 1t will alkays be tho
care of the national government to
render more beautiful in execution Of
Its design to make the national cap
ital an object of national pride and a
sourceof that pleasure which comes
to rich and poor alike from the ed
ucation of taste.
The public spirit and enthusiasm
for the good of humanity which have
inspired an American citizen, Mr..
Andrew Carnegie, in his administra-
ton of a great fortune have led him
to devote the adequate and ample
sum of three-quarters of million
dollars to the construction OF the
building.
and fitting of the edificc will go the
contributions of every American Re
public. already pledged and, in a
great measure already paid into the
fund of the Union.
tThe International Union for which
the building Is erected Is voluntary
association. the members of which
arc all the American nations from
Cape Horn to the Great Lakes. 1t
had its origin in the first Pan-Ameri-
can conference held in Washington in
1889, and it has been developed ana
improved in efficiency under the res
olution of the succeeding conferences
In Mexico and Brazil. Its primary
object is. to break down the barriers
of mutual ignorance between the ma
lions of America by collecting and
making accessible, furnishing and
spreading. information about every
country among the people of every
other country in the Union. to facill-
ate and stimulate intercourse, trade
acquaintance, good understanding,
fellowship and sympathy. For this
purpose 1t has established in Wash
ington bureau or Office under the
direction OF governing board COM
posed of the official representatives In
Washington of all the Republics, and
having director and secretary, with
force of assistants and translators
and clerks.
The Bureau has established n rap
idly increasing library of history,
travel. description, statistics, and lit
erature of the American nations. It
publishes a monthly bulletin of cur
rent public events and existing condi-
tons in all the united countries which
Is circulated in every country. I'll
carries on an enormous correspond
ence with every part of both CONT
nents, answering, the questions of
seekers for information about the
laws, customs, conditions. opportuni-
countries; and 1t has become med
ium of Introduction and guidance for
international intercourse.
The Governing Board is also per-
manent committee charged with the
duty of seeing that the resolutions of
each Pan-American Conference are
carried out and that suitable prepara-
ton Is made for the next succeeding
conference.
The increasing work of the bureau
has greatly outgrown the facilities of |
its cramped quarters on Pennsylvania
avenue, and now at the close OF It's
second decade and under the influence
of the great movement of awakened
sympathy between the American Re-
the Union stands upon the |
threshold of more ample opportunity |
for the prosecution of It's beneficent |
activity.
Many noble and beautiful public
record the achievements and
Illustrate the impulses of modern civ
ilization. Temples of religion. of
of learning, of art, of JUS
tice aboun, but this structure will
stand alone, the first OF its kind
friendship. 1t will be devoted to
the diffusion of that international
which dispels national pre-
JUDGE and liberalizes national judy
mcnt. Here will be fostered the
growth of that sympathy born of sim
ilarity in good impulses and noble
which draws men of diner
emit races and countries together into
a community Of nations. and counter
acts the tendency of selfish instincts