The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-05-16
BEGIN PEACE TEMPLE
CORNERSTONE LAID FOR INTER
NATIONAL HOUSE OF AMER
IcAN NATIONS.

i uted Large Pertion-WiII Be Main
tanned by the Twenty-one American
RepubIies-President and Others
Make Addresses.
Washington, May 12.-In the pres
ence Of the president of the United
States and of representatives of every
other American republic, as well as all
branches of the national government
and of the state governments, the cor
nerstone Of the proposed new home of
the International Bureau of American
Republics was laid yesterday. Ad-
dresses fitting to the occasion and ex-
pressing the great benefits to be de-
rived from the formation of the Blu
reau of American Republics in many
ways were made by President Theo-
dore Roosevelt, Secretary Of State
Elihu Root, Senior Joaquin Nabuco, the
Brazilian ambassador, and Andrew
Carnegie, while messages of congrat-
ulatiOns and wishes for success in the
work about to be undertaken were
read from presidents of nearly all the
American republics.
A very large audience listened to
the speeches and witnessed the lay
ing of the cornerstone. The invited
guests, in addition to those actively
participating in the exercises, were
Vice-President Charles w. Fairbanks,
members of the cabinet, the diplomat
ic corps, both houses of congress, the
governors of the states and prominent
citizens of Washington and elsewhere.
Music for the occasion was furnished
by the Marine band, while the decora-
tipns for the grandstands and smaller
stands erected to accommodate the
guests were made up largely-o of the
flags of the twenty-one American re-
publics.
Barrett Opens Proceedings.
Director John Barrett, of the Inter
national Bureau of American Repub-
lies, in very brief talk in which he
referred to the great assistance given
by Secretary Root toward the accom-
plishment of the work and His effort
in behalf of the advance of the bu-
reau's work, introduced the secretary
of state, who is chairman of the gov
erning board of the bureau, as the pre-
siding officer.
Cardinal Gibbons delivered the in
vocation, which was followed in turn
by an address by Root, the reading of
congratulatory messages from Amer
lean presidents and addresses by
President Roosevelt, Ambassador Ma
buco and Andrew Carnegie. Ceremo-
MES incident to the laying of the cor
nerstone closed the exercises. In
scribed on the cornerstone are the fol.
lowing words:
Building of the American Repub-
lies. Erected through the public spir-
tied gift of Andrew Carnegie and the
contributions Of all the republics upon
land provided by the government Of
the United States, May II, 19O8.''
The imposing international build
ing will stand on an attractive site
covering about five acres, to the south
of and in close proximity to the White
House, the state, war and navy depart
ment buildings. the Corcoran Art Gal
lery and that of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. 1t is also near
the Washington monument. The d.
mansions of the building will be ap-
proximately 16Oxt68 feet, its main por-
ton standing two stories above high
studded basement and being In turn
surmounted by dignified balustrades.
The rear portion, in order to cover a
capacious assembly hall, will rise still
higher.
Architecture Of Building.
The general architecture will sug-
gest Latin-Amerlcan treatment out of
respect to the fact that twenty Of the
tweny4one republics are of Lain origin,
at the same time possessing such mon
umental characteristics as will make
1t harmonize with the general scheme
for the Improvement of Washington.
A large reading room will be feat
ure, where can be seen all the South
as well as North American publica-
lions, besides important historical
data. A beautiful assembly chamber
that, for present purposes, may be
called the hall of the American ambas-
sadors, will provide the only room of
It's kind in the United States. especial
" designed for international conven-
lions, receptions to distinguished for
eigners, and for diplomatic and social
events OF q kindred. nature.
The bureau Is strictly an interna-
tional and independent organization
maintained by the joint contributions,
based on population, of the twenty one
American governments. .
Nearly $1,000,000 will be spent in
construction and fitting up the build
49, ~ xuI;oks AnArow IA rnoCio r0u.