The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 15. 1889. PAN-AMERICAN CONGRESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2281, 15 November 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 15. 1889. PAN-AMERICAN CONGRESS.

One of tho most interesting items of I tho last budget of news received by way of San Francisco ib that of the proposed j assembling, during the current month, at Washington, of a Pan-American Condress—thut is to say, a conference of the various nations of tho Amorican Continent. A preliminary meeting has indeed already taken place, having beon held on October 2, at which tho countries represented wero: — Tho Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Columbia, Coßta Xiica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Salvador, United States, Uruguay, and Vonczuela. Mr Blame, Secretary of State m the United States Government, was elected President of tho Conference, and m the course of a very able speech I alluded to the fact that the assemblage ho was addressing represented a territory of nearly 12.000,000 square mileß, and a population,ofapproximatoly,l2o,ooo ) ooo IHo expressed " the firm belief that the nations of America ought to bo moro helpful to each other Jthan they are, and that each will iind advantago and profit from enlarged intercourse with the ! others ; that these nations should bo drawn together more cloßely ; and that at no distant day the railway systems of the North and South will meet upon tho isthmus and connect by land routes the political and commercial capitals of all America. Ho believed that hearty co-operation based on hearty confidenco would save all the American States from the burdens nnd evils which havo so long and .bo cruelly afflictod the oldest nations the world. Ho believed that a spirit of justice and of common and equal interest between Americen States will leave no room for an artificial balance of power, like unto that which has led to wars abroad and drenohed Europe m blood. He believed friendship avowed with candour and maintained with good faith will remove from the American States tho necessity of guarding boundary lines between themselves with fortificatians and military forces. He believed that standing armies, beyond those which wore needed for public order and for the safety of internal administration, should be unknown on both American continents, and that friend-

ship, not foree — a spirit of just law, and not tho violence of tho mob — should be the recognised rule of administration between Americans and American nations." Theso sentiments aro very admirable, and this gathering together of the representatives of the various countries of tho great Western Continent cannot fail to have the effect of strengthening a feeling of amity towards eaoh other, and may lead indirectly to groat results. But as has boen observed by the leading English newspaper it is not very clear what is tho precise work which tho Conference to bo held this month is expected to do, or even what questions it is proposed to discuss. However, we shall goon be enlightened on that point, and if this groat gathering ends m talk and nothing more it cannot but be that the assembling together of the representative men of all these countries m poace and amity to compare their view and ideas on Mattero ni' intnrnational polity will bo productive of beneficial results.