TIES THAT BIND THE AMERICAS AN ADDRESS DELIVERED IN RESPONSE TO THE ADDRESS OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARGENTINA AT THE FAREWELL DINNER GIVEN THE DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL HIGH COMMISSION BY THE ARGENTINE GOVERN MENT AT THE CAPITOL IN BUENOS AIRES, ON APRIL 12, 1916 By HON. DUNCAN U. FLETCHER UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM FLORIDA PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CONGRESS PRESENTED BY MR. STONE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1916 TIES THAT BIND THE AMERICAS. ADDRESS BY HON. DUNCAN U. FLETCHER, President of the Southern Commercial Congress, IN RESPONSE TO THE ADDRESS OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARGENTINA AT THE FAREWELL DINNER GIVEN THE DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL HIGH COMMISSION BY THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT AT THE CAPITOL IN BUENOS AIRES, APRIL 12, 1916. MR. PRESIDENT, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, AND GENTLEMEN: In responding for the delegations, who have bestowed on me the honor involved in that task, to the splendid address just heard, I shall not venture on a discussion of Pan Americanism, because I could not add to the statesmanlike analysis given us in the eloquent words of his excellency the minister. We have reason to believe that Pan Americanism, and what the minister well calls "international fraternity," have now assumed definite and practical shape. This conference has resulted in the focusing of thought upon certain phases of international questions and clarifying them. What has obtained in the field of sentiment has found expression in the exercise of will. What has rested in conviction has come forth in action. The Argentine Government, in accordance with the progressive spirit of its people and the recognized wisdom and patriotism of its statesmen, have rendered a distinct service in the highest public interest to all the Americas, and this has been done with such hearty cordiality, under such efficient direction and with such liberality and thoroughness, as marks a new elevation in the forward march of this proud Republic. We shall leave you, Mr. Minister, with regret, and we can never forget the pleasures you have mingled with our work, nor the delightful friendships formed, nor the favorable impressions received of your great country and its more than beautiful capital city. While the distance between many of us has been a barrier in the past and measured by miles would seem a hindrance to that close relation we desire, when we consider the development of science and skill in these recent years, we realize that space is being annihilated, the oceans are becoming lakes, cables steal out from every shore, and the very air has become a whispering gallery as it belts the earth. The various means of communication, responding to the enterprise of man, under modern conditions, are bringing us closer together day by day. The world is being compressed by economic forces, so that no event of importance can happen anywhere without showing its effects in other portions. 50394-16 3 Pardon this personal allusion, for illustration: On this, my first visit to your country, I find friends located here whom I knew in Florida 20 years ago. The first street sign I read after registering at the hotel was "Florida," and I proceeded to stroll the entire length of that beautiful and popular thoroughfare, reading the name at every corner until the sunshine, flowers, and contentment of my beloved State seemed to fill me with a perfect sense of home. The Southern Commercial Congress has for some years circulated in the United States literature of the most trustworthy and informing character pointing out the many advantages and opportunities afforded in the Republics south of us. It is a great privilege to be able now to reenforce the information already in hand by that which comes from personal contact and from data obtained on the ground. Especially gratifying it will be to report that while what we have heretofore believed and said is true, it was not the whole story; that personal acquaintance this meeting has given the opportunity of forming, association in the work of this International High Commission with the distinguished representatives of the various Republics, uniformly gracious, undeniably able and patriotic, eminent in their respective spheres, and devoted to the best conceptions of organized government as the supreme agency of civilization, have given a clearer vision and a broader view of actual conditions in all the sister Republics. The individual touch, the seeing and knowing at first hand, not only emphasizes previous impressions but increases the admiration. heretofore felt for the people and adds to the estimate entertained of the abounding material resources of those countries and likewise confirms the confidence we have hitherto felt in the possibilities the future holds in store for Latin America. Permit me to observe, for the purpose of making the point regarding publicity, that there is a clearer understanding in the United States of the conditions in Latin America than there is in Latin America of the conditions in the United States. One reason for that is our newspapers, those great engines for the dissemination of information, powerful forces in molding public opinion, constant means of education, here and there, carry more extensive news regarding Latin American countries than do the same agencies in Latin America regarding the United States. Your press, it seems to me, no doubt quite naturally, everything considered, gives your people much more news regarding Europe than it does concerning the United States. It is news of a much more important character from the standpoint of publicity. I would like to be allowed to express the hope that the press of Latin America direct attention to North America and instead of printing only the extraordinary, sensational occurrences, which make a wrong impression, tell of the sentiments, the achievements. the forward moving events which indicate the correct endeavors and ideals of your neighbor to the North. Notwithstanding your historic beginning, Mr. Minister, your extraordinary and permanent development, as you know, is of recent date, measured by the life of nations. I tell you no new thing when I observe that what you have accomplished is deserving of the praise of mankind. Yet I venture to believe you have simply scratched the surface of your resources. Blessed by every variety of climate and soil, with inexhaustible natural resources of every character, extensive coast line and navigable waters, your population will increase many times, and the internal improvements, such as good roads, means of communication, upbuilding of rural conditions, will inevitably advance, and a brave and enterprising citizenship will work out a destiny beyond your fondest anticipations, worthy the hopes of the mighty men you have mentioned. A nation which produces the prime necessities of life which other nations must have is in a position of supreme power. Apply this truth to your conditions here in Argentina, for instance, and see where it leads. The only economic problem practically left is to reach the world's market places. As an economic question the solution of that great problem, the problem of distribution, is one in which we all, severally and collectively, are deeply concerned. These rich, undeveloped acres about you, the mountain regions with their wealth of buried sunlight and mineral treasure, the ready-made sites for waterpower development where hydroelectric energy can be cheaply generated and transmitted hundreds of miles and made to serve domestic use and industry, are but a few of the advantages which readily occur to the casual observer. The true leadership of the future will be commercial and economical, including agricultural and industrial. The sturdy descendants of the daring pioneers who marked out the routes of trade running east and west will now shift those lines to north and south. Old commercial ties have been severed and new ones are forming. The hour has arrived for extending and cementing those ties upon terms of equality and honor. In order to your full development many of your valuable products must find foreign markets. We in the other American Republics have a growing surplus of manufactured commodities and of products of fields and mines. It is so simple I hesitate to mention that if we can pay for each other's products with our own, it is a sensible thing to do on the part of all. That is trade, and if the settling of differences can be made in dollars and fractions thereof, this trade will be facilitated. To establish and extend that trade to its full limits there must be adequate means of transportation. It stands to reason such means should be under our own control. With only inadequate means, or with uncertain and antagonistic means, commerce between us must halt and limp. The great statesmen of another country have said—that country's rule is that country's trade that empire is commerce. It is quite true that the ancient characteristic of commerce has disappeared and instead of aggression, commerce has come to mean the promotion of peace. We should favor the agencies of peace, even for the narrow, selfish reason that peace lasts longer than war. What we require then, and I need not press it after the views expressed in the sessions of the International High Commission, is a permanent moving bridge between the countries of Pan America-that is, vessels sufficient to properly take care of our overseas trade. With peoples who truly love liberty under law and who have learned how to set the human spirit free there ought to be full comprehension concerning each other and between them a pervading good will and over all good faith and confidence. Whatever obstacles may |