RBPORT OP THE SECRETARY GENERAI,. 6 1 



been secured for an institution which is an honor to America, an institu- 

 tion which undoubtedly has already begun to exercise a positive influence 

 upon the popularization and adoption into our laws or into our economic 

 and educational methods of principles and doctrines of common interest to 

 us, and which, in fine, is likely destined, by reason of the generic nature 

 of its scope and on account of the very intensity of its irradiation, to 

 carry the benefits of its work far beyond the confines of Columbus' 

 world. Indeed, who can deny the probability that to-morrow, when the 

 hour of calm, of love, and brotherliness shall have replaced the hour of 

 conflagration, of hatred, and of death now consuming the work of the 

 other half of the world — the oldest, the most civilized, the one whose 

 duty it was to set up its example with its spirit of humanity and with its 

 powerful impulse of civilization and progress — ^who can deny, I repeat, 

 the probability that, when the tragedy shall have ended and the men in 

 that part of the world shall have recovered their equilibrium of mind and 

 heart, our present and future labors may project a new light upon Euro- 

 pean intellectualism finally to effect a universal concert? 



As a complement of the work of scientific extension by those con- 

 gresses, there is the work of social and political extension which, though 

 not precisely their object, is their natural consequence, and, indeed, 

 does not constitute one of the lesser benefits derived from their meetings. 

 Together with the abstract problems of anthropology, law, astronomy, 

 medicine, mechanics, and other sciences there are found the less meta- 

 physical and more practical researches on educational methods, sanita- 

 tion systems, development of transportation facilities, and other factors 

 of industrial prosperity bearing directly upon the common economy of 

 life, in whose field intercourse and acquaintance are facilitated among 

 the men who direct the mental activities of countries. Men are the 

 instrument by means of which love and good will among people are 

 wrought; they are the groundwork of peace and the foundation of its 

 prosperity. Assembled in these congresses and thereby associated and 

 acquainted with each other, they study reciprocally their individual and 

 national traits, the conditions and necessities of life in their respective 

 countries, and bring about an atmosphere of mutual understanding and 

 congeniality. Under this atmosphere egotism vanishes and the ob- 

 stacles that separation and distance put in the way of human cordiality 

 are overcome. 



If this indirect benefit were to be the only outcome of these peri- 

 odical conventions, I do not hesitate in stating that in my judgment it 

 would sufiice to justify all efforts and all sacrifices on the part of indi- 

 viduals and Governments. 



