oluntary
association, the members of which are all the American nations from
Cape Horn to the Great Lakes. It had its origin in the first Pan
American conference held at Washington in 1889, and it has been
developed and improved in efficiency under the resolutions of the
succeeding conferences in Mexico and Brazil. Its primary object is to
break down the barriers of mutual ignorance between the nations 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 facilitate and stimulate intercourse, trade,
acquaintance, good understanding, fellowship, and sympathy. For this
purpose it has established in Washington a bureau or office under the
direction of a governing board composed of the official representatives
in Washington of all the republics, and having a director and secretary,
with a force of assistants and translators and clerks.

The bureau has established a rapidly increasing library of history,
travel, description, statistics, and literature of the American nations.
It publishes a _Monthly Bulletin_ of current public events and existing
conditions in all the united countries, which is circulated in every
country. It carries on an enormous correspondence with every part of
both continents, answering the questions of seekers for information
about the laws, customs, conditions, opportunities, and personnel of the
different countries; and it has become a medium of introduction and
guidance for international intercourse.

The governing board is also a permanent committee charged with the duty
of seeing that the resolutions of each Pan American conference are
carried out and that suitable preparation 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 its
second decade and under the influence of the great movement of awakened
sympathy between the American republics, the Union stands upon the
threshold of more ample opportunity for the prosecution of its
beneficent activity.

Many noble and beautiful public buildings record the achievements and
illustrate the impulses of modern civilization. Temples of religion, of
patriotism, of learning, of art, of justice, abound; but this structure
will stand alone, the first of its kind--a temple dedicated to
international friendship. It w