commercial, educational, scientific, or any other matter—­say, in Portugal, Russia, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Holland, or China, etc.—­I look up the place nearest to the district from which I want that information and find the address of the Esperanto center there.  Then I write to the delegate and ask for the information in Esperanto, and no matter what language he speaks at home I will get a reply in Esperanto, and he will take any amount of trouble to satisfy my demands.  This society has done a remarkable amount of excellent work in the last five years, and Esperanto is more and more used for all practical international purposes.

Now, Dr. Bartholdt told you about many commercial houses in different countries already using Esperanto practically, that is to say, actually using it for their business purposes internationally, printing their circulars, price lists, catalogues, and so on, in Esperanto, and using it for correspondence.

I am reminded that seven years ago, in the north of Scotland, I saw a communication to a Scotch railroad company from a French railroad company written in English, but across the communication there were stamped the words, “We correspond in Esperanto.”  And that was six or seven years ago, and since that time Esperanto has made very great strides.

I have here a number of trade catalogues in Esperanto, and you will see from the nature of them that they are really very elaborate things and on which these firms have spent a great deal of money, which they would not do if they did not think the thing was actually paying.  I have only about 40 such samples here because I can not carry them all about with me.  For instance, here is a very elaborate, costly, and handsome catalogue from the biggest firm of photographic instrument makers in Germany, and, I believe, in the world.

Here is a pamphlet issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, a very attractive pamphlet.  That was published in order to attract European immigration to that portion of California, and that same chamber of commerce has made large use of Esperanto for that purpose.  Two years ago they sent a man to lecture all over Europe and in some parts of Asia on the attractions of California.  That lecturer visited 27 different countries; he lectured in 120 different towns during 18 months and every one of his lectures was given in Esperanto, and in several places he was obliged to give his lecture two or three times, because the crowds that came were so large that it was impossible for everybody who desired to hear the lecture to get in at the same time.  There were large numbers of people in every place who actually understood him; all did not understand him, but a large number did in every town.  For instance, in Paris and Barcelona there are many thousands who understand Esperanto.  Here is another German firm in Berlin.  Here is a bookseller in Paris issuing a catalogue entirely in Esperanto.  Here is a leaflet about the Panama