St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-09-23
The South American Commission.
Special to the Globe

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-Hon. Hinton
Rowan Helper, ex-consul to the Argentine
Republic, the originator of the project for
| a arailroad connecting North, South and Cen
tral America, was the man who secured the
appointment of the South American COM
mission which has been visiting Central
| and South America during the past yeal
asking how the United States may gain
| closer trade relations with these countries.
He has had the creation of such a commits
sion in mind for years, believing that ii
might pave the way for an increase in the
| volume of trade between this country and
those in question: and thus bring closer
relations in many ways. He came
here full Of enthusiasm, and at the
beginning of the Forty-seventh con-
gress obtained the introduction OF
a bill creating such a commission
and remained here practically nursing
1t through both sessions of the congress,
only to see it die for the want Of action He
was persistent, however, and came again at
the beginning of the Forty-eighth congress,
with practically the same bill. 1t was in
troduced, but seemed likely to meet fate the
OF the first one, and taking wisdom from his
former experience he finally obtained the
Insertion of clause III one Of the appro-
Briation bills, embodying the provision of
the bill, and it thus became a law. Mr..
Helper Is here just now on some private
business, and meeting him in the treasury
building, your correspondent asked him
what he thought of the work that had been
accomplished and its bearing upon his bold
project,s 1.-The three American railway"
Il think very well of it, ne replied II have
read all Of the 100 pages of its report so far
issued, and am anxiously awaiting the re-
malnder. L am very much gratified with the
developments thus far. The convention
seems to have done its work intelligently ana
faithfully, and has officially brought to the
attention OF those Interested many facts
which are of great value and which must
have very important bearing in producing
the desired result
by the desired result, do you mean your
proposed railrOad?'
Il mean closer business relation between
the countries and an increase in the volume
OF trade Out of over six hundred millions
of trade per year which Central
and South America have with the
commercial world the United States only gets
about 100000, 000, where it ought to get nearly
all OF 1t. We manufacture about everything
these countries buy, and purchase in return
nearly everything they have to sell. 1t is to
see this volume of trade turned in our direc-
ton that have been laboring for twenty
years. If the people Of the countries inter-
ested can be brought to see the advantages
OF closer trade relations and the current of
trade actually beginning to turn in our direc-
ton, the remainder will come. The commits
sion has shown officially what was disputed
by men who ought to have known it be-
fore-four-hfthS Of the trade of Spanish and
Portuguese America goes to Europe and only
one-tifth to US, and that the large proportion
OF this may be gained for ourselves if we but
make the proper effort. The commission re-
port shows that the trade of the countries in
question is over $500, ,000 600 per year, instead
of over $500, 100000, as had stated, and that
we get about S150000,0OO OF it, instead Of
Si25, 5,000,OU0, as had put it. You see was
determined to be within the limits and be-
side they got later figures than 1 had in my
statement of two years ago. have great
faith in the good results that may follow the
presentation Of the facts
But the commission seems to favor subsi-
dies to steam vessels rather than railroads. -
ITO which offer no objection. 1 want to
see our country get this trade and the natural
way to begin it is by the route which nature
has supplied