New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-15
SPANISH AMERICA.
OUR SISTER REPUBLICS.

THE CAPITALS OF SPANISH AMERICA. BY VIII
lam Eleroy Curtis. late Commissioners from tho
United States to the Governments of Central and
South America. Royal svo. m. XIV, 7i5. IL
Illustrated. Harper Brothers.
The author of this book Mr.. Wlliam'E Curtis.
is well-known Washington correspondent, who
was appointed by President Arthur member OF
the Commission to visit the countries of central
and Spanish America and investigate the condi-
ton of trade. with view TO the development
of the commerce of the United States. Mr.
Curtis acted as secretary of the Commission.
This book is the result of his researches while
engaged in that work The great mass of
information. much of il new TO Northern readers,
which it contains is a proof of Mr.. Arthurs
practical wisdom in choosing Journalist, whose
profession is observation for this duty The book
is not however, narrative of the iourneylnSs or
the Commission nor a statement of its conclusions.
These are TO be found in its official reports. This
is an attempt to present, in popular and attrac-
tive FORM the impressions gained respecting each
country visited In doing this Mr.. Curtis has
set a good example TO writers of books of travel
in discarding entirely the countless unnecessary
details of voyagng with which such works are
usually burdencd He does not weary us with
his arrivals and departures. the undcrdone bis
cults he had TO cat and the misadvcnturcs oil MS
baggage, after the manner of od-fashloned writers
of padding. lie presents the reader with coplous
vet compact and interesting statement OF facts
regarding each country in turn, and keeps his
own personality entirely out OF view. The out
come is very readable book such as only "a
journalist accustomed TO amass details and pre-
sent them in the most taking way, would write.
It is handsomely printed in large type, and con-
tains nearly four hundred well-eXccutcd illustra-
TONS
The countries of Spanish America o1er immeas-
ureablc opportunities for commercial development.
The United States should be first in this move
ment the rewards of which are destined to be
enormous All of these countries with one eXcep-
ton have modelled their political systems upon
our own, and look to us almost as to mother
country. We are their ncighbors, and have every
advantage for the development of vast commerce.
which would not only be the source of great proit
to u.s. but would in time elevate the whole civili-
zation of this continent. But. through the lack
of q rational commercial policy. our trade win
most Of these countries is insignificant. and Ing
land, by means of her system of steamship sub
sides, carries of the lions share. Thus, with
little help from u.s. and almost without our
knowledge, some of these countries are growing
with giant strides, and the time cannot be TAR
distant when several Of them will be our rivals
in the food markets of the world. This Is es-
pecially true Of the Argentine Republic, whose
people Mr. Curtis pronOunccs TO be the real
Yankees of South America, though the Chillanos
arc fond Of claiming that distinction. Chh, COM
mcrcialy and in her political sympathles, is
practically, an English colony. she recKohs III
English money and follows the law of entail
The country is divided up into great estates, and
the poor may not acquire land She has Repub-
lican government but the constitution of society
is eminently aristocratic In the Argentine Re
public on the other hand, there is free land, free
thought. and free speech Modern ideas prevail
The people study and initiate the institutions anu
methods of the United States. The New-lork
dailics and illustrated papers, llarpcrs Maya
zine. and 1.-THE Century," are on sale at all the
news-st,nds in Buenos Ayres, and the people buy
and read them. They read Balnes oook
and Grants Memoirs, and follow our
Presidential campaigns closely. There arc more
daily papers in Buenos Ayres than in New-Iork or
London-twenty-thre in all, divided among five
languages. The number of telephones used Is saiu
TO be larger, in proportion to population, than
in onv other city in the world. There are nine
large theatres giving performances every night IN
the week including Sunday in four languages
There are banks with capital greater than any IN
the United States, and occupying buildings inner
than any Of our New-York banking palaces. The
Provincial Bank has S33 600, 900 of capital and
$4,000, 900 Of deposits, does more business than
any enc of our banks and is exceeded by only TWO
in the world. The National Bank has capital oil
s4O.OOO,O0O The banking capital and deposits
of the Argentine Republic amount to s6l per capita
of population, against $40 here
In the character of its resources well as of its
people, that country resembles the United States
The rich and fertile pampas are like our pralrles
In the foot hills of the mountains are valuable de-
posits of gold and silver The variations Of eli
n, orIn -
produces cotton, rice and sugar; the middle lands,
tobacco; then the colder regions toward the SOUTH
wheat and corn This great area. which would
stretch from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains, is
watered with great rivers even more tempting to
NAVIGATION than our own. Already the pamms
produce wheat enough for the home supply and
5000 600 bushels for export ana the production
is increasing swiftly. Nearly loO,o0O,OoO sheep
more than are owned in any other country IN the
world-are producing annually 200, 000, 600 pounds
of wool for export. Already beef and mutton are
sent to ENGLAND in refrigerator ships at prices
cheaper than can compete with, and few, MIR
Curtis says of people know It, Other coun-
tries are eagerly Selling the opportunity we neg
.lect Twenty-thrce lines of steamships connect the
Argentine Republic with tho European markets,
and from forty to sixty vessels sail back and forth
each month, flying every flag but that Of the
United States The importations of manufactured
merchandise amount to nearly one hundred million
dollars Of which England sends about thirty-iive
millions and the United States about seven mill
IONS Nearly everything VIC send must go by way
of Europe, and very little is bought IN the
United States that can be had elsewhere. we
send mostly lumber, locomotives ana cars ana
agricultural implements. Yet cur goods are 80
popular there as they are everywhere IN South
America, that the Manchester and Bin 'insham
manufacturers initiate the Yankee trademarks and
pass their own goods Off as the products Of the
United States
As in many of the Spanish American countries
great interest is taken in education. Alter care
full study OF the educational systems OF all inc
Enitod Statcs by Dr. SarIniento eX-Minister 70 the