Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-02
SPANISH AMERICA.
What the International Congress May
Reveal Of Our Southern Nefghbors.


W. Curtis in North American Review for septsmber.
The ignorance of the people Of this country
regarding the Latin-American people 10 simply
amazing. 1t was not long ago that . member
OF Presidents cabinet, in q public speech in
the city Of New York, referred to Busnos Ayres
a. the capital of Brazil, and . justice of the
United States Supreme Court once asked me
what language was spoken in Chill. Most of
the Biographies studied by the children in our
schools refer to the Argentine Republic a. .
confederation, regardless Of the fact that war
was fought some years ago to convince certain
provinces that is not one; and the graphic and
illustrated descriptions of the wild horses
roaming ownerless over the pampss, which de-
lighted the sense Of the picturesque three gen.
erations ago, still remain on the pages they
have always adorned, although 1t would be
quite as appropriate and truthful to apply them
to Iowa or to Illinois. The Englishmen who
want to run over to New York for a little buffalo
shooting are no more absurd in their ignorance
than the writer's Of some of our standard geog-
raphies; and our friends and neighbors in
South America know very little more about US
than We know about them, for very good
reasons.
THE HABIT OF VISITING EUROPE
is quite as general among people Of means in
South America as among the citizens OF the
United States; and am told that the number
Of South Americans at the Paris exposition is
even greater in proportion to population than
those who have gone from the United States.
1t is conceded that the most extensive and
tasteful exhibit Of American products at the ex-
position is furnished by the Argentine Repub-
lie. The ladies of South America 90 to Paris
for their gowns and their bonnets and send
their sons and daughters to the universities of
fhA IN ha cd rod
But very few of them have ever been here.
Why? Because they have no means Of trans
portation. With twenty-one lines Of steam
ships connecting Buenos Ayres with Europe,
Offering luxurious accommodations and low
rates Of fare, it is not strange that they seldom
come to a country with which they have no d.
rect communication whatever or that their
tradesmen buy Of our merchants only such
goods as they cannot obtain elsewhere. And,
the greater portion Of our citi-
zens who have made South America an abiding
place have not been such Is to inspire the peo-
pie of that continent with high regard for the
character or an admiration for the conduct and
culture Of the North American.
THE LACK OF ExrRADITIoN TREATIES
has tempted certain types Of our population to
seek asylums south Of the Caribbean sea and
at the expense Of our national reputation.
That the leading men Of the Latin-American
races may see US as we are, that they may
study and report upon our national institu-
lions and the extent Of our material develop
ment OF which the best informed Of them has
but a meager conception, this conference has
been called, and from this operation and con-
tact its greatest good may come. Before pro-
ceeding to the formal consideration Of certain
topics OF international interest they will be
asked to inspect the results of our national in
dustry as the guests Of the government and the
people. 1t il not possible or practicable to take
them everywhere, but in hotel on wheels they
will be hurried from one city to another in such
a way as to afford them an adequate idea of
our resources, our mechanical and agricultural
industries, our social and political conditions,
our educational and commercial progress, our
facilities for trade and transportation,
and the sources Of our wealth, power
and prosperity. The purpose is to make the
journey of profit to the people Of the United
States as we'll as to their guests, who will in
clude from fifty to sixty of the most distin-
guished citizens Of Central and South America
1t is quite as desirable that these gentlemen
and the ladies who accompany them should re-
ceive social attentions as information concern
ing the industries Of the country; that they
should see the homes a. well as the factories
and farms of our people, our educational and
institutions as well ss our mills and
mines, our systems Of state and municipal gov
and every feature Of our political,
social, religious end commercial life.