The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-29

THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.

States, aud the South especially, of ac
| quirng knowledge of the Spanish Ian
| guagc The policy of protection has de
velopcd the industries of this country
until it is no longer necessary to enable
| our manufacturers TO compete with those
other countries. In fact, an era of over
production has been reached, when it he.
comes of paramount Importance that
other avenues of trade he sought for the
disposal of OR surplus products, and
naturally. in looking around for coun-
tries with which our people might sue
ccssfully trade. our eyes turn immedi.
atcly to the Spanish American republics
to the south of lis. Already we purchase
largely from them of sugar, coffee and
other products grown in warm eli
mates. while in the matter of manufac
lures and other things that contribute TO
the convenience and comfort of their
home life, nearly all that they need are
bought of European nations chiefly Eng
land and Germany. As Il large buyer
and as the great protector of these coun-
tries by the enforcement of the Monroe
doctrine. even ut the risk of war, the
United States, or rather its people.
should receive quid pro quo from them
in the shape of liberal purchase of
goods from this country. Our progressive
merchants and business men fully under
stand our claims and advantages in this
direction. and are already preparing to
build up Il commerce with the South
American countries, which will increase
rapidly as the people there understand us
better. AZ an aid in securing this trade
il thorough knowledge of the Spanish
language is absolutely essential, and to
obtain this young men contemplating
engaging in mercantile pursuits or in IL
profession of any kind, should at once
make the study of that language part of
their collegiate course. The Florida
Times. Union, in writing on this subject,
has an article which is so strong and
pertinent that it is PUBLISHED in full rs
follows:
In one of the reports to the State De
partment United States consul i'm South
hindrances to the expansion Of the trade
of this country in South America is the
fact that our commercial travellers are
not able to speak Spanish. He calls at
tenton to the fact that our trade with
5000, 900 English speaking Canadians is
greater than that with $4,000, 900 South
Americans who do not speak English In
addition to this it may be stated that our
trade with the English speaking people
of the West Indies is more than three
times as great per capita as with the pee
pie of these islands who speak other
tongues
Next to English the. most important
language to the citizens of the United
, States is Spanish, and yet few of our
young men who study foreign languages
attempt to learn Spanish. In our col
legcs the first place is given to Latin and
Greek, and the modern. languages that re-
ceiVe the most attention are French and
German. As mental training the Span
ish language is equal To any..of'' these 1t
Is we'll worthy of. study for. the ..s,lkc Of
the literature of Spain, which was the
/ leading nation of Europe --during THE
middle ages and is especially important
To our people because it is the language
spoken by nearly half of the people who
live on this continent. The countries of
south America-Spansh-s peaking-are
our natural markets. The languagesis
spoken by the 40, 900, 900 who. by nature.
should be closest allied to us in com
merce and politics.
The prominence that has been given in
our colleges to other langiagess1i largely
matter of habit, rs are many parts of
our college curricula. Other languages
are studied now because they we've
studied ten. twenty, fifty years ago. and
was studied then for the same reason.
Another reason is found in the fact that
many of our professors were educated. i'm
part at least, in Germany or France.
These two causes. habit and prejudice.
have operated to the neglect of the Span
ish language in our colleges This j. n
serious mistake.and men who'are..a ctuated
by reason and not governed merely bv CON
servatism, should at once commence the
attempt to turn the attention of our
youth to the foreign language that is to
them most important