Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-11
IS FOR RECIPROCITY
Al Swain Asks it for South Ameri-
can Countries.
DELIVERS ADDRESS At DES MONIES

Tells Results of Observations From
Four Years Residence as United
States Consul to Montevideo, in IRA
guay-Grant Day at Chautauqua.
Col. AL Swain, United States consul
to Montevideo, was the afternoons
feature of Grant club day at the Mid
land Chautauqua in Des Moines yes
terday afternoon. Col. Swain lectur
ed on Our South American Neigh
bors," the material for which was Sc
cured during his four years residence
in Uruguay and travels throughout the
various countries of South America.
Col. SwaIm's Address.
When Col. AL Swain was introduced
yesterday afternoon he was greeted
by an audience that completely filled
the auditorium. AL Swain needed lit
tie Introduction, but the fact that he
has sacrificed his flowing and copy
righted locks made him appear trifle
of stranger, so it was thought best
to re-introduce him to the thousands
of friends who had gathered to hear
him. The Iowa editor and politician
gave an interesting exposition of the
South American countries and an elo-
quent plea for closer relationship be-
tween the countries, the United States
and the countries of South America.
The present trade conditions were
statistically summarized by Colonel
Swain when he said
Imports.
1.-The imports from the South
American countries to the United
States in 1898 amounted to 100000
900; reached SIP 100000 in 1885, and
declined to only $S6,O0O,0O0 in 1899,
but rose again to s93,O0O,O00 in 1900.
4 he changes, risings and coverings
were caused by the changes of tariffs
on hides and wool from free to duty.
Exports.
THE exports from the United States
to the South American countries in the
lie to 1888 900 and will probably be
$45,0OO,00o for this year, or larger by
seven million dollars year than they
amounted to $38,a45,000. During the
period covered by the last decade the
exports from this country to South
america amounted to ten per cent of
the total exports entering South Amer
lea from all over the world; but the
imports from the South American
countries to the United States reached
almost twenty per cent"
Our South American Neiehbors.
These figures give an idea of the
commercial Importance of the close
relationships the United States
and South America. Speaking on
Our South American Neighbours" Al
Swain said in part:
Sharper THIN any contest waged
between rapid firing guns, belchins
| out their leaden hail, is the contest
Waged today for commercial supreme
cy in the world. This struggle for
commerce may be base and material
but it is the handspring of human en-,
terprise. More than once has com
merce been the precursor of man; il
is the missionary of the missionaries
the st. John in the wilderness To nc
nation comes this call to the CONNER
cial contest more, loudly than to oul
own. Our dominancy in the South
American waters and ports is of the
utmost Importance.
Well Worth Knowing.
Il beg TO assure my hearers now
that the South Americans are people
decidedly well worth knowing-per
sonally, socially, commercially; and
in fact, in every way. | am confident
that if more people could know then
better they would be far more anxious
to establish closer relations that woule
be at once profitable and satisfactory
Lands All Kissed.
These far distant lands, all sun
kissed far beyond the ordinary com
prehension or appreciation should be
full of interest to US, but have hereto
/ fore received common and genera
neglect from our hands. Resting un
der the protection of the Monroe doc
trine they were safe from. the worlds
land hunger and land grabbing. Ii
1910 when they separated from Spain
as the result of a bloody revolution
under the leadership of men worthy
to be classed with our own Washing
ton, compatriots tired of the emptiness
and tawdriness of the empty forms o.
monarchy, weighted down by oppres
sion and tyranny; these Washingtons
of their land, Bolivar and San Martin
fought the battles which freed theil
beloved countries, and when they were
won returned as did Washington, tt
the peace of their freed homes.
Modernized.
From then on the way had beer
hard, rugged, full of storm and inter
necine strife, but always a way of up
lift and Of progress, until today the
South American capitals are as lus
cious and as full of the comforts az
any of those of Europe, and the mos
clearly models of sanitary science tt
be found in all dhe world.
I'VE must rid ourselves of some
wrong notions in regard to these
South American people. Complacent
ly resting under the untested and un
challenged Monroe doctrine, wha
have we, as a nation, ever done fol
the South American nations? The.
being borrowers, did we ever Loan
money to them? No, we left that tt