The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-17
KANSAS NEWS.
Wichita Man Returns From
South America.
Describes The Conditions Exist
ing in Argentine.
CHANCE FOR FORTUNE.
BuenOs Ayres, One of Worlds
Finest Cities.
Streets Washed Every Night
and Splendidly Policed.
All Business Buildings Are Five
Stories High.

Wichita, Kas., March 1.-THE Eagle
says: A. j. Ash, who went to the Ar
gentine Republic seven months ago, to
induce the inhabitants of that country
to buy American harvesting machinery,
has returned to his home in this city
He thinks there is a great opening for
Americans in the South American re-
public, and states that the inhabitants
of the country are imitators of the
North Americans in everything. To a
reporter he said:
''Buenos Ayres, the capital of the Ar
gentine Republic, is a city of 100000
inhabitants, which is one-fourth the
population of the entire country 1t is
one of the most beautiful cities in the
world The streets are washed every
night and are thus kept ScrupulOuSly
clean, and they are also well lighted.
In the business portion every building
is five stories high-none more and none
less. The city presents an appearance
of uniformity which is quite different
from the appearance of our own cities
In the residence portion the streets are
built up solid and every house touches
the sidewalks. Instead of having lawns
in front of the houses the plan of the
open court in the center of the square
is followed.
while the streets are modern in that
they are kept clean. they are narrow.
The city is well policed. for on every
corner is mounted policeman.
THE people of BuenoS Ayres dress
well. 1t is a fashionable city and every
evening the streets are filled with the
finest turnouts 1 have ever seen.
Hundreds of well dressed women and
gallant young men promenade the
streets, and band concerts are given
nightly in the plazaS.
1.-THE country is almost exclusively de-
voted to agriculture and stock raising.
The farmers, however, lack the skill of
the American farmer, for they use many
antiquated methods. American harvest
ing machinery, however, has been in
troduced into the country and there is
a great field for Americans to teach the
people how to farm.
1.-The land is owned largely by land
lords, and the people lease the farms for
three or four years. After sowing
large part of it in alfalfa they move on.
The cattle of the country are fed ex-
clusively on alfalfa, and they look as
good as any of the corn-fed stock of
Kansas.
Europe in refrigerator ships There are
no packing houses in the republic sim
liar to those in this country, but the
large American packers are planning
to establish some there.
THE country has vast coal fields, and
it is said there is also oil in the republic,
but these fields of industry are unde-
VelOped. There is a great opportunity
in these lines for American capital.
"At present there are about 1000
Americans in the entire country,
tnOuSn Cnere are 0U,OUO EnSllSn. AInor1-
cans, however, are beginning to see the
opportunities afforded by the country
and they will go there.
Politics is corrupt Elections are a
farce There is no secret ballot, and the
people vote the way they are told. If
the government does not win, the police
see that the votes are counted in such
a manner that the election comes out
all right. The newspapers are very in
dependent and freely criticise the man
ner in which affairs are run, but their
criticisms do no good.
THE Argentine form of government is
m odeled after that of the United States.
The laws are the same, but they are not
enforced so vigorously and the penal
ties are not so severe. A murderer sell
dom spends more than two and a half
years in prison and if his vote is needed
he is set free before he has been in that
long.
THE masses of the people are ignor-
ant, and only the upper classes have
the advantages of the schools. In re-
ligion, the country is Catholic, though
there are few Protestant churches in the
capital In the city, there is but one
Methodist church.
1.-THE morals of the country are low.
Everybody CANDLES, the women as well
as the men. The government operates
a race track and the pools. Elections
and horse races occur on Sunday. The
people are great drinkers and drunken
ness is a common vice"