Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17

AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY
Ignorance Regarding the Ar
gentine Republic.
A VISITORS SURPRISE
MIR. FITz SIMON TELLS OF THE
BROAD LANDS AT HOME.
Political Institutions Copied After
Those Of United States-Teachers
Wanted Who Know Spanish.

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Mr.. James H. Fitz Simon. director OF the
National School Of Commerce Of Buenos
Ayres, and one Of the commissioners of edu
cation of the Argentine Republic, is visiting
the United States as a special commissioner
Of his country in the interest Of the Argen-
tina educational institutions. Mr.. Fitz
Simon has a threefoId mission. He desires
to procure corps Of teachers for the
schools of his country: he is making
study Of the educational system of the
United States and he Is looking after the
interest and the progress of thirty young
men of Argentina who are studying in this
country.
Finest Country in the World.
cit is surprising to me-" said Mr.. Fitz
Simon. 1.-The ignorance that prevails
throughout this country regarding our
South American republic. Argentina is, l
think, the finest country in the world.
have lived there forty years and have
reached that conclusion after seeing many
of the other countries on the globe. We
cover 1,250,OOO square miles of territory,
most of which is given up to agriculture
cattle raising and sheep raising. We are
the rivals Of the United States in the ex-
ahead of any other country in sheep raising.
These facts are surprising to most of the
people Of this country, but 1t Is more sur
prising to me that the facts are not known
here already. The people Of the United
States have the reputation Of being the
broadest-minded and most literally edu-
Gated on the globe when it comes to COM
mercial matters, and yet did notsf1nd a
commercial geography, who could tell with
In 100000 the population Of the city of
Buenos Ayres. I asked several teachers In
Philadelphia. One said he thought 1t might
be zoe, 600; another guessed hundred thou
sand more. The last census gave 9S0,OUO
people in Buenos Ayres, and about 8. 100000
for the entire country. am inclined to be-
lieve that the population of our capital has
to a million since the last figures
as to its growth were obtained.
Now, as to our commercial Importance,
a few figures might be Of interest to the
students Of commercial subjects. These fig
ures were compiled by one OF our officials
and are supposed to be for the year 1902.
They show that there were 100000 head
Of sheep raised in the republic and "a ,0OO,OOO
head of horned cattle. We raised 100000
tons Of wheat and 2,25o,0O0 tons OF corn
Now right here l might show the COMPETE
ton of Argentina with the United States.
beef steer from the United States shipped
to England must bring $1SS in the market
there or 1t will not be profit to its ship
pers. An Argentina steer can be sold at
the same place and same time for $SS and
yield a profit. We have vast tract OF land
in our country covered with rich grass
where the drought Is unknown and where
cattle thrive luxuriantly at a small cost
The land is similar in many respects to your
prairies of the west, which, I much regret,
I will be unable to see. These figures show
what we can do In an agricultural way.
Copied After the United States.
i'Our country, as you should know, Is
modelled In a great measure after the
United States. We have federal and pro-
vinciaI governments and our constitution,
an able document Is modelled after the
Of the United States. Our sys-
tenn of education is similar in many re-
spects to that Of the United States. We
have used this country as a model, for We
admire you Americans more than the peo-
pie Of any other nation, and we want to be
like you. We have so many things in
that Argentina today offers a most
inviting and promising field for the young
men Of your country. Many of them are
seeing this and are taking advantage of
the opportunity thus afforded. Our educa-
tional system, as began to say, consists Of
colleges, thirty-six normal schools for the
Of teachers and proportionate
number of graded schools. Education in
Argentina Is compulsory, and the ages of
the children sent to school are from six to
fourteen. We strive to give our youth the
most practical education we can provide.
We teach them how to do the things they
will have to do to earn living, as well as
the more elementary and ornamental
branches. Our young people want educa-
ton, too. Our school system Is not big |
although we are charging it every
lay.
Demand for Teachers.
What we need Is teachers, and that is
part of my mission to this country-to Sc
cure teachers. 1 am very sorry to say
that have so far been unsuccessful, and
not through my fault, either. have found !
the kind Of men 1 want who are willing to
80 to my country and teach anything, capa- |
BILE men who are able to teach anything. |
and yet l have not found a single teacher |
who can speak Spanish or Is familiar with |
he language. 1t strikes me as rather a re- |
situation. have been more than !
pleased with the people l have found here |
md the teachers that have been presented to |
ne as candidates for the Argentina schools |
ny government a few days ago asking |
whether could accept the services of these |
teachers who did not speak Spanish, and |
received a reply this morning to the effect |
hat 1 must not accept such teachers. If |
cannot find those I want in this country |
will have to go to Germany, and 1 assure |
you 1 will be very much disappointed If I |
DO not find them here. / have received |
hundreds of applica tions, you have no idea |
IF the number, but none of them is availa- |
Die. |
There are thirty young citizens of Argen-
tina studying In this country at the ex-
)ense of our government. You see we have
selected your institutions because we be- |
ieve them to be the best. We have eight
students at Columbus in the university
here, four at Madison. Wis, In the Uni |
yersity Of Wisconsin, two at Urbana, Ill; |
four at Cornell. who are learning to be
electrical engineers. three at the University /
If California and nine at Guelph, Ontario, |
dominion Of Canada Most of these stu
tents are studying agriculture and COM
nercial sciences. 1 have visited each of the |
schools except California. and am much
pleased with the progress being made by |
our students have received a statement |
from the president of the University of |
California and another from the professors |
II the university in which they speak high
y of our students there. During the time |
have been here have visited all the uni
rersities and colleges. together with the |
regular public schools, that could. for the |
purpose of obtaining new ideas. You have |
some grand institutions in this country.
The knowledge Of Spanish.
"You are just taking up the study OF |
Spanish and it surprises me- The people
lere will find 1t to their advantage to study |