The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-15
HE LAND OF TOMORROW"
This is the descriptive title

ME LAND Of IOhORhOW-
This is the descriptive title
the imaginative are in the
habit of comforting upon Acre. the strip
of land in South America. between
Brazil and Peru, anent which these two
countries are not at all unlikely to
cross arms. If they do. rubber famine
will result. that viii have more SC
licus results upon this and otheC civ
iiized countries than upon those ac-
lively engaged.
J. orion Kerbey. a Washington man,
who was for a time United States con-
sui at the Amazon and an explorer Of
ali of this country. has written an in
tCresting book on the subject, which is
now in process Of publication. Its title
Is made up of the four words that in
trOduce this article. The view that The
threatened war will mean more TO this
country than TO Brazil and Peru is that
which Mr. Kerbey suggests.
There viii be no lighting" Mr.. Ker-
hey says 'BrazIlians are not blnlt
that way. They all, however. talk. talk.
talk necessarily, and write long, tire
some dispatches, in the Portuguese
phraseology. but never reach a de-
CIsion. Consular life among them and
extensive travel in South America, com
bined with the study OF their history,
show tnat they are not of fighting
stock. / once saw a squad Of their
cavalry that was doing escort duty .
an official, stampeded because one of the
surrounding crowd suddenly opened "a
umbrella. as a protection from the sun
Pc-uvians Better Fighters.
.sThe Peruvians are better fighters
ana enjoy. moreover. the decided adj
vantage Of being in possession. The
I.raziIians would have to ascend 1000 or
5000 miles OF river in order TO reach the
territory in dispute. and would thea
have TO encounter the plague of mos
ouitoes The insect pests of the
swamps are something terrible; the
scorpions. cenupedes, snakes, and
mosquitoes are equal to an army Of
defense of 100000 men. Instances haze
been known where garrison has
abandoned fort and left It TO the
easy capture of the enemy, just on ac-
count Of these invaders. Such an in
s-ance occurred at Obidos, where on
OF the most important forts in the
country was forsaken-'
Mr. Kerbey says this country can
raise the rubber for It's own needs and
enough 10 supply a large share of the
trade OF the world IL Hawaii and the
Philippines. and he thinks the rubber
plant should be transplanted 70 these
new lands. He declares that Peru and
Brazil will play precisely the same game
of hold-up that Colombia did in connec-
ton with the Panama canal
THE Land of Tomorrow is a land Of
rnarvels. There is much in il 10 interest
and enthuse the visitor, and it has never
been more graphically portrayed than in
Mr.. Kerbey's delightful narrative Of his
travels through the country
The Land of Tomorrow.
Here Is part of his story.
An official passport is not ct all a
necessity; stranger may travel in per-
feet security throughout the land Of to-
morrow even as a tramp. and be well
treated everywhere. A simple letter or
Introduction, however written on
large sheet Of sim paper, with display
letter head and a red seal at the bot
tom. addressed TO an official, will secure
more consideration than letter OF
credit. or a treasury bond. statement
of fact that is not as much Of refiec-
tioo uDon these people as on our civili-
cation. II is not 70 be inferred, how
over that the people do not want
mart Of a visit IS always an after con-
sideration. easily settled 70 the satisfac-
ton Of the guest
had been well supplied with letters
which a number OF Spanish friends
along the route volunteered 10 give me
70 others at the next stop. These be-
came so numerous that the little hand
grip carried for toilet articles became
mail bag. On arrival at a stopping
place ] simply handed over my bag
OF mail for the officials 10 pick out their
own. AS they handled some fat letters
addressed TO officials in Lima. the mail
bag became OF itself a strong indorse-
ment.
Among my mail for Tarapota was a
letter addressed 10 a young business
man or planter IN the nature OF a let
ter Of credit, or an order from his cor
respondent in Yurrimaguas TO supply
me with mules and provisions 10 con-