The Washington herald., 1906-11-21

Kansas City, No. Nov. 20.-The vast
possibilities of trade with South America
and the need of a merchant marine 20
reap fair share of that trade, formed
the theme of an exhaustive address de-
uVered tonight by Secretary of State
Root before the Trans-Mississ -ppi conf
merciaI congress.
The address was a graphic presentation
of the needs of an effective merchant
feet TO enable the United Stats 10 COM
pete with Europe for the commerce Of the
South American continent
a considerable portion of the address
was devoted To the subject OF extending
the American flag over the ocean high
ways. and an eloquent and earnest appeal
was made by Secretary Root for the pas
sage OF the shiD-subsidy bin presented at
the last session OF Congress
Secretary Root said in part:
wealth Is Enormous
The population of South America in
1900 was only 42,46lS1, less than six TO
the square mile. The density of popula-
ton was less than one-eighth of that in
the State Of Missouri. less than one
sixtieth of that in the State of 4Iassachu-
sets less than one-seventieth Of that in
England. less than one per cent Of that
in Belgium.
With this sparse population the pro-
dueIon Of wealth IS already enormous
The latest trade statistics show exports
from South America to foreign coun-
tries Of SIl5,530 900. and imports of SH9.-
S5S,5c0 OF Jhe i've hundred million of
goods that South America buys we sell
them but S65246,52J, or 126 per cent. Of
Ct the seven hundred and forty-1ive mil
hons that South America sells we buy
Sl5-0s2,oc0 or 20.4 per cent. nearly two
and a half times as much as we sell.
sophy which finds sources of happiness in
Sls-tS2,e8 or 2G4 per cent. nearly two
ana half times as much as we sell.
Their production is increasing by
leaps and bounds In eleven years the
exports OF CEile have increased forty-ffve
Per cent from S54130C50. In 1884. TO SIS /
Sao.0O5, in 1895.
In eight years the exports Of Peru
have Increased 100 per cent from sf3 Sg9.- /
On' IN lAvl, to S2S,7-S,0o9 IN 1895 In ten 4
years the exports Of Brazil have increased !
20 per cent from SlS4 $500 IN 1894. to4
S225,l0l.000. In 1895. In ten years the ex- /
ports of Argentina have increased 16s
per cent from SIl5S5S,o10, in 1895, To S3n.- /
$4,000. in 1895
Two Continents COntrasted.
THE material resources Of South 1
America are in some important respects |
complementary 10 our own; that conti- 4
nent is weakest where North America IS /
strongest as Il field for manufactures: it /
has comparatively little coal and iron. In 1
many respects the people Of the two con-
tinents are Complementary to each other;
the South American is polite, refined, cuI- !
tivated. fond of literature. and Of express
sion Of the graces and charms OF life. |
while the North American is strenuous, /
intense, utilitaTian.
Where we accumulate. they spend /
While We have less Of the cheerful philo- /
ply which finds sources Of happiness in |
the existing conditions Of life, they have 4
less Of the inventive faculty which strives /
continually TO increase the productive /
power Of man and lower the cost OF man. |
utaCtUrc. The chief merits of the peo- |
pies of the two continents are different; |
their chief defects are different.
Mutual intercourse and knowledge /
cannot fail 10 greatly benefit both; each |
can learn from the other; each can teach
tribute greatly to the development and /
prosperity Of the other. A large part Of |
their products find no domestic compe- /
ution here; large part of our products |
will find no domestic competition there /
The typical conditions exist for that kind
Of trade which is profitable, honorable, |
and beneficial TO both parties.
No Steamship Lines to L. :.
1T is absolutely essential that the
means OF communication between the two
countries should be improved and in
creased.
This underlies all other considerations.
and ii applies both TO the mail, the pas
senger, and the freight service. Between
ali the principal South American ports
and England. Germany. France. Spafn.
Italy, lines of swift and commodioys
steamers ply regularly. There are five
ssidy frst-class mall and passenger
lines between Buenos Ayres and Euronp.
there is no line between Buenos Avres
and the United States Within the mast
two years the German, the English and /
the Italian lines have been replacing their |
old steamers with new and swifter steam
ers Of modern construction. accommoda-
tion, and capacity
In the year ended June 90. 1906. there
eltSitu Iie port OF hlO de JaneirO steam
ers and sailing vessels flying the flag Of h
Austria-HungaTy 100 Of Norway 1s2 OF
Italy $50, OF Argentina 254. of France $40
os Germany 657. of Great Britain IS. of
the United States no steamers and seven
sailing vessels. two of which were in dis
tressi
Not One Steamer Beyond Caribbean.
'An English firm runs a small steamer
monthly between New York and Rio de
Janeiro; the Panama Railroad Companv
runs steamers between New York and
the Isthmus of Panama; the Brazilians
are starting for themselves a line be-
tween Rio and New York That is the
sum total of American communications
with South America beyond the Carib-
bean Sea. Not one American steamship
runs TO any South American port beyond
the Caribbean.
During the past summer I entered the
ports Of Para, PernambUco, Bahia, Rio de
Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo, Buenos
Ayres. Bahia Blanca. Punta Arenas. Lota,
Valparaiso, Coquimbo. Tocopilla, Cailao.
CONTINUED on PAGE THREE