Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-12-27
AMERICANS
TO LEARN
SOMETHING

Washington, Dec. 26.--If the
South American countries view with
awed surprise the great fighting
neet now bearing down along the
eastern coat, the officers and men of
the powerful naval aggregation, al
so likely will open their eyes at the
wonders of the South American
shores. For the greatest squadron
of modern battleships the world ever
saw will find safe anchorage In har-
Dors worthy of its reception. In
stead of the shallow indentations in
the coast line, Admiral Evans will
turn the noses of his sixteen engines
OF destruction into deep-water ports
in which they may ride at ease.
The cruise thus will be one of ed
ucation for Americans, as we'll as
furnishing evidence to the world at
large that this nation is capable of
uTRolding its honor on the high
seas. There is a rooted idea in the
minds OF people of the United States
generally that South America is a be-
nlghted country, with small enter
prise and fewer ambitions. The Inn
preston Is entirely wrong.
IL was brought prominently TO the
attention of the American people this
month that the Latin countries of
the Western Hemisphere are in many
ways OUtstrlpping the United States.
John Barrett, director of the Bureau
OF American Republics, in the course
OF an address before the recent con-
ventIon OF the National Rivers and
HarDo-s Congress here, said:
The one central thought ] wish
TO bring out in this address is both
remarkable and surprising. but en-
tirely true. IL is that our sister re-
pubIlcs OF Latin America, which we
have been In the habit of neglecting
as unimportant and regarding care
lessly as the home OF revolutions,
are spending more money and follow
inE more systematic plan at this
moment for the permanent improve
ment or their rivers and harbors
than Is the United States. In other
words, Ave OF our twenty sister ma
tions, namely. Brazil Uruguay, Ar
gentine. Chile and Mexico. have now
under way harbor and channel con-
struction for which direct appropri-
ations of not less than 100000, 900
have been made. and these same
governments announce that they
have only begun a vast scheme OF
improvements which they contem-
Dlate"
At Rio Janeiro. the capital of B"a-
I'll and boasting a population of $780,
900, the Brazilian government Is
spending $25 100000 in making har-
bor improvements and constructing
concrete basins ana docks that will
surpass anything in this country
Brazil also Is spending at Para, near
Ehs mouth OF the Amazon, $4,000
900; at Santos. swampy port, has
been transformed into splendid
harbor at a cost or Sl5, 5,OOO,OOO, ana
at rio Groude de Sui work Is going
forward on harbor improvements 10
cnH another S12.00O,000.
This activity Is not confined to
Brazil Argentine Is equally active.
Its harbOr at Buenos Ayres is the
pride OF the country and cost S50,-
OOO, 900. hut the government is pre-
pairing 70 spend $t5,O00,000 addi-
tional in improvements. Rosario,
snveral hundred miles from the sea,
on the River Parana, Is splendid
seaport, because of improvements
10 the river and the construction by
the government Of docks costing
$4,000, O,OOO, at which the largest
STEAMERS Dad and unload.
The expenditures made by this
government for waterway improve
Inents seem paltry beside these fig-
ures, Tho National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress has been insistent for
several years that nor less than $5O,'
OOO. .Oe0 annually should be expended