The Washington herald., 1907-11-26
OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

By FREDERl
The independent nations OF the Amer
lean continent are twenty-oRe republics
One is AnglO-SaXons. twenty are Latin
In one English is spoken. in the others,
Spanish, Portuguese, and French. The
English-speaking United states has q
greater population and greater developed
wealth than all the others taken together,
although its area is but about Oue-fOUrth
OF the whole. The great United States
government Of to-day. ranking high
among the world powers. was not always
50 strong as il is to-day. When II had
but little more than half Of its present
continental territory. and when its popu-
lation was but tenth OF what f. IS now
it issued 20 all the powers Of the old
World a notable defiance. the Monroe
doctrine
The Latin-American countries were just
then throwing OF the yoke OF Spanish
rule The memory OF the struggle for
independence Of the United States was
fresh. Fears OF monarchical iucroach-
meat were lively. Thus it was that James
Monroe, President. in 1913 gave utterance
to the famous doctrine which has ever
since served 70 keep European powers
from extending their American posses
sions In :hose days the United States
took the iveIiest interest in all that was
doing in Latin-America Later the growth
Of the United States was 50 rapid that
the hustliHg Yankees forgot all about
their brethren 10 the south They were
dismissed with gesture Of impatience
as being too volatile for business men"
90 consider.
So IT came about that the Latin-Amer-
lean republics. which have taken our
constitution for n model Of government.
which have initiated our politics and Gus
toms. which have taken our constitution
for a model OF government. which have
initiated our politics. which have rested
secure in the sense that our army and
navy Will protect them from European
invasion and conquest. buy their goods
in Europe. This state Of affairs is not
al All 90 the liking Of far-secing Ameri-
can business men and sJatemen, and q
campaign 10 win the trade Of the twenty
p
American public is now being waged.
The exports and imports exchanged be-
tween Latin America and the United
States last year aggregated In value
S6i0C0o.G0o. which is favorably contrasted
with the aggregate for ten years ago.
S23GUo,0oe. or the last years exchange.
the United States imported from Latin
America goods 10 the value Of S3fo. zoe o00.
while the United States sent 70 Latin
America goods valued AT $50 GO0.G0. This
leaves q balance OF trade in favor OF
Latin America Of $I0.N00o0. u is con-
fidently predicted that this trade viii
increase 10 more than a billion dollars
within the next decade
The great Argentine Republic has been
enjoying several years Of wonderful pros
pe-ity. England, Germany. and France
control tie greater part Of its trade
Brazil buys but a little more than one
tenth Of its imports from the United
States. Chile, which has quadrUpled its
commerce in ten years. goes 70 Europe.
for almost everything il buys Mexico.
the Central American states. and the
countries about the Caribbean Sea are in
clined TO favor the United States on ac-
count Of their proximity. but il cannot
be said that the business men OF this
country have lived up 10 the fuII measure
OF their opportunities in any Of the other
twenty American republics
The International Bureau OF American
Republics. with principal headquarters at
Washington. is aiding I'm evry possible
way the cultivation Of more friendly -e-
latiCns between the American republics.
John Barrett. the director cf the bureau.
is one Of the most energetic of-men. He
has been United States Minister 10 sew
eral Latin-American countries, and knows
both sides Of every question at issue. and
Of every misunderstanding. He is en-
ployed by twenty-one governments. and
is the servant Of each In equal degree.
About a year ago Mr. Barrett was in
Detroit and had occasion TO make a
speech at a gathering Of manufacturers.
most of whom made automobiles He
urged them TO go into the Latin-Ame-i-
can field. After the speech several of the
manufacturers told Mr.. Barrett that they
didn't care 20 go TO the trouble OF finding
a salesman who could speak Spanish
and Portuguese, and they were selling
all the machines they could turn out,
anyhow Not long thereafter came a
slight slump in the stock market. Il
affected only rich people. but they are
the people who buy automobiles Within
a week there were a half dozen letters
on M Barretts desk from these auto
mobile makers. all asking for specific
advice in regard TO their entering the
South American trade field.
The Latin-American governments are
heartily in accord with the desires OF the
United States for closer relations. What
remaining jealousies there may have
been were wiped out by the trip OF Sec
retary Of State Root through South
America at the time or the third Pan
American Congress and later to Mexico.
The Latin Americans await the agents
OF American business with a cordial wei
come. IL the American business men
viii reach out for the business they may
have IT,
It must be remembered that Latin
ways are not our ways. The Yankee
business man who goes into Latin
America with a sneer on his lip. and a
determination to remold everything 10
the hearts desire OF Peoria. ILL.,, viii re-
turn a wiser man. but there will be no
orders in his notebook. The United
States must realize that the Latin