The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-23

tors Of newspapers published In the
Southern States for occasional letters
on commercial and economic topics Of
interest to the people OF our section.
take the liberty OF writing to you
on the great importance Of the expan-
sion OF our export trade with the Lat
in-American countries.
This II q matter OF special impor-
tance to our section. not only because
Of our geographical advantage with
reference TO this trade. which. as 20
the Pacific coast countries. will be still
further increased by the completion
Of the Panama canal. but also because
large proportion OF the commodities
which the countries to the South OF
ne import can be produced and manu-
factured advantageously In the South
ern States A few statistics will show
the great present Importance and flu
ture possibilities OF these markets. In
round figures. the combined area OF
Mexico. Central America. South Am
erica. and the West India Islands is
5000. 900 square miles. and their COM
bined population Is 65.000.000. Their
population Is rapidly increasing. In
the year 1901. 32s.122 immigrants ar
rived IN Argentina alone. Among
south American cities. Rio de Janerio
viii soon have population Of 1.0Oo.-
900. and Buenos Aires. the largent
city In the world south OF the equator.
has approximately 100000 inhabi-
tants. and the progressive character
Of Its people Is shown by the fact that
they are now arranging to put In a
system Of underground electric rail-
ways.
The past ten years have witnessed a
marked change In political and econo-
mic conditions In the Lati-American
countries. Political upheavals are
now OF comparatively rare occurrence
and. with few exceptions. these coun-
tries have stable governments which
afford adequate protection to life and
property. They are making rapid
strides In material development. In
former years they were seriously ham,
pered by lack OF transportation facili-
ties. Their needs In this respect are
being rapidly supplied. Navigable
streams are being improved. wagon
roads are bing constructed. and the
Latin-American governments. general
ly, are pursuing an enlightened policy
ot encouragement to railway construc-
tion.
In 1907. for instance. over 800 miles
OF new railway were constructed In
Argentina. making the total length of
OF the lines In operation in that coun-
try $4,000 miles. In Brazil 436 miles
CT RAILWAY were built In 1907. bringing
the total mileage up TO 1859 miles.
Mexico has 14.1s1 miles Of railway.
Chile has 1900 miles of railway, and
In the mountain country OF Bolivia a
plan OF construction involving the ex-
pediture OF s27. 900. 900 Of governments;
and private capital has been adopted
Political stability, increasing popuia-
tion. and improved ieans of trans
portation are resulting In material
progress and In an Increase In the pur-
chasing power OF the Latin-American
peoples. the. extent Of which. I believe.
is not generally appreciated In our
country.
The Latin-American countries pro-
duce an abundance OF commodities
that are In demand In other lands.
The combined value OF their exports.
almost wholly made up OF unmanufac-
tured articles. Is about S1.072. 900. 900
per year. The combined value OF
their imports. composed chiefly OF
manufactured articles. amounts. ap-
pru1imsteiy. to S1.o05. 900. 900 I per
,ear. Our country is their best con-
sumner. In the year ended June 80.
1908. We bought from them commo-
d,ties to the value OF t2s7.05s.01s. In
amounted to t2ss.sS..is1. The i'm
portance OF the Latin-American mar
kets is indicated not 80 much by the
present value Of the imports into those
countries ss by the rats at which their
purchases from other countries are
Increasing. In 1898 the total value Of
fheir purchasea from, the Iynited States
was ss5.ssi.s57. Comparing these
ngures with those for the last fiscal
year. shows an increase In ten years
of si50.770.274. or i7s per cent. In
the same period the total value OF our
exports to all the rest of the world in
creased a fraction less than ~ pei
cent Gratifying as this increase Is.
u does not represent what might have