The Glenwood post., 1909-11-20
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tion of independence was not at Bue-
nos Ayres, or in the seacoast prov
inces. but far up in the northern in
terror, at place called Tucuman.
This is the Philadelphia of the Ar
gentine Republic. On visiting it, some
years ago, l found many interesting
memorials of the declaration and of
the congress which sat there. Tucu-
man is now thriving city, railroad
center and the distributing point for
a rich agricultural region.
While the plans for the centennial,
as provided for by the Argentine con-
gress last winter, contemplate the
erection of many statues and monu
ments in the city of Buenos Ayres
to the capital. There are plans for
the erection Of graded schools in La
Plata, Corrientes, Santa Fe and other
provincial capitals. This is in line
with the educational policy which, for
more than 40 years, has been lead
ing feature in the progress Of the
country. 1t is due to Sarmiento. the
schoolmaster president, who lived in
the United States as young man and
was the close friend of Horace Mann
and other noted educators. He estab-
lished the astronomical observatory at
Cordoba, the ancient seat of learning
and the home Of the university that
still exists. American professors have
been in charge Of the observatory for
many years. President Sarmiento
also brought school teachers from
New England, who had very great
influence in molding and developing
the school system. A few years ago
one Of these teachers, a New England
woman. died after many years of ser
vice. She was shown funeral honors
by the government such as are ac-
corded to high public officials.
Further evidence of the practical
side of the centennial will be afforded
by the various expositions. These in
clude an exposition of fine arts. an
agricultural exposition and an expo
sition Of transportation. The latter
will be chiefly railway exhibit This
is fitting. because it is the railways
which have made Argentina what it is
and which will make it a much great
er country in the future. So much of
the country is fiat and level that rail-
way building has no more difficulties
than on our western prairies, except
when the foothills of the Andes are
reached.
Argentina is very hospitable coun-
try to foreigners. The language is
Spanish and. as l have stated, the
country is peopled by the Spanish
race. But there is very large ad-
mixture of other races, particularly
from the Latin countries of Europe.
In the great city of Buenos Ayres,
which now has population of 1,200,-
900, there are said to be between 30O,-
900 and 100000 Italians. The Italians
country. There is large German
colony in Buenos Ayres, with German
schools, Lutheran church, and vari.
GUS societies, which remind one very
much of the home life in the Father
land.
The English-speaking colony is
pretty large. and is growing all the
time. There are several churches, the
best known of which is the Methodist,
of which DIR. Mclaughlin is the pas
tor.
Out in the country there are a good
many Irish and English farmers, and
down in the southern section, in what
the Biographies used to call Pata-
gonia, many Scotchmen are engaged
in raising sheep. There is also
very prosperous Welsh colony, which
has its annual eisteddfod. or song fes-
tival. And away up in the north, at
Tucuman, there is Swiss colony,
which has its sharpshooters' festival,
when the deeds of William Tell are
recounted, and sometimes repeated.
So one can see what a thoroughly
country the Argentine
Republic is.
Again. how many North Americans
know that Buenos Ayres. the capital
of Argentina, is the largest city in the
world south of the equator; that 1t is
the second Latin city. ranking after
Paris, in all the world; that it now
has a population Of 10000 and is
growing faster than any city in the
United States excepting New York or
ChicaSof