The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-12-08
Director Of International Bureau
OF American Republics Shik-
es Keynote Situation.

The following extracts from the ad-
dress of John Barrett, the director of |
the International Buerau of American
Republics, before TIE Southern Com
mercial Congress, which is now in ses-
sion at Washington, contain many sug-
gestions which might be profitable to
people of the Southern states, if act
ed upon. Among other things, Mr..
Barrett said:
ut is of the highest Importance, not
only to the South, but 70 the whole
country, that we should begin to get
ready for the Panama canal. We are
now actually confronted with seri-
GUS danger to our commerce and our
prestige abroad-namely, that we shall
complete the canal only to find that
other countries will gain greater prac-
tical benefits from it than will the
United States.
1.-THE one gerat thing, therefore,
that our people and our congress now
should do is to study and set in mo-
ton such activities and policies as
will place the entire land in readiness
to enjoy, and profit from, the new
routes and facilities provided by the
canal. 1t will be almost criminal lack
of foresight to spend four hundred mil.
lions of dollars ($4OO,0O0,0OO) digging
this waterway and then awaken at
it's completion to find that We are not
in a position to utilize fully its much
discussed advantages.
There are twenty-one states of the
Union bordering on the high seas and
having ports from which vessels ought
to steam through the Panama canal
and yet hardly one of them realizes
the opportunities which the canal of
fers, with it's completion only five
years distant. There should be start
ed a slogan, Get ready for the canal
/. which would be heard all along thu
gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts ant
inaugurate national movement t.
prepare for it in way that will b.
\ effective and practical. Every city AM
commercial center having any interes
in foreign commerce should acquain
itself with actual trade conditions il
the parts of the world to be reache
by the canal.
Every section of the country-es
pecially the South and Central West
should afmiliarize itself, for instance
of South and Central America and tn
possible wants and resources thereo
Conditions of demand and supply, CO
pacity to sell what is desired or pu
chase what is for sale, starting c
new industries, conservation Of resou
ces, improvement of coast harbors an
interior waterways, betterment {
steamship facilities, the sending {
qualified agents abroad study of tn
oPohioh ioh6uet6S, IidFSi ohiOh5 ShSs
heretofore distant but future clos
neighbors, and acquaintance with the
social and racial characteristics-a
have direct and important bearin
on getting ready for the canal
1.-The Southern states abuttihg G
the gulf and Atlantic coasts, the fir
n tier of states back of them and tt
r Central Western states have a gre
and rich commercial opportunity b
fore them in Latin America. Wit
out. enlarging upon the vast east Goa
of South America, which includes Il
n mighty areas of Venezuela. Urugua
a Brazil Paraguay and Argentine, WI
y an annual foreign trade valued at o.
n billion dollars ($1,O00,000,0O let
A bear in mind that there reaches dire
ly south from Panama to ratagon
n a Pacific coast line of 5000 miles,
III the vast infancy of it's develOpme
HI blessed with a marvellous variety
III resources and climate, and one whit
az though comparatively isolated, is
|E ready conducting foreign trade v
y ued at three hundred millions of
lars $3OO,OOO,OOO) per annum. In o
er words, the five republics of Colo
bia, ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and CHI
!: :: :: !: e: !: !: ::
II practically debouching on the Paci
4 = bought and sold in one year produ
8 equal in value to two-thirds of
n entire cost of the canal. If tr;
m of such volume can be maintain
without the canal, it is difficult
predict safely it's valuation
years after the canal is completed
Northwest from Panama is the
cific coast line of Central Amer