Willmar tribune., 1909-11-24

generous of the two, after an intex'
view with Bolivar, returned to Buencx
Ayres. There he met the obstaclea
that constructive statesmen often mee<
in trying to reconcile and consolidate
discordant local interests. He became
a voluntary exile, and died at Bou.
logne, in France. One of the features
of the centennial celebration is to be
the erection of a monument to him at
BOulOgne.
Another hero of the Argentine
struggle was Gen. Belgrano. who was
second only to San Martin. A mag.
niticent mausoleum holds his eemains.
The seat of the Argentine declara.
tion of independence was not at Bue.
nos Ayres, or in the seacoast prov.
1nces, 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
rich agricultural region.
While the plans for the Centennial,
as provided for by the Argentine con.
gress last winter, contemplate tho
erection Of many statues and mol,u.
ments In the city Of Buvnos Ayres,
these memorials are not to be limited
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 a lead
Ing feature in the progress of the
country. 1t is due to Sasmiento, 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 a very great
influence in molding and developing
the school system. A few years ago
one of these teachers, New England
woman, died after many years Of SER
vice. She was shown funeral honors
by the government such as are &C.
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 a very hospitable coun.
try to foreigners. The language is
Spanish and. as l have stated, tho
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 1900.
900, there are said to be between 3O0,.
900 and 100000 Italians. The Italians
are also scattered throughout the
country. There is a 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.