The Detroit times., 1909-06-12

II is a long journey that Chase 8.
Osborn takes his readers upon In the
! COO pages of THE Andean Land"
just published by Il. g. McClurg &
| Co, Chicago, in two volumes, with
more than 80 illustrations and sur-
| fcient number OF maps. so that the
reader may always know whittier he
Is going or whence he has come.
Before going into any account OF
what Mr. Osborn's book consists OF, IL
should be mentioned that our Well
! known Michigan editor and pubic
man-we can scarcely call him poll
| tician-has surely added new laurels
TO his reputation. for he has demon
strated himself to be a traveller or no
mean observation and an author OF
sufficient interest so that his readers
once started on his travels. VIII tol'
low him the whole 1000 miles from
New York TO Cape Horn, and then
back home by the circuitous route he
chances TO travel throughout the South
American countries.
Mr.. Osborn gets his followers inter-
ested with him the moment they leave
New York city and round Sandy Hook.
4
the strange South American civiliza-
ton. but the introduction is so gradual
that the reader finds himself enjoying
the voyage from New York almost as
much as IL he we're ON ship-hoard4
Mr.. Osborn's literary style is such
as to lend interest TO practically every
page.
Before the reader is returned home
he has delved with Author Osborn INTO
history, astronomy, ancient and mod
ern civilization, both North and South
American politics as well as the hun
dred end one minor matters that con.
Germ the present-day civilization OF
the South American countries.
The Andean Land" can scarcely do
otherwise than become standard on
library shelves devoted to South
American biography, and, as the pub
fishers suggest. is intended for both
tourists and business men who wish
TO understand the South American
market. as we'll as the general reader.
Mr. Osborn covers the South Ameri.
can countries. beginning at Brazil and
going south TO include Argentine. the
Falkland Islands, Chile. Peru, Ecua-
dor, Colombia. Venezuela and the
Guianeas The author introduces the
reader into the life OF each one OF
these countries In succession In man.
ner most charming and interesting.
While portraying most wildly the life,
manners and customs Of the Brazilian
people. he does not omit to inform
the reader that a pair Of shoe laces
costs % cents in gold, thus confirming
Il a, 81 living
In some at least, of the South Ameri-
can countries is the most expensive In
the world.
Many chapter is devoted to con
sideration OF special subjects. and
many a paragraph serves 10 EXPRESS
the authors views on subjects that arc
OF special interest TO North Ameri.
cans. For instance, in the early pages
OF his book Mr.. Osborn questions seri-
ously how much a subsidy would de-
velop the American merchant marine
or South American trade. He points
out that our trade with South America
is now served by several lines that are
at one auuther's throats, and he7 en-
phasizes strongly his view that Rmeri-
can dollars will earn decidedly more
| elsewhere than when invested in a
I south American IUtTCHdllI marine.
While he does not propose to con.
slider the ship subsidy question AGA
dcmically. Mr.. Osborn makes It very
plain that the question is two-sided
and will bear most thorough considera-
| ton
Akin To this subject, is his observe
tions on South American trade, to
which he devotes n special chapter in
this he takes the stand that when
American capitalists get ready 10 enter
South American trade In real earnest
they will have their own way, but he
points out that up to the present time
the United States has been exploiting
nearer and better fields. Our domes-
tic trade has demanded major atten-
ton, and for n market for our sur.
plus, eve have gone TO Canada, Europe
and that part of the Orient which may
be said to be adjacent to the natural
pathway of travel and trade"
These observations on Mr.. Osborns