Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-09
"Get Ready for the Canal"

SSI nSd0y IOI ItC Sdud's
Get ready for the canal was the
keynote of an address delivered be-
fore the Southern Commercial Con-
gross at Washington Monday after
noon The speaker was John Bar
rett a director of the International
Bureau of American Republics, a man
familiar with trade conditions up and
down the both seaboards. His battle
cry found a ready response among
those within the sound of his voice.
AS the gathering was composed of the
leading thinkers and business men of
the South, it is safe to say that when
this appears in print the slogan is
echoing from Virginia to Texas.
Get ready for the canal does not
mean laying in stock of fireworks
and buying a ticket to a banquet
somewhere. 1t means lending a hand
to improve trade conditions between
this country and our Central and
South American neighbors, on both
coasts. 1t means urging the adoption
of some sort of ship subsidy bill for
the encouragement of a merchant
marine and ship building. Perhaps a
mail subsidy is not adequate. Per-
haps a subsidy giving aid to the
slower freight steamers would help
f1i i.. fhof t.,yH
sides are better than none and the
sooner we get them the better.
The men who met at Washington
represented the South and talked, for
the most part, of the advantages to be
derived from the use Of the canal by
the South. 1t is to be hoped that the
South will get the benefit of the canal
to the full, that business in the South
will grow by leaps and bounds because
of it. For, if the South grows and
prospers the rest of the country will
prosper accordingly.
THE Southern states abutting on
the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. the first
tier of states back of them and the
Central Western states have a great
and rich commercial opportunity be-
fore them in Latin America" said Mr..
Barrett. without charging upon the
vast east coast of South America.
which includes the mighty areas of
Venezuela, Uruguay Brazil. Paraguay
and Argentina with an annual foreign
| trade valued at one billion dollars (s1.-
100000, 000), let us bear in mind that
! there reaches directly south from
Panama to Patagonia Pacific coast
line of 5000 miles. in the very infancy
of it's development, blessed with a
marvellous variety of resources and
climate. and one which, though COM
paratively isolated, is already conduct
ing foreign trade valued at three
hundred millions of dollars (s3OO.O0O,-
0oo) per annum In other words. the
| five republics of Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru Bolivia. and Chile, practically
debouching on the Pacific, bought and
sold in one year products equal in
value to two-thirds of the entire cost
of the canal. If trade of such vol
ume can be maintained without the
canal. it is difficult to predict safely
its valuation a few years after the
canal is completed.
| Northwest from Panama is the pa
cific coast line of Central America
and Mexico. with a reach of nearly
5000 miles, which will be put into di-
rect and intimate touch with the South
when the canal is opened. This coast
line from Panama to San Diego now
carries on a foreign trade valued at
approximately one hundred millions of
dollars 100000, 0OO); it is hard to
prophesy what total this will beSome
a few years after the isthmian water
way is done.
Directly en- route from the Atlantic
coast to the canal are Cuba, the DOM
inican Republic, Hayti, and Porto
Rico. with an annual foreign trade
valued at nearly two hundred and fifty
million dollars $3.50, ooo,ooo)
# - ~ s-esaee -