New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-04

LENS with Introductory Chapters on
Mexico and Her Relations to Her Neigh
bors. By Frederick Palmer. 2. &. G S,
Illustrated. Svo, pp. xiv, Ssi. Moffat
Yard & Co.
This informing. significant and agree
ably readable book is based on a series
Of newspaper letters published last year.
The author has expanded his original
material and added much new matter
for the purpose Of making his pages q
fund Of reliable information to he drawn
upon by Americans VINO would estab-
lish on sound knowledge their opinion of
the relations which this country is to
hold hereafter with the Central Anaeri-
can NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that bristle with
foreshadowed difficulties and problems
likely to call for speedy and permanent
solution.
Gr. Palmer. like almost all his prede
cessors. begins by reproaching us col
lectively with our ignorance Of the
countries to the south of us, and still
more with our complainant Indifference
toward that Ignorance We know in q
large. vague way that Chill and the
Argentine are advancing with giant
steps, developing world markets Of the
first Importance, which it behooves US to
enter before our commercial rivals shall
gain absolute control of them. But We
defer action: our eyes are riveted on the
Far East and that open Door which, We
begin 10 suspect, may turn out TO be q
swinging one instead. Mention Of Brazil
calls up. IN the same large, general way,
en- image OF reputed German aspira-
tions. and as for Central America, we
connect it with the plots Of musical
comedies and picturesque novel or two,
and assume toward it a semi amused
attitude. as toward a naughty child that
we really shall have TO take in hand
one Of these days. In the undeveIoped
wealth Of the region we, who are heirs
Of the greatest national fortune in his
tory. take but small interest: and of the
tragedy underlying the opera bouffe we
know all too little Says Mr. Palmer:
Rich territories capable of vast develop
uent are less widely cultivated and more
eparselv populated than they were three
than they ever were under Spanish cap
7ains general. People q days sail from the
nited STATES degenerate for want OF OBJ
draining. while missionaries spread
light in Darkest Africa and the interior
Of China Cultured families have been
f1eCfma1ed by political assassination and
their estates ConhScated- Barhar1ues worse
shan those which have excited our indiS-
nation in Russia and Turkey exist; and
Tor these Inc United states is responsible
Our initial mistake. the author points
out, lies in our grouping the peoples Of
South and Central America together
End drawing the conclusion that what
Chilians, Argentinians, BraZilians and
the others are doing to-day the Cen
trail Americans will begin to do for
themselves at some time in the near
future. In reality these populations
differ vastly in racial compositions and
possibilities.
They have only language in common
otherwise thew are as vitality and baSically
different in character as France from
Egypt. The peoples on the other SIDE OF
tie equator are Latin-American, and
those on this side, including Mexico and
excepting Costa Rica. may be called, fol
want Of a better word. Indo-Anerican.
Ninety-one per cent of the population
of Argentina is pure white; in Brazil
Chill and Paraguay the purely white OF
preponderantly white strain varie!
from s. to - per cent. In the five Cen
trail American republics, on the other
hand the average is but ID per cent
These figures are the more significant
when VIC learn that IN peaceful, stable
prosperous Costa Eica so to so per cent
of the population is Latin-American, Oh
white.
Mexico. which, too, is Indo-AmeriCan
with only 10 per cent OF whites. is ar