Evening journal., 1911-05-19
TRADE CHANCES
In ARGENTINE
American Minister is for I'M
proving Them by Urging
a Merchant Marine
RICH COUNTRY
THAT HAS NO BEGGARS

Charles H. Sheriff., United States
Minister of the Argentine Republic,
made an earnest appeal to the busi-
ness interests of the country to sup
port a demand for an American meT-
chant marine in speaking at the an
nuaI dinner of the New York Piano
Manufacturers Association. recently
He avoided discussing ship subsidy
or other means of effecting the re-
suit, saying that when the business
interests were once aroused they
would find the means
Mr.. Sheriff. began by citing some
facts in the recent development OF
the Argentine as showing one great
field that is being neglected by Amer
ican manufacturers, although trade
with this country, he said, had IN
creased in the last two years from
$4,000, 900 to ss0,0O0,O0 0
James ]. HILL said Mr.. Sheriff.,
says that next year we will not
have the same home markets we have
had in the past. We must replace
those markets with others. The Ar
gentines are q wonderful people that
we know little about They are as
different from the people Of other
South American countries as we are.
Argentina is o country of extraordi-
nary wealth and is going aheard
faster than we are. II had for
eign trade last year as large as that
of japan and China combined al
though It has but 100000 people,
and double that of Brazil An indi-
cation of its wealth is in the fact that
England drew in dividends on invest
ments in Argentina last year $780,
oOO 600. The population Of Buenos
Avres has doubled in twelve years
and is now 100000. II has much
hetter dock facilities than we have
The Government is to spend S6O'OOO,-
0OO in the next six years on public
improvements. and II has the money
10 spend. When we got the contract
for building two battleships for Ar
gentina one Of the banks here cabled
through me an. offer to float a loan
for the s27.000,000, thinking. Of
course. it would be necessary, but the
reply was that the battleships would
be paid for out of current revenues.
Argentina is the only country
where the Latin race lives in a tenn
perate climate. and it seems to have
wonderful effect In two years
there I have never seen a beggar or
drunken man. It costs twice as
much to live there as here. Every
body has money and spends 1t freely.
"The reason for this great pros
perity is that Argentina is covered
with a fifteen foot deposit Of rich
loan. This means crops to an extent
that we don't realize. In some cases
Ave crops of alfalfa year have been
raised for fifteen years.
The Foreign Trade.
"Tbe wealth and the trade are
there. but you don't get it by moth.
ers' meetings or banquets. You have
got to 20 after it. The foreign col
onv in Buenos Ayres includes 10000
Fnelishmen, $4,000 Germans, 35,00l
Frenchmen aad only 400 Americans
We now have a tenth of the foreign
trade. and lRlieve If we went aftel
II through iont effort of Chamber
of Commerce here. in year or tive
we could have half of it.
1--WE are vfy proud of the trade
balance last year in favor of thil
country of SIG 100000 but how abou
the $500 100000 you paid to foreign
shining for barrying your exports
The people Df the United State
should stop their foolishness ant
realize that Fe are not building III
a merchant rarine There is said Z,
be a possibility Of difficulty betweei
the two grea carrying nations Of tn
world Supose war broke out be
tween Englhd and Germany. I'm
mediately cry bit of goods on thei
ships woui become contraband
Your goods except the per cent
carried in american bottoms, woul'
stav on thedocks. and we should Sc
the create. panic the country ha
ever had.
THE upuilding of the merchan
marine Is problem that has got 4
be solved. Once we have aroused tn
business lterests OF the country T.
this fact. { becomes your business t
settle it. nd I don't believe you vii
leave it o foreign shipping agents
who areconducting its solution 10
day"
All n piano manufacturers pres
ent signd a petition to Congress ask
ing it , enact legislation that vii
accompsh the rehabilitation an
Gevelohent of the merchant marine.