The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-06-19
PREPARE NOW, SAYS DIRECTOR
GENERAL, OF PANAMA CANAL
Otherwise South American Trade
viii Go To Other States.
Philadelphia, June Is.


UNLESS Philadelphia and Pennsyl-
vania are up and doing they will be
outdistanced by New York, Boston,
Baltimore and New Orleans, in the
race for South American trade that
will come with the opening of the
Panama Canal"
This significant statement was a
part of a vigorous speech delivered
before the Poor Richard Club by
John Barrett, Director-General of the
Panama Canal, urging Pennsylvania
to make all haste in her preparations
to receive and hold new pan Amer
lean trade that will come with the
opening of the new waterway across
the continent.
q" 1t will not do to sit idly by, sat
ished with your present foreign
trade, or with the business you are
now doing with Southern countries,
and expect to gain your share of the
future commerce developing in our
sister republics" he continued.
Il say, without eXaggeration and
without prejudice, that there is no
more vital question affecting the flu
| ture progress and standing of Phila-
| delphia and Pennsylvania than that
| of appreciation and development of
]
and countries which will be reached
/ by means of the Panama Canal. Too
much emphasis cannot be placed on
! this warning, and you may mark my
words that, unless you do exert your
selves, you will awaken some years
after the canal is opened, regretting
/ that you did not heed my advice.
The twenty countries, reaching
from Mexico and Cuba, south to Ar
gentina and Chile, are just now en-
tering upon a period of great mate
rial prosperity. There may be a few
revolutions and local troubles at the
( moment, but these will soon pass
away, to be followed by an era OF
wonderful advancement. These
countries have the resources, the
products and the position to take 6
front place in international trade
The governments and the business
interests of Europe and even O.
Asia are aware of this fact, and they
are leaving no effort neglected tC
get their share of pan-Americar
: commerce.
"If Pennsylvania, and if tn,
United States, will make a cores
ponding effort, or will work as hare
to build up their exchange of pro
ducts with Central and South Amer
lea as they have with different sec
tions of the United States, and witt
Europe, they will get splendid re
turns. ,,1
THAT | may pc talking the trutl
and not indulging in fantasies, lie
me call to your attention some sail
, ent figures.
Commerce Exceeds Two Billions.
The foreign commerce, last yeal
of the twenty countries of Latil
, America exceeded a total of $4,000
: 100000. This surprising sum is a.
the more astounding when We real
ize that it represents a growth Q
l $1,000, 100000 in the last ten years
\ THE share, however, which tn
{ United States has in this foreig
}. trade is larger than is generally SUI
posed. 1t will amount, this year,
fully $7OO,OOO,O0 This repre-
sents an increase of nearly 100 pc
: cent. in the last decade.
Therefore, | ask you, if all Lati
: American can do a commerce of 81
t O.000,000, and If the share of tn
o United States is $70U,000,00O, will
o out the Panama Canal and withoI
y our fun appreciation of these couI
:, tries, will not those totals advanC
i enormously when the canal is con
IL pleted and when our whole couI
f try is aroused to the possibilities {
pan-American trade?
There is not one of these twent
Latin American countries that doe
a. not need, in increasing quantitie
the products of the principal mani
,f facturers of Philadelphia and Penl
sylvania. AS they grow they mu
buy of you in increasing amount
s if you will only give them the oppo
If tunity, and if you will, in turn, bu
t. from them their raw product
4 which are needed for our materi
n. and industrial interests.
n. Pennsylvania great manufa
, turing, exporting and importiI
- firms should now be sending the
y best men all over Latin America
K find out what they want to bl
n down there and what they want
Ii sell"