Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-24
BARRETT SPRINGS SURPRISES
Tells Commercial Club Interesting
Things About Latin America.
ARGENTINA EXPORTS ARE BIG
Noted Diplomat at Luncheon Sneak,
of Relations of Omaha and Cen
tral West TO Interests in
Foreign Relations.

II any member of the Commercial club
went to the luncheon OF the municipal af-
fairs committee yesterday with the idea
that there is nothing worth while outside
the United States. that idea must have
been dispelled by the address OF John Bar
rstt. director general OF the Pan-American
union. on "omaha's and the Central
. Vests Interest In Our Foreign Rela-
tions."
Argentina with population Of 7.ooO.-
1000. last year bought and sold 100000 900
worth of goods, which is 500 per capita.
q greater per capita trade than that Of
any other important nation Of the world"
said Mr.. Barrett. seeking TO impress his
hearers with the Importance OF South
American trade. This was greater than
ths entire trade OF Japan. with 100000
people. or OF China, with 5oo,ooo.ooo"
Millions in improvements.
Rio Janlero, he said. spent s5o.0oo.00O on
% single broad avenue through the city
and millions upon millions upon Its docks
The five big Brazilian ports spend more
on their harbors than does the United
States on its entire coast line. Buenos
,Ayres, with 100000 people. the largest
city south Of the equator. was once thirty
miles from deep water, but spent $50. 0oo,-
900 to bring deep water to her door and
today the visitor In the splendid hotel
overlooking the water front may see at
any time 900 merchant vessels from all
parts OF the world In the harbor.
Speaking briefly OF the size. resources
, and population of each country, he said
the development of all has but merely
started. Their foreign trade has practic-
ally doubled In ten years and is yet very
small compared with what 1t will be.
splendid Race of People.
The people. he said. are not ''dagoes;"
they are splendid race OF men-a new
race. a mixture OF Spanish, Italian, Eng
lish and German blood. people Of In
tense dynaApic energy and wonderful pos
fsibilities.
Mr.. Barrett repeated his idea expressed
at the Omaha club last night that toll
frates on the Panama canal should be
wery low. TO insure a great volume of
eonnrerce.
II wish" he said. that every CONNER
cial organization of the country would
bring pressure TO bear on congress to
make the tolls>fow. We are not building
the canal for revenue. but to increase
commerce. Congress is so busy with
other things that II is not studying the
canal question closely enough"
Omaha 10 be Benefited.
Omaha business men should be as much
interested as those OF New Orleans or
San Francisco In the development OF
trade with the southern republics. the
speaker said. for while Omaha does NOT
set a direct benefit from foreign trade.
n received q reflected benefit that Is vital
: 20 business. Cut off foreign trade. he
said, and homo trade will ianguish.
Most of the stories OF revolution In
Iatin-America. according to Mr.. Bar
rett. are due TO the enterprise Of sensa-
tional newspaper writer's with whom the
country is infested. In an area three
times the size of the United States. he
said. there has been no important revolu-
tlon IN fifteen years.