New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-26
EMr. BryCe's Studies of South
/ American Traits.

( maps. Svo. pp. xiv. Gil. The Macmillan
< Company
From even e much less authoritative
hand and brain than Mr.. Bryces this
book would be welcome as a contribu-
Zion 20 our information Of that CONT
nent which Is, as Mr.. Bryce himself
regards II, the least known Of all In
the world. There is. it Is true, a con-
siderable and respectable photography
, Of South America. a few items Of which
are commended in a note at the end Of
! this book; yet 1t is meagre indeed In
contrast with that Of other continents.
and few of its items have commanded
wide popular attention. Down TO less
than twenty years ago the major part
lof South America was known TO US
chiefly in an academic or a traditional
Fashion.
! MIR. Bryce's animated narratives and
often hauntingly graphic and pictu-
rescue descriptions greatly helghten
the persuasive significance Of his con-
alterations on the political conditions
and prospects Of the South American
states. On some topics he writes
| in not unsuccessful competition with
others, but on these with the authority
of an expert. He writes. too, in sym
pathetic strain. Doubtless he saw
much which excited his displeasure.
But he scrupulously avoids the ex-
[pression Of such feelings. Scorn and
tcensoriousness have no place on his
pages. When Il Is necessary to record
and 10 describe the less agreeable feat
ures of South American life and civili-
cation he does it IN q detached and
academic manner, without reproach or
passion. He writes, also. apprecia-
tively, perceiving the real national
character and national sentiment which
exist in the chief states just as unerr-
iingly as he perceives the rugged gran
deur Of the Andes or the marvellous
limiting Of the harbor Of Rio de Janeiro.
Chill, Argentina, Mexico. Peru, Uru-
quay and Brazil may all be deemed
10 be nations in the European sense OF
the word"
There is no doubt certain commu-
nifty or similarity among all the Span
ish-American peoples:
, A Costa Rican and an Argentine differ
Hess than q Texan does from YER
,monter, or q Caithness man from
lDevonshire man. They are nearer TO one
another than North Americans are 10
Englishmen. They have the broad feat
ures OF Spanish character and tempera-
ment-the love OF sonorous phrases, the
sensitiveness to friendliness or anronL
II the sense OF personal dignity, STEADY
courage In war, and the power Of patient
! endurance. And among men OF educa,
ton and thought the basis Of intellectual
character and the sense OF moral values
seems TO be substantially the same.
Nevertheless, there is only weak
feeling Of common INSTRUMENTATION
brotherhood. Against alien foes Ar
gentlna and Chill and Chilli and Peru
cordially co-operated. But instead of
this cooperation becoming a basis of
fraternity it has been followed by the
pitterest of antegonisms. The various
republics are likely to pursue their sep
arate ways, therefore, and to develop
Individual characteristics:
The only thing that to-day would draw
the republics into line and knit them TO-
gether would be any threat OF aggression
from outside. They have long ceased 10
fear invasion, still less subjugation, by
any European power. But the enormous
strength Of the United States and recol::
lections both of the war she waged
against Mexico in 1886 and Of some more
recent events make them watch the &C
tons Of that country with sensitive sus-
picion which even the correctness OF her
conduct in twice evacuating Cuba has not
entirely dispelled.
An interesting chapter is given to
the relations of the races, native, i'm
migrant and imported, which is full Of
suggestion to other lands in which
Grace problems" exist. Despite the d.
Versity Of blood in South America and
the traditional pride Of the ruling race,
there is no such problem there. In
respect of civil rights there is no dis
tinction between the Indian and the
whites. II is true that the Indians
generally-of course, not invariably
have a status inferior to that Of the
whites. But that is not because they
are Indians but because they are, as
rule, intrlnsically inferior, mentally
and physically. The Indian may thus
be despised as a weakling, and even
ignored as q citizen, but he excites no
personal repulsion. ut Is not his race
that is against him, but his debased
condition. Whatever he suffers is suf-
fered because he is ignorant or timid
or helpless, not because he is Of diff
ferent blood or color"
The result is the most marked and
significant Of all the differences be- ,
tween South America and North
America in respect Of race rela-
tons, namely, in intermarriage and
in the status Of half breeds. There
IS no prejudice against the mar
riage Of whites with Indians, and
If such marriages are not common
that is not because Of race differences
but because OF differences in social
status-precisely as between the no
bility and the peasantry Of European
lands. Again. while in the United
States the mulatto, the quadroon and
even the octoroon are classed as ne
groes, in South America, excepting
perhaps in q few places, the mestizos
are classed as whites In the former