New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-20

with the Story OF the KeNOlullSH LVhh
10 this Day. BY Henry Baerlein; mus
trated svo. PIP xiv. i6l. Philadelphia !:
The J. j. Lippincott Company
THE REPUBLICS OF CENTRAL AND
sOUTH AMERICA. Their Resources,
industries. Sociology and Future. BY
G. REGINALD En- Jck, F. r. q. D MUS
trations and maps. SvO, PIP. d4 Charles
Scribner's Sons
, COLOMBIA. BY Phanor James Eaer.
With forty Illustrations and two maps
THE South American Series. "o' PIP
xXiv, 3l2 Charles SCrtbner's sons.
These three volumes dealing with
South American conditions. prospects
and possibilities are the work OF ENG
,ishrnen well fitted for their tasks. 1t
NAV. indeed. be observed at the very
outset Of this review that the recent
contributions made by Europe. and es-
,pecially by England, to the literature
Of what will become with the opening
Of the Panama Canal the country OF
the Immediate future are among 'he
most informing and helpful WORKS on
a subject Of great Importance. Enghsh
trade has discovered that it has peeh
losing steadily the preponderance IL
had gained in the markets or SCUM
America. and is being exhorted 10 hoiu
its own. and increase 1t again. lest
further losses occur. France has there
as elsewhere. a special trade IN "hlch
competition is as yet small; ltaiy Is
gaining ground steadily, owing III Ho
small part to its enormous emlgralioh'
and Germany is purposefully adapting
herself to the commercial require
ments of a continent on the verge ol
Its greater development, laying sohd
foundations by the establishment OF
thanking facilities. in which IT wisely
Interests local capital and influences.
America leads them all in the volume
of its export trade with South America
thanks. however. rather to geographical
ADVANTAGES than TO systematic devel-
opment of its opportunities. Where
other nations have only trade to SEEK
this country has also serious RESPONSE
bilities and self-imposed obligations
whose possible consequences none can
foresee.
The most bewildering Of all our Latin
American problems, the situation
created in Mexico by the deposition OF
Porfrio Diaz and the failures or MS
successors. is described in the making
nv Mr.. Baerlein, who takes time, in
the course of his narrative, 10 give US
an account of his own difficulties win
1.-THE London Times whose CORE
spondent in Mexico he was for while.
The course Of events has already left
the close of this book behind II; what
remains Of value in il is the story OF
the rise Of Porfrio Diaz, Of his estao-
lishment Of an autocracy that grew
into a tyranny and degenerated into
corrupt and impotent oligarchy, and
Of its crumbling before the onslaughts
OF the revolution led by Madero. Mr..
Baerlein does his best for the memory
Of this leader who lacked the qualities
OF which leaders are made. He calls
him an idealist. a man Of highest In
tentions and plans, but. the fact re-
.mainH and he does not blink It, that
Madero was utterly unfit for the role
he sought to play. This was the opin-
ion OF all foreigners resident In Mex
leo who knew him; 1t was also the
opinion of all who came into contact
with him here. That the revolution
succeeded at all was due. not TO him,
but TO the long years Of peace and
prosperity which Porfirio Diaz had i'm
posed upon the nation. 1t was he who
gave it time for the birth and growth
of a public opinion, such as II was.
And though all that Mr.. Baerlein says
Of the tyrant who created solitudes
that quiet might continue to reign is
true, it is also true that Diaz will ulti-
mately occupy in the, history Of Mex
leo the place which his services have
earned for him. He did a great work
by questionable, violent, often abhor-
rent, means, but he did it. He knew
his people, and ruled them with the
only rule they understood.
lie knew his people. Herein, indeed,
lies the great secret Of the future de-
velopment of Central and South Amer
lea. Europeans, even well informed
Europeans, are inclined to judge the
nations to the south Of us as homo
geneous whole-"Latin Americans" AS
a matter Of fact, in judging the posi-
bilities of the future. as well as in OBJ
serving the conditions of the present,
a sharp line of distinction should be
drawn between the great progressive
Latin" republics of South America
and the stagnant, Overwhelmingly I'm
dian" republics Of its central region.
AS the PROPORTION of Indians in the
population of Central or South Amer
lean republic is greater or less, so is its
status In the arts Of peace, in pros
perity, energy and national conscious
ness and aspiration greater or smaller.
The real Latin" America-the Argen-
tine, Chilli, Uruguay, Paraguay Brazil
10 a steadily growing extent-is over
whelmingly a white mems country.
This distinction Mr.. Enock fails 10
make in his comprehensive work on
1.-The Republics OF Central and South
America" It is a useful book in its
economic aspects, even though some Of
its statistics are not the latest obtain
able, but as a sociological study 1t