The Washington times., 1913-11-05
FINE FIELD IN PERU ::
FOR US, SAYSLEGU|A
Former President Asserts That
American Capital and Enter
prise Are Needed There.

NEW YORK. Nov 5.--Angusto B.
Eeguia, former president of Peru, who
has arrived at the RSz-Carlton, has not
made up his mind whether he Will re-
main in the country or go to Europe to
live. Senor Leguia said he wanted 10
deny reports that had preceded him up
from Colon, quoting him as saying that
Peru was in a state of anarchy. He
said he mad not given any interview in
Colon. He would not discuss the politi-
cal situation in his country.
oenor Leguia speaks English fiuently.
This is the first time he has been in
New York in twenty-five years, and he
says he finds himself in a place that IS
absolutely unfamiliar.
1T seems to me l feel less safe IN
New York than l used to-" he added.
That is not due to any laxity on the
part of those who carry out the laws,
but to the fact that as your buildings
have gone up in the air, your traffic in
the streets has increased tremendously.
1t seems more difficult to get about. Yet
this is a magnificent city.
do you know 4 is at Panama coming
up thai one begins to appreciate the
greatness of the American spirit. That
work is simply wonderful, and II is lni-
possible for a human being to form a
CODC6pIOn IL It dCludus SSSS
what has been done there.
There is unlimited opportunity in
South America for American business,
and for American capital as well. We
are short of American capital, but We
need more of American enterprise and
spirit. The possibilities for these are
simply without any limit. In Peru, es-
cially, there are agriculture and mining.
In, order that the present production
of the country be increased, it Will be
necessary to carry out schemes Of irri-
CATION. But these are quite feasible
Fifty-fve rivers flow into the sea, and
their waters have so far not been made
use Of to assist nature or man. These
rivers would make any amount of
power, harnessed up, for the whole
coast of Peru is an inclined plane, so
that the flow of the rivers is strong, and
thousands of horsepower go TO waste
every hour. This could easily be har-
messed up.
pany has lately put up at Arroyo 20,-
0o1- horsepower installation, and We
have one fall where we could easily get
at least O0-horsepower. That Is
the Canon de Patio, on the Santa river.
The population of Peru grows very
slowly. No census has been taken in
twenty-five years, but we estimate the
population today in the neighborhood
of 100000.
while i deprecate reports of alleged
to New York, in which l was made to
attack the existing order of things in
Peru. the Americans were very kind to
me during the ghteen days 1 was on
the Isthmus.
The Panama Canal means for the
west coast of South America a radical
change of geography. Perus position
viii be improved by some 5000 miles
mean that it will be brought that
much nearer New York Indeed, the
finn nf he uhnla nf Too
win be radically changed, and condi-
tons OF trade must undergo a revolu-
ton. In Peru they are trying to en-
large the port facilities to take care of
the trade resulting from the opening
Of the canal.
II have always been a great admirer
of things American, and when / was
President i tried to put Americans at
che head Of every public work or pub
lie institution i could, for the reason
that l felt their initiative and energy
would stimulate those who worked with
and under them. The head of the
University at Cuzco is an American, as
10 the head Of the normal school in
Lima Then the head of public instruc-
ton was an American until recently,
M Bart. who prepared for US a course
OF instruction IN law, and really laid
the foundations of our system of public
instruction.
IF American enterprise succeeds in
carrying out an undertaking which is
now projected. the building OF the
Ucayale railway, Peru, will benefit
quite as much as it will from the open
ing of the Panama canal This road is
planned to cross the Andes and connect
the Atlantic with the Pacific. From the
purely Peruvian standpoint, the scheme
IL as grand as the construction of the
great canal"
How do you account for the pre-
judice against Americans that seems to
exist in many Latin-American coun-
'tries?" Seror Leeuia was asked
That does not obtain in Peru" he
answered quickly. Il have been sue
cessful in doing away with Il. In Peru
II is realized that the United States is
our best friend and our most efficient
protector. I consider American shelter
is the best We can have
One OF Senor Leguia sons has been
four years at the University Of Wis
consin. He brought up another to put
at school at Warrenton, Va.