The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
Argentina and Brazil IN. author. CON-


face with deep seated dislike of this
country. In his belief. and he has OBJ
servingly surveyed mankind from N. A."
TO Peru with fairly intimate as well as
extensive view, South Americas resent
ment of the patronizing- dictatorial atti-
tude OF the United States rests upon
conviction that the Monroe Doctrine
covers a North American passion for
bi-continental authority. This common
resentment Is one and the greatest bond
of union In a complex of dlsruptional
forces. THE Argentines thank God
there In no nigger blood in their veins.
The Brazillans retaliate they could buy
tho Argentines up" But "I think am
well within the facts when I state that
there Is an agreement between Argen-
tina, Brazil and Chile, known as the
a b combination. TO take common
action IL there Is any step south OF the
Panama isthmus savoring OF agrees
sion on the part Of the United States
The manner of our acquisition OF
Central American territory for canal
purposes rankles in the South American
mind. and 80 does the "lecturing' OF
President Wilson on the grant Of con-
cessions 10 European syfdicates for de-
velopment Of South American natural
resources. Whether right or wrong,
the feeling that extension OF the Mon
roe Doctrine to business enterprise is a
considerable and unwarranted assump-
ton OF moral" guardianship trespass-
ing on the pocketbook Is a mine whose
defamation would be easy and tremen-
dousiy upsetting. Mr.. Fraser invites
direct quotation: Occasionally United
States Ministers OF high position travel
south and beat the Pan-American drum.
They are received politely, but there Is
chilliness in the courtesy.
What may be taken as quite certain Is
that the big Latin republics have SUM-
cient confidence In themselves to refuse
to accept any lectures from North
Americans" Whether or not an Eng
lish observer would be expected to en-
terrain feelings Of overt hostility or UNI
conscious bias toward or against this
country In the premises and in view Of
England's vast financial interest In the
hardly more than decently begun de-
velopment OF the territorial resources
| of the other party TO the debate, the
substance OF his allegations is not new
TO North Americans, even OF some in
telligence and experience: and there is
about these chapters for all the anima-
| ton Of their journalistic style every air
| of the non-subjective reporter seeing
for the sake OF honest vision. Mr..
| Fraser's glasses do not appear to be
tinted with any color OF prejudice or
previous purpose. and his testimony Is
| important.
And he does not represent the United
States as the sole object OF Argentine
| Jealous regard; for, aside from inter-
| republican rivalries, "all foreigners. be
they British, German. French or belong
ing to the United States. must recognize
the ambition OF the Argentines ulti-
mately to do without them and to run
the show for themselves"
Argentina IL a new" country; Il lives
| on self-esteem and self -confidence, not
| on tradition. Its interests are almost
| exclusively material; between its plutoc-
| racy and its laboring classes a great
| gulf is fixed: THE poor immigrant has
an enormous struggle 10 raise himself
above the condition Of the serf," and
there Is scant opportunity as yet for the
acquisition of national intellectual per-
| sonality. Wages are high, cost OF liv-
ing is higher still: and there is a notice.
able and influential deficiency in respect
| OF that prop of national character. a
| salary earning middle" class. But here
as in other great republics OF the SOUTH
ern continent of the Western Henri
| sphere the days of periodic and frequent
revolution are past: and the short
| story" convention that insistently pre-
| scrlbes for every region Of Spanish tinge
a daily siesta is upset by the rushing
advance OF business" South America
Is land Of to-day; the visions OF the
| fifteenth century are forgotten in the
hurlyburly ~ modern enterprise: There
Is rubber in Peru: there are nitrates
and fabulous mineral wealth in Chile
and the neighboring lands; there are
cotton and sugar and coffee in the
! mighty sweep of Brazil; there are the
| illimitable wheat areas OF Argentina
and cattle rearing and the giant pcssi-
bilities in supplying Europe with frozen
meat: there is the opening OF immense
areas OF networks OF railroads" Busy
busting, swarming cities bordering wide
spaces that lure the exploiter. torments
of invitation; ports and cities crazy
for development and piling their backs
with debt" to achieve II, form Gordon
from which armies OF industry will
move to conquest, and from Italy, Spain
and Portugal come hosts OF recruits
| ana sun tnc army OF IdDOr IL inadequate
TO the huge needs of the land.
As Argentina is a land not ridden by
tradition. land forgetting its 'decrepi,
past" so too 1t il a land without fine
spun ideals. Some of its people boast a
religious tolerance" that Is seen to bt
In fact an Indifference to all religious
forms; and the world owes the nation
no debt of gratitude for contributions
to tho common treasury of art and lit
erature. Argentina has been learning
from the older nations. and It's develop.
ment has been In the main the fruit OF
British investment; but n new people Is
forming from the amalgam Of races
young native men are working up the
ladder of responsibility to places OF mi.
tiative constructive influence, and there
Is n slowly accommodating public opinion
that Argentina can do without the for.
elgner that the hour Is coming wher
she should no longer be exploited In
order that large dividends he paid &c
investors who live on the other side OF
the Atlantic" Alleged not ready ye'
to walk alone, she is increasingly eager
for unassisted ambulation.
Tho fate of a new" country, es
pecially one of Argentina's physical con.
formation, may be said to hang upon It.