Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-06-03

NdIhGS were tUuNAiCCu uOL long ago
that NJ. Wilson would see 10 It tAat
because Of the reading test, the meas
ure would not be allowed to become a
law. Opinion in Washington. how
ever, seems to have changed recently
and now the understanding is that
Mr. Wilson viii put his name to the
bill If it gets 10 him.
Trade With Latin-America.
The first vessel on commerce bent
has PISSED through the Panama canal.
John Barrett. director general of the
Pan-Ameriean union. wants the United
states to understand the great OPP
portunities which are before it for
increased trade when the canal be-
comes. as it win shortly, an active
highway OF commerce between the
two great oceans. Mr.. Barrett per
Saps is the last American authority
on all matters pertaining to the trade
and development of the countries on
this continent which lie to the south
of the United States.
Mr.. Barrett has had something to
say to your correspondent about the
increased trade opportunities which
will come to all western America as
the result OF the opening Of the water
way.
Reaching directly south from a line
drawn from San Diego, Cal, to Key
West. Fla" said he, are 20 countries
covering an area of 100000 square
milesl This is three times the con-
nected area of the United States.
Their population is. approximately.
70.0O0.0O0. This is seven-tenths of the
population of the United States, and
it is destined 10 increase even more
rapidly in the future through immigra-
ton and general development than Is
the population of this country. These
20 countries last pear conducted for
eign trade-that is. bought and sold
with the rest OF the world-valued at
the extraordinary figure of s2,500. 000.-
600. This total is all the more impress
sive when we bear In mind that 1t rep
resents the remarkable increase OF ST..
000. 900, 900 in the last ten years.
Should Grow Even More Rapidly.
"Inasmuch as commerce is the life
of nations these 20 sister republics OF
Central and South America can GER
tainly be called 1usty and fuIl-bloodsd'
If they can carry on trade OF 81, 500,-
0OO, 900 per annum befors the Panama
canal is completed. and before the
world generally has awakened to their
enormous potentialiues and possiEtli-
ties, is 1t not reasonable to estimate
that it will grow to $4,000, 00O, 900 with
in ten, or at the outside, fifteen years
after the canal 10 completed and the
great eastern and western routes Of
commerce are swung around to north
and south, lines, as now seems newt
able? Surely prizes of commerce es-
timated at such figures as these are
worthy Of the most earnest and per
sistert efforts of the business interests
of America
There is great deal Of nonsense
and buucombe about Latin-Americans
not caring to trade with the business
men Of The United States. do not
know of a lingle American exporter or
importer who &c not just as ready to
buy from, or sell 10. an American
manufactures or merchant as he is to
buy from OF sell to a manufacturer or
merchant of Europe. provided the
American can offer him the same
advantages as the man from Eu-
rope. There is, occasionally, anti
United States talk In some Latin
American newspapers, and there are
now and then anti-American out,
bursts of political agitators. but the
rank and file of the business men OF
Latin-America are not affected by
these incidents.
Not Monopollzed by Europe.
Before this have spoken OF the
great world trade of Latin-America.
Naturally, the next question to be an
swered is: What is the share of the
United States in Pan-Amerlcan com.
merce? In answering this question
desire to dispose Of several bogies and
fallacies which are too often pro
claimed by uniformed writer's and
speakers. 1t is not true that the United
States has a small trade with Latin
America. It is not true that the United
States is being distanced by European
countries in that field. II is not true
that European exporters, manufactur.
ers and importers are monopolizing
Latin-American markets to the disad.
vantage OF those Of the United States.
1t is not true that the Latin-Americanp
prefer to trade with Europeans rather
than with North America 1t is not true
that there are no good steamship ia.
cilities for trade AID travel between
the United States and these countries.
"All these conditions did exist few
years ago, but, as a result Of the ex-
traordinary propaganda and effort OF
the Pan-American union and of the
state and commerce departments OF
the United States, vast change has
come about, and now the trade OF
the United States with Latin-America
is advancing so rapidly and so satisfac.
torily that it should be encouraged to
continue and extend its efforts to q
still greater degree"
------------
Reversed.
4. l..