The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-15
Interesting View of Situation
Expressed by Commissioners
of Agriculture McRae.
KEEPS CLOSE TAB
ON STATE AFFAIRS
New Business With South
American Countries Bright
for Florida.

TALLAHASSEE July 14.-tSpe-
c;aD-Commiss ssioner of Agriculture,
Hon. w. A McRae. keeps close tab on
what is going on in the State. as well
as abroad especially regarding mat
ters that may prove of value to the
people Of Florida In an interview, to-
day, Mr. McRae made the following
interesting statement concerning the
possibilities and advantages of the
United States building up tradt
with the countries of South America
Among other things he said:
There are some twenty republics
south of us and most of them lands
Of bounty. The year before the war
these countries of Latin-America
bought from and sold 70 European
countries, goods amounting to SS,-
600 000, 900, an increase of $1,O00,ooo,-
900 in the last ten years.
Over these republics we extend the
Monroe Doctrine and that is intended
to prevent territorial seizure by for
eign powers While the doctrine is
good in that respect 1t did not prevent
European manufacturers and capital
lists from seizing the trade we ought
to have.
Now business relations are much
Southern neighbors are worse off than
we are because of their dependence
abroad It rs our opportunity TO get
busy in practical way at this juno
ture and establish trade relations with
our southern neighbors for the war
in Europe promises TO go on, nobody
knows how long. The trouble is, we
view conditions in the Latin-American
republics from what was really going
on in Mexico. and forget that under
Diaz, that country, for many years
was peaceful and made mighty for
ward strides.
I'm two-thirds of the southern re-
publics there have been few reyolu-
tions for the last thirty years. the
people having the good sense not to
imperil prosperity. Most of the nas-
ty little revolutions and disturbances
OF passed years were promoted by
American or foreign adventurers. as
every student of history well knows.
That style of business has gone out
of fashion.
"The chance is before us. not only
to Sell goods, but what we need to do
is to advance them money and credit.
to finance railroads, banks and in
dustries as European countries have
been doing. We also need direct
transportation lines, steamers and
ships. so that when we want to send
hurry up letters and packages to Rio
America it will not be necessary to
forward them by way of Liverpool.
One only has TO study a map of the
world to see that we are nearer these
Southern republics than Europe is, but
the old world has better steamer SER
vice
America is rich. and getting richer.
The statistic of growth show that the
wealth of this country has ieaped from
100 billion dollars to more than 200
billions in the last fourteen years.
These are enormous figures. fairly be-
wildering to the imagination.
The enormous trade Of Central
and South America is before us, and
a large part Of II can be ours with
right methods. and all of the coun-
tries in war except Germany. will
soon be open again for business. The
submarines are going to be put out of
doing so much deviltry.
FLORIDA is nearer to the Central
Amarican countries than any other
state. We are nearer to the West
Indies. We have a car ferry 70 Cuba.
Dc