The sun., 1919-06-30
BRAZIL is A MEL TING POT
OF RACES, LIKE THE u. S.
Country Is Developing New National Type-Demo
cratic Society Is Being Formed Slowly-Beauty
of Home Life Described.
NJ CLAYTON $. COOPER.


In these days when 80 much Is being
said relative to trade and maritime
matters connecting the United States
and Brazil It Is OF no small importance
to understand the home life of the people
with whom we are creating new bonds
OF business relationship. 1t is particu-
larly true of Brazil that her home life
reflects the character Of her people, and
unless we know the people themselves
and their ideals. their traditions, their
mental attitude and their mode Of daily
life, we are greatly handicapped in try
ing to enter into commercial relations
with them.
The Latin races are said to be lack
ing In home making qualities, as COM
pared with English or Teutonic peo-
Piles. Moreover. the Portuguese, who
gave Brazil formative principles, were
more truly the copyists of Roman civili-
zation than any other European stock,
and the Romans were famous for their
slight attention to the home. Yet Por-
tugal has been ever land OF homes,
and her New World Brazilian daughter
has inherited the instinct. 1t is a land
placing great emphasis on family life.
Diverse Types of Homes.
There Is always danger. in writing Of
subject like Brazilian home life. for
the narrator to overgeneralize. Home
and family life is, like the civilization
generally, diverse, and IL Is necessary to
decline the stratum of life ono is taking
about IL an attempt is made to find uni
! versal characteristics. There II the
home OF the seringuero or rubber gath
| erer in the lonely fastness of the ANA
zon wilderness; and the tepee OF the
still savage Indian Of the forest Jungle.
The fisher folk, a considerable clan scat
tered along the Brazilian coast from the
extreme north to the Argentine boun-
Diary. have n life distinctive, bringing
their hauls of fish ashore in frail look
ing boats and in light hearted talk and
song sit about their rude huts at twi-
light to sup on a bit of farina, a drop
of native whisltey and some Of the Bra
lillian dried beef-to the accompaniment
of the violao.
SHOULD one be Just to the many sided
home and social life of this gigantic
| country, he must needs write also of the
occupations of the gaucho. or Brazilian
cowboy living his daring and picturesque
existence in a world apart on the south
ern interior plains; then there Is the
important section of Brazilian society
best seen in its original home In the
State of Minas--the fazendeiro, or cal
rira as he Is sometimes called. the coun-
try magnate whose wealth is his broad
plantations, and who lives also more or
less Isolated with his family. constituting
his own kingdom Independent and free
and hospitable as was any Of our old
southland planters. or any medieval
baronial lord. 1t Is this land -holder
class that makes a strong appeal to
young and old Brazil alike.
Aristocracy Of Brasil.
This king Of the land and horses and
wide distances fascinates and calls forth
something inherent in the Brazilian
character. The country IL first OF all
an agricultural domain Of colossal area
and the fazendeiro stIll holds in his hand
the nations key. OF him one has said
Such authority as he knows has van
ished perhaps from the greater part
of the world; but in Brazil 1t rules
uncuestioned. forming a powerful bond
between the soil and its owner.
"In his powerful solitude tho land
owner INDUCES in his love of intellectual
culture he inclines toward philosophy
he possesses a certain natural eloQuence
This Brazilian aristocracy enjoys polit
ical as well as social power. They form
the structure. the framework of all party
politics: they are it's strength, its very
life 1t is they who govern and admins
ter Brazil"
One is confronted here with the rem
nants of feudal oligarchy. with thu
culture and refinement belonging to 1t II
the Middle Ages OF Europe, but will
the striking difference that this olde
|, and influential Brazilian social order Il
being voluntarily changed and mixe'
with a complex variety of mass popula
ton. slowly but surely forming a demo
cratic society, in which the spirit OF re
publicanism and equality is stronge
even than the spirit Of the nationa
religion.
, The racial diversity in Brazilian so
ciety IL as pronounced as is the variet.
of its geographical groups. a study o
. the home life is a study In ethnology
The original Portuguese stock is foun
; In all phases OF transition from un
adulterated purity through partial an
} complete mixtures with native Indial
and negro and fusion with foreign ma
tons. Italian. German, English, Spanis
and American. The Brazil OF to-day
n melting pot of races and nationalitie
as heterogeneous as II Is distracting Z
the chance traveller.
On beginning to ask questions on
finds himself entangled in an intricat
maze of fusions between Portuguese an
Brazilian Portuguese, foreigners an
Brazilian foreigners, Brazilians who ar
Brazilians, and Brazilians who are eth
nologically Abocios, or mastizos, or ser
taos; or Brazillans who locally or his
torically are Paulistas, German Bra I'll
ians, Dutch-Brazilians, pure blooded In
dams. or sons and daughters of a hal
n dozen foreign races or nations, VIII
> are Brazilians because they were Dor
In Brazil.
The visitor freshly landed and plunge
suddenly into this diverting congeries o
|, human, national and racial amalgama
ton. Is inclined to sympathize with tn
. probable enlightenment of Col. Roose
! welt, who Is reported TO have inquire
OF a sea captain concerning the popula
tion Of a certain West Indian island
: when the old sea dog replied: "Wel
a there are some Spanish, a few French
some Portuguese, a few Dutchmen an
about ten other natlonalities that Go
!, Almighty never intended"
The amazing wonder of all (espe
E cially to a North American less familiA
with European races, and holding de
cided views concerning color lines, &c.
il the manner in which this country
slowly, and apparently with harmon
3 and democratic social and racial rela
1 lions. evolving a distinct Brazilian typ,
e The salient characteristics of what 1
7 becoming to be known as the true Bra
: lillian character include the artstocrati
3 culture and high intelligence OF the oil
4 family Portuguese stock. at once Lati