The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-12
NICARAGUA NEEDS
PEOPLE AND ROADS
immigration Would Be We'll
coined, as Inhabitants Num-
Der Only 100000.
TRADE WITH U. S. SOUGHT
Country Is Rich Agricultural
ly, but Has Only About 200
Miles Of Railroad.
ny ADoLFO vIvAs,


Former ConsuI-GsneraT Of Nicaragua at San
Pranctsco and Nsrico City.
Written Especially for he Latin American
Section Of TINS suS.
The slogan of the Sixth National For
eign Trade Convention in Chicago,
Greater Prosperity Through Greater
Foreign Trade" Is as good for the
United States as for the South and Cen
trail American commerce. Nicaragua, Il
Is to be expected, will join In this cam
paign for the development of its re-
sources and the satisfaction Of its needs
In the industrial. commercial and agri-
cultural fields.
Tho two great needs of South Amer
lean countries are greater population
and adequate transportation facilities.
Nicaragua with territory of $4,000
square milee has scarcely a population
Of 500, 900 Inhabitants and zoo miles OF
railroad. The country Is rich in sugar,
cattle, coffee. lumber. cocoa, bananas
and gold. Agriculture and Industry have
not been able to make great advances
on account OF the lack OF labor and
transportation facilities.
1t would be we'll for Nicaragua to
negotiate contracts with American cor
porations for the construction OF rail-
roads and to make some kind Of agree
rnent with the United Fruit Company in
order that its ships should go regularly
to its Atlantic ports, as they 30 to Hon
duras. Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama
I and Colombia The United Fruit Com
pany has helped the development Of
those countries on a great scale, and Is
doing more for the promotion of trade
| than any other company engaged there
In the same business
Possibilities In Nicaragua for the In
vestment Of capital are now encourag-
Ing. The country has obtained a steady
peace after many years of unrest. and
the majority of the people are eager to
| do business with American merchants
| and to have American immigration.
Nicaragua having in general a form
| OF government like the United States.
admires the latter's institutions and
considers that the United States has
done an immense work for liberty and
| civilization with the noble part It took
In the world war. From the moment
that the United States went into the
war Nicaraguas sympathies were with
the United States; its government de-
| clared war on the Central Powers, and
from almost all classes OF the people
came manifestations of warm approval.
| Americans have nothing to fear in that
| land.
1t is often asserted that the United
States should go to all the Latin Amer
lean countries to study them we'll. to
know their conditions. and by approach
| the people to come TO a better under
standing of their aims and their neces-
| stiles. While this would always be of
| benefit. IL is also imperative that people
| from those countries should come TO the
| United States In order to learn the real
| purposes OF this nation. its fairness In
| dealing with the minor republics OF the
| continent, and. above all. the absence
| of any prejudice toward Latin America.
Those nations should understand that
the Americans love fair play and that
| they are conscientious and broad mind
ed. These qualities are as we'll worth
! considering in social life as in commerce.
| national or international
Spanish speaking people have been
deceived by being made to believe that
there exists In this country a feeling OF
discrimination against them and nothing
Is more unjust and unfair. Any one who
has had the opportunity of becoming
thoroughly acquainted with the Ameri.
cans knows how different it is.
Central and South Americans are al
ways welcome here and treated with
courtesy and consideration. The press
the chambers OF commerce. the many
associations of the nation take every
opportunity TO promote trade, social and
political relations between the United
States and all its sister republics OF
the Americas.
This conviction has gone deeply r
Nicaragua, whose people are learning
gradually that they have no better friend
than the United States and that the
prosperity of the whole country depend,
in a special manner on it's closer con.
nections with the great American Re.
public