Chile, that long, narrow strip of land, whose two hundred and ninety-one thousand and five hundred square miles stretch over thirty-eight degrees of latitude, is well worthy of consideration. In 1909 the imports of this republic were $94,349,795. With a population of less than four million, this makes a per capita importation of twenty-five dollars. Peru, with a slightly greater population, but a larger number of Indians who are not purchasers, imported in the same year about $25,000,000. Uruguay ranks next to Argentina in imports in proportion to population. Larger than New York and West Virginia combined, this republic, whose physical characteristics and agricultural resources are very similar to its neighbour across the La Plata, has a population of one million one hundred thousand. It is a great stock country, and ninety-four per cent. of its $37,000,000 exports for last year were hides, frozen meat, jerked beef, meat-extracts and tallow. Its imports amounted to $35,000,000 in round numbers, making the comparatively small republic well worth consideration by the exporter. Venezuela imports will average $10,000,000, Bolivia $16,000,000, Ecuador $7,000,000, Columbia $12,000,000 and Paraguay about $4,000,000.

These figures are eloquent in themselves. They bespeak great possibilities of trade among our South American neighbours. Of the total imports of Argentina, during the year 1909, the United States sent $43,068,829. For the last two years the percentage has shown a gradual increase, as a few lines of American goods have been systematically pushed. In percentage of increase over the preceding year the United States is ahead of the other commercial nations. Specialties such as typewriters, photographic cameras, firearms, elevators, phonographs, toilet and medical articles, and petroleum products, have made their market, but it is the larger competitive field that needs attention. In this class are included motors of all kinds, electrical appliances, steel in every form, railway and tramway equipment, and a thousand and one things made by manufacturers of the United States, which are always equal to and oftentimes superior to anything of their kind made elsewhere.

We purchase more than twice as much from Brazil as any other nation, more than half the total, and sell that country less than half as much as Great Britain and less than Germany. We sell more to Argentina than we purchase from her, but Great Britain sells almost three times as much, and our percentage is only fourteen per cent. of the whole, with Germany still in the lead and France not far behind. We purchase nearly twice as much from Chile as Germany, and more than twice as much as Great Britain, and yet the latter country sells Chile more than twice as much as we do and Germany almost half as much again. And so the figures might be given for the other countries, which would show about the same ratios, and which make the American travelling through those countries lose some of his egotism.

Here are a few of the obstacles encountered: the leading banks are either British, German or Italian; the importing merchants are of the same nationality, and there is quicker transportation because of the numerous steamship lines running to European ports, although there are good steamers running direct from New York to the ports on the east coast. And the following are a few of the remedies suggested: an American bank would greatly facilitate business, as it would aid in exchange and the handling of credits; American manufacturers should study the markets and send salesmen who understand the languages, people and customs; great care in packing goods for South America should be exercised; fourthly, and lastly, establish independent houses with hustling Americans in charge, and not trust to foreign representatives who have a natural predilection for things made in their own land. The shipping question will solve itself, for boats will be run whenever business demands them. A little attention to these principles and suggestions will help in solving the question of American trade in South America. They are Americans, also, and pride themselves on that fact. They rather resent our assumption of the name “Americans,” and insist that we should use the term “North Americans.” They are the “South Americans.” Then, as they say, as we are all “Americans,” let the cry be “America for the Americans.”

CHAPTER XVIII
A PROMISING REPUBLIC

Argentina has just celebrated the first centennial of her independence from Spanish domination. On the 25th of May, 1910, there was opened in the city of Buenos Aires an exposition that continued for six months. It was undoubtedly the greatest exposition ever held in the southern hemisphere, just as Buenos Aires is the largest city in that half of the globe. For almost a year active preparations had been going on for this celebration. The United States honoured the occasion by sending five warships for the opening, and appointing a special commission to represent the government in an official capacity.

The exposition really consisted of five separate exhibitions, which were located in different parts of the city and were practically independent of each other. These were the International Exhibition of Railways and Land Transports, the International Exhibition of Agriculture, the International Exhibition of Hygiene, and the National Exhibitions of Industry and Arts. The first mentioned was perhaps the most important, for it consisted of a display of every kind of land transportation from animal traction to steam and gasoline. There were special sections devoted to each phase of railways, from the building of stations to the equipment of the finest trains in the world, including all systems in general use; other sections were devoted to tramways operated by the various kinds of power, automobiles and all forms of motor cars, etc. Nothing was overlooked to make this transportation exhibit the most complete ever held in the world. Six sections in a choice location, composing about fifteen thousand square yards, were assigned for United States exhibitors. Great Britain, on the other hand, had asked for and was given more than three times that amount of space. This condition cannot be blamed upon the Argentine government, however, as the United States commission secured all the space that they asked for, and the commissioners found it difficult to fill their allotment.

The Exhibition of Hygiene was also important in this age when science has made so much advance in overcoming the obstacles placed in the way of health by nature. This included buildings devoted to hygienic sports, hygiene of dress, naval and military hygiene, ventilation and calefaction in general, sanitary work of cities, hospitals, surgical instruments, and other allied subjects. The agricultural exhibition was particularly devoted to live stock, and the other exhibitions are made clear by their nomenclature.