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Show SPIRIT OF PROGRESS. ! The South American con nl i ies, one j and all, have progressed wonderfully in ! the past decade or two. Buenos Aires I and Kio de .Janeiro are recognized as 'among the leading ca pit a Is of the ! world, and have a certain amount ot j in f Iuenee in both t rade and politics. Other cities of the Latin-American republics re-publics are looming into prominence, and the countries in which they are situated sit-uated a re enjoying a period of development devel-opment which will cent inuo with in creased intensity after the European war ends. The days of rebellions and revolutions down there appear to be over, and defeated statesmen are content con-tent to become members of the oppo-si oppo-si t ion in parliament instead of engaging engag-ing in the ancient past i me of trying to overturn the government. We expect a rush of immigrants to South America from the old world when normal conditions return, for the field of endeavor in that part of the world seems particularly inviting, and we also expect a mingling of the blood of all races. There will be a melting pot down t here just like the one in the United St ates, and 1 here will be an ultimate South American as well as an j ultimate North American. But that is1 looking. too far ahead for practical purposes pur-poses at this particular time. We can take note of passing events, however. ; and extend our congratulations to our southern neighbors who have never shown any particular liking for us, and who, in fact, have always regarded us with more or less suspicion and distrust. That feeling is passing away, and we dare say it will never return. The South Americans are safe from aggression aggres-sion upon the part of the United States, and they know it. They know, also, that we stand between them and possible possi-ble harm. We believe that knowledge of methods meth-ods employed in the United States, which is being slowly diffused in South America, is responsible iu some degree for the spirit of progress that is being exhibited at the present time. "The people of the southern republics are building school houses, and not only providing for elementary education but for higher education as well. This is the foundation stone of all true progress, prog-ress, and the results are beginning to be very evident. One of the signs is the fact, that the Colombian congress has adopted a measure providing for the appointment, by the minister of public instruction, of a commission to investigate investi-gate methods for promoting savings throughout the country. This commission commis-sion is to work out a general plan of organization of public school savings banks, retirement funds and societies for mutual and co-operative buying. This commission, after the necessary investigation, will, in conjunction with the minister of education, draw up a biff covering its recommendations for the consideration of congress. This is only a sample of what is going go-ing on in South America. Ships are being built, mines are being developed, ra ilway lines extended and new " systems sys-tems planned and arrangements made for the development of the natural resources re-sources of the various republics. In this development work the United States is destined to play a highly important im-portant part. The capital must come from this country, for there is no other fount upon which the world at large will be able to draw for some years to come. So the progress of South America is our progress, aud each step taken should prove highly gratifying to all American citizens. |