| OCR Text |
Show ARGENTINA. A census of Buenos Aires, the capital capi-tal of the republic of Argentine, shows that the city contains a population of 1,560,163 souls, having .almost doubled since the last count was made in 1900. The figures at that time stood at 821,-291. 821,-291. xls the people are the most progressive pro-gressive In South America, Buenos Aires is naturally the most bustling, hustling, wide-awake city south of the equator. Buenos Aires is the center of commercial activity not unlike that of Chicago, for it has an immense agricultural agri-cultural and stock-raising territory to draw upon. The republic of Argentina is a counterpart coun-terpart of the United States in many respects. Vast areas of land are devoted de-voted to stock raising, and Argentine beef gjes to Europe by the shipload. Limited quantities have even been shipped to this country during the last year. They raise corn down there also, and owing to the shoriuess of the crop in this country last year the Argentine product has been used lo supply the deficiency. The coin crop of Argentina, although relatively small, has quite an intiucuce upon the Chicago grain market. mar-ket. As a matter of fact, Argentina is destined lo rival the United States in many ways in the marts of the world. Jt is an agricultural country just now, like the I'nited States used to be, but the people have adopted a tariff which is protective as well as revenue-raising, and in the course of time the South American country will do more or less manufacturing, the scarcity of coal and iron and copper being the chief drawback draw-back Argentina has l,13,'i,8IO square miles of territory and a total population of between six and seven millions. Its foreign debt is something like $400,-000,000. $400,-000,000. The gold standard prevails. The English have invested an immense amount of money in the South American Ameri-can republic, $2,000,000,000 being a moderate estimate; the Germans probably prob-ably one tenth of that, sum, exclusive of the land owned by the German Ger-man colonists. Until very recent-h- the investments of Americans were insignificant when compared with those of ether countries. Capital from this country has Anally ben attracted, however, and the meat industry of Argentina is now said to be controlled by the Chicago packers. In figuring on the certainty of Argentina's Ar-gentina's becoming a great rival of the United States, it may be well to state that the soil and climate combined allow al-low the South American republic to grow anything that can be grown in this country, and practically at half the cost; every product of our fields is already found there sugar, grapes for wine, oranges, all our woods with others strange to us, cotton, alfalfa, corn, rye and wheat. Sheep, cattle, horses and hogs are already there almost equal in numbers to those in the United Slates. All these things will tend to make Buenos Aires one of the great commercial com-mercial cities of the world. With its million and a half of inhabitants, it now occupies a commanding position, and that it will continue to grow in importance im-portance is without question. It is a beautiful city, well governed and with all the modern conveniences. Its educational edu-cational system is excellent. An immense im-mense amount of money has been spent in' public improvements, and last, but not least, the climate is unsurpassed anvwhere in the world. The very name, "Pure Air," speaks for itself. It was not many years after the discovery dis-covery of America by Columbus that the Spaniard, De Solis, entered the mouth of the Rio de la' Plata. Prom that time, lolti, for throe centuries, the country was in constant turmoil. Adventurer Ad-venturer fojlowed adventurer and the country passed from the hands of one despotic ruler to anothor. Even the establishment es-tablishment of a republic in 1810 did not. bring peace, for revolutions were remarkably frequent. Tn 1820 there were twelve changes of government in Buenos Aires, and it was not until 1862 that the unity of the Argentine Republic was established and the country coun-try began the difficult task, of trying to keep step with the more civilized nations of the world. There have been numerous revolutions since that time, but they have not retarded the growth of the country to any considerable extent. ex-tent. The people of the United States have recently had their attention drawn to Argentina by reason of the fact that the minister of that country is now engaged, in company with the diplomatic representatives of Brazil and Chile, in trying to prevent war between the United States and Mexico, as well as to free the latter republic from the anarchistic condition that now prevails. The conference at Niagara Falls adds to the dignity and importance impor-tance of all three South American republics, re-publics, and may be the foremnner of other conferences which will bind the countries of the western hemisphere together to-gether and mark a long step in the direction di-rection of universal peace. In this great work Dr. Naon, the Argentine Ar-gentine minister, is playing a conspicuous conspic-uous part, and if the object sought is attained it will reflect great credit not only, upon the minister, but bis native land as well. Argentina has taken its place in the family of nations, and whatever the future may. bring forth in the way of commercial rivalry, it is certain that the people of the United States will be proud of the progress of their South American neighbor. |
