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The National Geographic Magazine 



Americans. The press of the United 

 States, while following Mr Root's trip, 

 failed to catch the spirit and greatness of 

 the reception, as was plainly shown by 

 the South American press. We of North 

 America should be profoundly grateful 

 to all South America for the way it re- 

 ceived Mr Root. It was a splendid com- 

 pliment to us, which we have failed to 

 reciprocate in any expression of approba- 

 tion. Many of you remember the honors 

 showered upon Admiral Dewey when he 

 arrived in this country after his Philip- 

 pine achievements. It is no exagger- 

 ation to state that Mr Root was greeted 

 with a Dewey reception in every capital 

 of South America which he visited. 

 There was no lack of real enthusiasm in 

 the cheers and plaudits of the throngs 

 that bade him welcome. Those of us 

 who have lived in South America know 

 the difference between a reception that is 

 heart-felt and one that is perfunctory. 

 In no place was the reception of our 

 Secretary of State perfunctory. 



In each capital and city where he was 

 the guest he was given every attention 

 possible. Had he been the President of 

 the United States or a European mon- 

 arch, more could not have been done for 

 him. The South Americans were grate- 

 ful, and wished to show their gratitude, 

 because we sent to them one of our great- 

 est men. They appreciated the fact that 

 he is the premier of our cabinet ; that he 

 is regarded as one of our ablest lawyers 

 as well as being a high-class and distin- 

 guished politician, and that he represents 

 the intellectual as well as the material 

 side of our progress. In short, they 

 looked upon him as the best we could 

 send, as an ambassador of good will, next 

 to the President himself. Heretofore 

 every South American country had been 

 visited by princes and distinguished 

 statesmen of different European coun- 

 tries, but the United States, in the pass- 

 ing of years, had seemed to neglect South 

 America, as if it were not worthy of the 

 recognition which Europe had given it. 



When, therefore, the United States, 

 through the sagacity of President Roose- 

 velt, arose to the occasion and sent one of 

 its foremost statesmen, South America 

 returned the compliment with a reception 

 unsurpassed in the history of the Western 

 Hemisphere. Now it behooves the 

 United States to take advantage of what 

 Mr Root has done by fostering in every 

 way a movement throughout our country 

 for greater intercourse and acquaintance 

 with Latin America, from Mexico to 

 Argentina. 



A LATIN-AMERICAN MOVEMENT NEEDED 



The time is at hand that calls for what 

 might be termed a widespread Latin- 

 American movement in the United States. 

 The commercial and economic possibil- 

 ities and social conditions and progress of 

 our southern neighbors invite our imme- 

 diate and particular attention. To say 

 that it may be "now or never" with 

 North American prestige and trade in 

 Central and South America is not a state- 

 ment of an alarmist or pessimist. It is a 

 simple and logical conclusion drawn from 

 a thorough study of the actual situation. 



There never was a period in the history 

 of the relations of the United States with 

 her sister American republics that af- 

 forded such combined opportunity and 

 necessity as the present for the develop- 

 ment not only of our moral influence, but 

 of our commercial interests. On the other 

 hand, there never was a time when Euro- 

 pean nations and business interests put 

 forth such efforts as they are now legiti- 

 mately exerting to increase their own 

 prestige and trade in South America. 

 Although the situation should be one of 

 closest rivalry, where the United States 

 can and ought to win, if it does not give 

 Europe too long a start, the advantage 

 now is decidedly with the latter. There 

 is no gainsaying the fact that Latin 

 America today is strongly inclined to be 

 more sympathetic, in its actual likes and 

 dislikes, with the old world than with the 

 United States, because of plain reasons 

 of race, language, and association. 



