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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



produce the most delicious fruits ; the land 

 of beautiful women and brave men; the 

 country whose magnificent President has 

 done so much for its development. It is 

 my pleasure to present to you tonight the 

 Mexican Ambassador, Senor Don Fran- 

 cisco Leon de la Barra. 



THE MEXICAN AMBASSADOR, SENOR DE EA 



BARRA 



Mr. President of the United States, 

 Mr. President of the National Geographic 

 Society, Ladies and Gentlemen: A very 

 great honor has been conferred upon me 

 in the invitation extended to me by the 

 National Geographic Society to speak at 

 this banquet in the presence of the Presi- 

 dent of this Republic, that great citizen, 

 the worthy representative of the Ameri- 

 can people, who has won, in the high office 

 he fills, the respect and esteem of all. 



One cannot but admire the energy ap- 

 plied by this Republic, not only to the 

 development of industry and commerce, 

 but also to the progress of science that 

 to so great an extent serves as the valu- 

 able aid of trade. 



Among other sciences is that to which 

 your association is devoted, a society 

 well deserving the name of "National," 

 because of the lofty spirit with which it 

 harmonizes the teaching of the wise and 

 its love of the mother-land, for whose 

 greatness the Society unceasingly strives. 



The topic which I am to discuss — "The 

 great commercial routes of the world" — 

 is of so vast a scope that it would be 

 impossible for me to do it justice, even 

 superficially, in the short time I may be 

 allowed to occupy your attention this 

 evening. I shall therefore limit my ad- 

 dress to general considerations which I 

 may be permitted to lay before you. 



In the present day the science of geog- 

 raphy is not merely a universal cicerone, 

 as it was formerly considered, confining 

 itself simply to a description of the 

 earth's surface and its inhabitants, with- 

 out bas-reliefs or color, if I may be so 

 allowed to express myself. It has be- 

 come the most suitable means of acquir- 

 ing a scientific and practical knowledge 

 of the material and social life of nations. 



The object of some of its studies is the 

 solution of problems in regard to those 

 great commercial routes of the world 

 which have been selected for the purpose 

 of, or rather because of the need of, 

 shortening distances between the pro- 

 ducers and consumers, lessening thereby 

 the cost of transportation to the benefits 

 of all concerned. 



Thus we find in the world's history 

 that the paths marked out by navigators 

 and explorers who were led on by thirst 

 for glory, or by love of the mother-land, 

 or by the idea of promoting the welfare 

 of humanity, have been followed by com- 

 mercial people in search of wealth by 

 exploiting or obtaining new markets. 



To these tendencies, which within their 

 proper limits we welcome as motives for 

 the progress of humanity, is due the 

 great movement of expansion and coloni- 

 zation, which began in the sixteenth cen- 

 tury and goes on today more actively 

 than ever. 



To the financial problems, the solution 

 of which is sought for in the lower prices 

 and rapid transportation of merchandise, 

 we must add other politico-social prob- 

 lems of no mean interest. 



The Mediterranean route, which brought 

 together India and England, has not been 

 of benefit to commerce alone. Politics 

 has also taken a most useful advantage 

 of the great historical route of the Suez 

 Canal, the influence of which has been 

 universally felt. 



The Isthmian Canal, thanks to which 

 the eastern and western coasts of this 

 continent will be in closer touch, not only 

 will be of benefit to the commerce of the 

 United States with the extreme Orient 

 and with the South American republics, 

 but also to the whole world. It is but 

 natural, then, that the advantage to be 

 derived from these great commercial 

 highways should be felt in the most re- 

 mote countries as well as in those in 

 closer proximity to the new route. 



By shortening the time necessary for 

 transportation, both near and far lands 

 will be benefited by lower freight rates, 

 to the advantage of both industry and 

 commerce. 



