[85] The following table will show that Argentina is more advanced than her neighbours:-- Percentage to Population of School-going Children. Argentina 10 Uruguay 7 Chile 3·70 Paraguay 3·50 Peru 2·86 Brazil 2 Bolivia 2 Santiago and Jujuy are the most ignorant parts of the Republic, Buenos Aires City the least. [86] Émile Daireaux, "La Vie et Les Moeurs à La Plata," i. 414. [87] _Caras y Caretas_ is a sprightly weekly paper of varied interests, which makes a special feature of coloured cartoons. [88] See the _Annual Register_ of 1907, p. 345. [89] See the _North American Review_, July 31, 1907. [90] "La Vie et les Moeurs à La Plata," i. 408-9. [91] M. de Waleffe, "Les Paradis de l'Amérique Centrale," p. 213. CHAPTER XV INDUSTRIAL ARGENTINA--RAILWAYS AND MINOR ENTERPRISES Undoubtedly at the present time the main interest of Argentina is industrial. The wonderful rapidity of her expansion is perhaps the most remarkable phenomenon of this generation, and can only be realised by a visit to the country. No nation has more thoroughly appreciated this fact than France, which hails with triumph the rapid progress of a Latin race as a counterbalancing force to industrial degeneration in Europe. If able and eloquent essays and elaborate statistics, written with great literary power to call the attention of French capital and enterprise to the River Plate, were sufficient for the purpose, France would have a very prominent industrial part in that region. But, generally speaking, France is enough for the French, and that country only contributes 10 per cent. of the Argentine imports, and is thus only slightly ahead of Italy. The rulers of the United States have also grasped the importance of this new force, and the _Bulletin of the International Bureau of the American Republics_, for fulness and clearness of information, puts to shame all English efforts in the same direction. Yet, in spite of all their exertions, the United States do not possess a single bank in Argentina (possibly not in the whole of South America), and England sends to the River Plate two and a half times as much merchandise. Germany also spares no effort, although Brazil attracts still more attention. If gratuitous advertising could command success, Germany would be first without a rival. For some mysterious reason every Englishman, whether at home or abroad, considers it necessary to boom German goods and German enterprise, and a suggestion that the Teuton has left a little trade to the Anglo-Saxon is received with polite incredulity. In their enthusiasm our countrymen are a little forgetful of facts and