In the campaign of 1910 there were two active candidates, Dr. Udaondo and Dr. Roque Saenz Peña, son of the former President of the same name. Many meetings were held by the followers of the former, the billboards were plastered with statements and appeals to the voters, but there was not at any time a question as to who had the “call.” The official party was well organized and the log-rolling was quietly conducted. When the electors met the vote was almost unanimous for Dr. Saenz Peña. The newly-elected President, who assumed office on the 12th of October, entered upon a political career early in life. His first office was deputy in the state legislature of Buenos Aires. Later he became Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Celman. Following the fall of that man, and the scandals which were unearthed, he retired from public life for several years. Since that time he has served in several diplomatic positions, and was a member of the Pan-American Conference held in Washington. At the time of his election he was minister Plenipotentiary to the governments of Italy and Switzerland. President Saenz Peña assumes his office with the good will of the foreign colony, and promises to give Argentina a peaceful and progressive administration. His term of office will not expire until 1916. CHAPTER XVII TRADE CONDITIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA Walking along the extensive docks at Buenos Aires, and going through the immense warehouses which extended one after another along those docks, I was impressed with the small proportion of the immense traffic coming into this port that belonged to the United States. It was an object lesson far more impressive than the perusal of statistics. Section after section would be visited without a single package bearing the name of one of our manufacturers, while great boxes and bales with “Hamburg” stamped upon them, French boxes of both wet and dry goods, labelled “fragile,” and English shipments were piled clear up to the ceiling. The question “why is this condition?” arose in my mind, and set me upon inquiry. Are North American manufactures not adapted to the needs of our fellow Americans? Can it be that our goods are not fully known or appreciated beneath the Southern Cross?