A FARMER’S HOME 353 BRAZIL AND HER PEOPLE OF TO-DAY CHAPTER I THE COUNTRY “Norte-Americano,” politely suggested a Brazilian to me in the course of a conversation, and I accepted the correction. “We also are _Americanos_,” he continued. After that I was very careful to make the distinction, although in an unguarded moment it would sometimes appear. “_Ingles_” or “_Norte-Americano_,” would sometimes be asked, although the most of the Brazilians can spot the “_Yanqui_,” as he is called with all due respect. It is said that our former Secretary of State, during his circular tour around South America, was very careful in all his speeches to call himself a North American, and this one little distinction aided in increasing his popularity. It is often the delicate little recognition that pleases these Latin people, who are themselves full of flattery and compliments. It is time for the people of the United States, especially as they are now entering upon an era of commercial conquest, to recognize that these people of the great continent south of us are just as much entitled to the use of that term, of which they are likewise proud, as we ourselves are; that though these people are Brazilians, Argentinians, Chileans, etc., they consider themselves first and foremost as Americans, in order to distinguish themselves from Europeans, Asiatics and Africans. We can say to them: “We are North Americans, you are South Americans; but we are all Americans, and proud of our homes in this great, glorious and promising continent.”