Book: Argentina From A British Point Of View

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The question of stock raising and the object to be obtained must rest
with the owners: they must decide whether the land is to be utilised for
fattening cattle or for breeding the high-class animals for which there
is an ever-ready market. To show the enormous value of animals and the
high standard to which agricultural lands can be brought, mention must
be made of two estancias near Buenos Aires, viz., those belonging to
Messrs. Cobo and Messrs. Bell, where splendid stock is always to be
found. To give some idea of the high price paid for first-class pedigree
animals, it may be mentioned that L3,800 was paid for a prize Durham
bull which was sold to Argentina!

At the cattle show at Buenos Aires held in July, 1910, Herefords for
killing realized from L850 to L1,000 per animal! These latter high
prices were, however, evidently paid by the agents of Cold Storage
Companies for advertising purposes. One representative explained that
the freezing Companies desired to encourage breeders, and that his
Company paid the high prices mentioned above so as to let the breeders
know that they would always be paid high prices for first-class cattle.

When we consider the really important position which Argentina takes as
a food producer, it appears incredible that the English nation (business
men and the general public alike) is so extremely ignorant, as a rule,
of prevailing conditions. I do not refer to those who have invested
their money in the many channels known to the River Plate circle. But
men holding high official positions speak of our commercial interests in
Argentina as "something between a hundred and a hundred and fifty
millions," and then in a whispered side-speech indicate the dangers of
revolution.

Often it is suggested that the chances of death from small-pox, yellow
fever, and even from murder are a serious drawback to what might
otherwise be a country possible to live in. It makes one very indignant
to hear these statements from the lips of those who probably have never
left their own country. Let me assure you they may be swept aside, and
were it not for their frequent reiteration it would be unnecessary to
say that there is not one grain of truth in these suggestions as applied
to the state of things to-day.

Nearly one-fifth of the population of Argentina is centred in and around
Buenos Aires. It is a city of 1,200,000 inhabitants, many of whom are
millionaires; but at the same time there exists much poverty within its
precincts--poverty caused in no small degree by the viciousness of the
rich, but to a far greater extent by the rooted objection of certain
classes to go out to the camps where, during the harvest time at least,
wages are high and labour is anxiously awaited.

When we compare the health of this city of Buenos Aires with that of
other large cities, we can see what has been done in the way of
improvements in the last few years. A glance at the following tables
will give some idea of what has been accomplished. The natural increase
of the population of Buenos Aires between 1898 and 1907 was 19.1 per
1,000, and no other city equals this.

The increase in London was 8.8 per 1,000.
" Berlin " 8.5 "
" New York " 5.7 "
" St. Petersburg " 4.6 "


The birth-rate of Buenos Aires for 1908 was 34.3 per 1,000.
" " London " 25.7
" " Berlin " 23.3
" " New York " 28.5
" " St. Petersburg " 27.5

Both these tables are, however, probably affected by the great number of
immigrants finding their way to Argentina, many of whom remain in Buenos
Aires.

The health of the City may be well gauged by the death-rate for the year
1907.

Buenos Aires stands well with 15.2 per 1,000 inhabitants.
London has a death-rate of 15.1 " "
Berlin " " 14.8 " "
New York " " 18.6 " "
St. Petersburg " 25.7 " "

(Undoubtedly the high rate shown by the last-named city is greatly due
to the foul condition of the Neva.)


To appreciate thoroughly the position which Buenos Aires now holds, and
the strides which have been made in regard to the sanitation of the
City, we have but to look at the past. Between the years 1889 and 1898
the death-rate per thousand was as high as 22.9 per 1,000; from 1899 to
1908 it was only 16.6, and now the record stands at 15.2 per 1,000.

The authorities are justly proud of what has been done, and will not
diminish their efforts so long as there is work to do and problems to
solve.

I should like to state once more the fact that the United Kingdom
depends upon Argentina for nearly one-fourth of her food supply
purchased abroad. I want to impress upon your mind the seriousness of
the position, for this proportion of one-fourth will be largely
increased in the near future, for reasons already stated.

The question has often been asked, "Is it safe to buy land in
Argentina?" But the drift of this query too often is merely
self-interest; in other words, it really means "Can I successfully
speculate in land?" Clearly the matter is solely a personal one, no
other consideration is thought of, so one is tempted to give an evasive
answer. Should the questioner, however, be a young fellow, with God's
gift of health and plenty of truth and grit in him, who wants not only
to acquire the land, but to work it, then, indeed, there is but one
answer, and that is in the affirmative--let him go, and let him ever
remember that he is an Englishman and that England is judged by the
conduct of her sons: but do not let him make the great mistake a
newcomer so often falls into, which is, that because he is an Englishman
all other nationalities must be inferior, and that by some sort of
divine right he has been created lord of all. Let him realise that those
whom he meets in Argentina are as noble and pure as those he left at
home. Argentina offers to-day a splendid opening for the best of
England's sons, but she does not want the loafer nor the ne'er-do-well.
Can it be wondered at that England's prestige is seriously injured when
so many of the "wasters," and worse, are sent from the country? It is
but natural that from these, who go to foreign countries, England is
judged. To my mind we should send abroad men who are bound to succeed,
men who never forget that from their behaviour the Mother Country will
be appraised. Argentina will embrace and reward them, but she will spurn
and despise the dissolute and drunken.

The advice I would give to all those thinking of trying Argentina as a
field for agricultural work is to remember that to be successful one
must begin at the bottom, the harder the school the better will be the
result: you cannot detect and correct the faults which militate against
success unless you have been through the mill. Not long ago I sent a boy
out to Argentina and painted the first two years of learning in the new
country in rather lurid colours. I explained and dwelt on the
hardships--indeed, I described it as "a dog's life." Within a year, the
lad wrote home to his parents and mentioned all that I had told him, but
finished up by saying, "There's plenty of 'life' about it, but not much
'dog.'" The truth is that the boy had accepted things as they came along
and had adapted himself to his surroundings, and, I predict, he will
never regret having left his home, where opportunities were cramped by
small surroundings, for the wider field of Argentina.

A great many Englishmen resident in Argentina, whose sons are looking
forward to finding their life's work in that country, send their boys
home to England to be educated. Far be it from me to deprecate the
training acquired by English public school life, but it might well be
worth while to consider the other phase. The boy who has had his
schooling in Argentina and goes through his training and passes into one
of their Universities will have to his credit something which cannot be
bought by money or influence by boys straight out from home. He will
have been a fellow student, and worked shoulder to shoulder with men who
will in due time occupy positions of power and influence, and it is just
as well to weigh out these things before deciding where to educate your
boy. A boy born in Argentina, whatever the nationality of his parents
may be, is by Argentine law an Argentine subject, and should be brought
up to appreciate that he is liable to be called upon to go through a
military course: the Argentine boy, who has had just as gentle an
upbringing as the English boy, is compelled to serve his time in the
army if called upon, and generally the discipline engendered by this
training has not only been good for him, but is a distinctly valuable
asset to the country, and the English boy, as well as a boy of any other
parentage born in the country, will be obliged to go through this
military training if required.

I venture to think that were England to adopt compulsory military
service in some shape or form, we should hear a great deal less of the
unemployed and "don't-want-work" demonstrations.

To attempt to give a picture of Argentine life is impossible in the
short time at my disposal. Imagine to yourself, if you can, a country of
1,212,600 square miles whose borders extend from well within the Tropics
to away down south to the everlasting snows, embracing all kinds of
lands, from the very richest of soils to ice-capped and rocky peaks, and
you must admit that to attempt to describe the various conditions of
life therein is wellnigh impossible. Life is much what the surrounding
conditions make it--on the extreme edge of cultivation it is distinctly
rough, on the inner camps refinement steps in, and in the cities you
will find just what society you wish. Amongst the cosmopolitan
population of Buenos Aires there are many men and women of the highest
culture and education.

There are many Argentines, who stand out prominently from the throng of
busy pleasure-seekers, who are devoting their lives to improving the
surroundings of those less fortunate fellow-creatures who have fallen
upon the thorny path, and whose portion is often the cup of bitterness.
Indeed, I have ever found the Argentine desirous of helping those who
seek advice and assistance; but he spurns the foreigner who degrades
himself and his country by acts of folly which would not be permitted in
his native land.

Englishmen often fall into the great error of keeping themselves to
themselves. Possibly this trait is engendered from birth and training by
our insular position, but it is a great pity to carry it too far, for
the Argentine people do appreciate the thoroughness of our countrymen,
and are ready to welcome the right sort. We have taught the Argentines
many of our national sports and games, and they have entered into them
with such thoroughness that the teachers have often had to admit that
the pupil has proved better than the master.

Travelling has become an integral part of the education of the Argentine
family to-day, and it is quite general to find young children speaking
fluently four or five languages.

I could wish that those who have Argentine friends would insist upon
their seeing, when in this country, some of the Englishman's home
surroundings, for hotel life, theatres, dinners, and music-halls are all
very well in their way, but to see the real inwardness of English life
you must follow the Englishman to his country home. My experience is
that the Argentine will always refuse an invitation to your home at
first, because of the trouble which he believes you will be put to, but
don't take "no" for an answer; simply make him come, and he will thank
you afterwards for his experience of English home life.

Just a word or two, for fear I have left an impression that Argentina is
the El Dorado which lies beyond the seas. There are such things as
locusts, floods, droughts, and frosts in that country.

The first of these--locusts--are indeed a plague which to-day it seems
almost impossible to annihilate, for I have little faith in man's
attempts effectually to stop or decrease this pestilence; on the other
hand, Nature always seems to be on the alert to prevent an overthrow of
the balance of things. Those who have spent their lives in the River
Plate district have seen this appalling plague crushed by means which
Nature, in her own good time, has thought fit to use.

With regard to floods and droughts, these can, at least, be modified by
men, and means are now being adopted to conserve the floods and render
their waters available in time of drought.

From frosts we seem powerless to defend ourselves, and it is only those
whose work is in close touch with the growing and handling of crops who
can fully appreciate the damage done by late frosts.

No country is free from drawbacks of some sort or another, and these
troubles which I have just mentioned will not prevent the forward march
of progress in Argentina.


FOOTNOTES:

[A] These figures are approximate

[B] The dollar referred to throughout this paper is the Argentine paper
dollar, which since 1899 has had a fixed value, and is worth
approximately 1s. 9d. Previous to that date its value fluctuated
considerably.

[C] A list of the other Colonies and Foreign Countries which largely
contributed to this total will be found on the following page.

[D] The other colonies and foreign countries which largely contributed
to the totals mentioned are as follows:--

DENMARK--Barley L22,708 Meat 5,988,573

ROUMANIA--Corn, etc. L2,564,538 Meat nil.

TURKEY (including CRETE)--Corn, etc L1,383,971 Meat nil.

TURKEY, ASIATIC--Corn, etc. L1,344,322 Meat nil.

CHILI--Corn, etc L1,099,660 Meat 10,682

BRITISH INDIA--Corn, etc L2,226,668 Meat nil.

NEW ZEALAND--Corn, etc L30,585 Meat 4,168,649




HISTORY OF THE SANTA FE LAND COMPANY, LIMITED.

In the years 1881 and 1882, Messrs. C. de Murrieta & Co. acquired a
block of land from the Government of the Province of Santa Fe, and in
December, 1882, sold one undivided half-share thereof to Messrs. Kohn,
Reinach & Co. Messrs. Murrieta & Co. and Messrs. Kohn, Reinach & Co.,
having decided to develop the said lands, formed the Santa Fe Land
Company, and the prospectus appeared in July, 1883.

The area sold to the new Company was said to comprise about 650 Spanish
leagues, or 4,336,150 English acres, and the price to be paid to the
vendors was L1,050 per league.

In order to provide a port of shipment on the Rio Parana the Company
bought a further lot of 323 acres in the Colony of Romang.

In addition to the original block of land, the Company has since bought
the following areas:--

The estancia of La Barrancosa, 10,801 hectareas, say 26,678

The estancia of Santa Catalina, 4,049 hectareas, say 10,002

A strip of land at Guaycuru on the eastern boundary
of the Company's forest lands, 1,636 hectareas, say 4,041

A piece of land at Venado Tuerto, 37 hectareas, say 91

A piece of land at Arrufo, 100 hectareas, say 247

A piece of land at Tostado, 50 hectareas, say 123

41,182

Since the beginning of the Company the total area of land sold has
amounted to 709,549 acres (up to 30th June, 1910). It is calculated
that the land comprised in the Bazan claim, to which reference is made
later on, measures 582,914 acres. Upon this supposition the Company now
owns 3,044,100 acres.

The original price paid for the Company's lands worked out at about 3s.
an acre.

The original capital of the Company was L875,000, of which over L675,566
was paid to the vendors, leaving a balance of L199,434 to meet the
preliminary expenses and the initial cost of opening up the new
properties. After some years it was found necessary to write off a
portion of the capital, and accordingly, in 1897, the Company's lands
were re-valued at approximately 2s. 9d. an acre.

The present Directors of the Company are:--

Mr. CAMPBELL P. OGILVIE (_Chairman_).
Mr. IVOR BEVAN.
Mr. GORDON H. BROWN.
LORD HAWKE.
Mr. LOUIS H. KIEK.
Mr. T.E. PRESTON.
Capt. The Hon. F.C. STANLEY.

The London Office is at 779, Salisbury House, Finsbury Circus, London,
E.C., and the Secretary of the Company is Mr. David Simpson. The Head
Office in the Argentine is at 761, Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires, and
the following are the principal officers of the Company in Argentina:--

Mr. HUGH M. RATTRAY (_General Manager_).
Mr. W.B. WHIGHAM (_Manager of the Cattle
and Lands Department at Sun Cristobal_).
Mr. R.N. LAND (_Manager at Santa Catalina_).
Mr. T. SCOTT ROBSON (_Manager at La Barrancosa_).
Mr. G.L.C. GITTINS (_Acting Manager of the Woods Department_).



SHARE CAPITAL.

The original shares of the Company were L10 each. It was decided in 1897
to reduce them to L7 fully paid, which placed the capital at L612,500.
Shortly afterwards each L7 share was converted into seven shares of L1
each.

In 1906 the shareholders authorised the creation of L200,000 of fresh
capital, which was issued to them in two blocks of L154,000 in 1906 and
L46,000 in 1907.

Fresh capital was authorised in 1908, viz., L187,500, of which L161,608
was issued in 1909, and further lots have since been issued, bringing
the total amount of authorised capital to L1,000,000, and of issued
capital at 30th June, 1910, to L982,347.

An issue of L50,000 Six per Cent. Debentures was made in January, 1904;
and the whole amount was redeemed on the 1st July, 1909.


BAZAN LANDS.

Part of the area sold to the Company consisted of a block of
approximately 88 Spanish leagues, or 530,000 English acres, which became
the subject of negotiations and lawsuits between this Company, the
Provincial Government of Santa Fe, and other parties, lasting for more
than twenty-five years. The area in question lay to the West of the Rio
Salado, and, at the time when this Company was formed, was supposed to
be included in the Province of Santa Fe. Soon afterwards the Province of
Santiago del Estero put forward a claim to the lands on the ground that
the boundaries of that Province extended eastwards to the Rio Salado,
and it therefore disputed the right of the Province of Santa Fe to sell
the lands to Messrs. Murrieta & Co. in 1882.

By an Agreement with the Government of the Province of Santa Fe, the
Santa Fe Land Company took proceedings in the Supreme Courts of the
Province to establish its rights to the land in dispute on the
understanding that if the Company failed to establish its claim, the
Government of the Province of Santa Fe would indemnify it for its loss.
In the result the Company was evicted from the lands, and entered into
negotiations with the Government of the Province of Santa Fe for
indemnification. These negotiations went on for some years without
coming to any practical conclusion, and at last the Company commenced a
lawsuit against the Province and won it. After further delays and
negotiations the Government agreed to issue bonds in respect of the
Company's claim, and, in July, 1909, the Company agreed to accept
$3,212,000 paper Bonds of the Province, carrying interest at 3-1/2 per
cent., with an amortisation of 1/2 per cent., the coupons being
available for payment of land tax. The Government further undertook to
ratify the original titles of the Company, and to make a survey at the
joint expense of both parties, for the purpose of ascertaining the exact
area comprised in the original transfer. Any lands found to be in excess
were to be paid for by the Company to the Government at the rate of
$13.50, paper, per hectarea (about 8s. an acre). The price of such
excess lands was to be recouped by the Government from the Bonds issued
to the Company, and the Government retained $712,000 Bonds for this
purpose, pending the result of the survey.

[Illustration: _Cattle Train on Central Argentine Railway, bringing
Cattle to Barrancosa._]


RAILWAY COMMUNICATION.

At the time of the formation of the Company, the nearest railway was
that belonging to the Central Argentine Railway, and the nearest
railway station was Rosario, but some years later, the lines now
belonging to the French Railway Company of the Province of Santa Fe were
laid between Santa Fe and San Cristobal. Subsequently the Central Norte
Railway, which stretches northwards from San Cristobal to Tucuman, was
built by the National Government, and in 1907, the National Government
built a line from Santa Fe to San Cristobal _via_ San Justo.

The Company have built a railway from a point north of Vera running into
their forests, and extend it from time to time as the development of the
wood industry demands. They further own a line from Margarita to La
Gallareta, where the extract factory of the Compania Tanin de Santa Fe
is situated. The Company propose to build a railway from San Cristobal
to penetrate to their northern properties, and have applied to the
Argentine National Government for a railway concession in connection
therewith.


ADMINISTRATION.

After various changes of centre the administration offices of the
Company were, in the year 1902, divided between San Cristobal for the
cattle and lands department, and Vera for the woods department, but, in
1906, the woods department was placed under the supervision of the
General Manager of the Company, who lived at San Cristobal, and, in
1908, the central offices were moved from San Cristobal to Buenos Aires.
Through the latter office all the work of the Company in Argentina
passes on to the London office, the managers at San Cristobal, Vera,
Santa Catalina, and La Barrancosa, having to concern themselves only
with the technical and administrative work carried on under them
respectively.


COMPANY'S BUSINESS.

The Company's business has been mainly divided into three branches,
viz.: (1) land sales and rentals; (2) cattle industry, and (3) timber
trade.

The first two branches are conducted from San Cristobal, situated at the
S.W. corner of the Company's original lands, and for many years the site
of the central offices of the Company in Argentina, whilst the timber
trade is conducted from Vera.


SAN CRISTOBAL DEPARTMENT.

A township was started at San Cristobal in 1884, and now numbers 4,500
persons.

The Administration House and other buildings for the use of the General
Manager and Staff of the Cattle and Lands Department were erected about
three miles from the town, and the whole now forms a large and handsome
establishment, equipped with the most modern requisites for carrying on
the work of the estancia.

The cattle lands have been divided up into sections, which are managed
by officials of the Company, under the control of the administration at
San Cristobal. The office there and the offices on the various sections
have recently been connected up by telephone. These sections are
Polvareda, Michelot, Los Moyes, and Lucero (which lie to the North and
North-East of San Cristobal), and Las Chunas, which forms the
North-Western corner of the Company's lands.

[Illustration: _Loading Wheat at Rosario from the "Barranca."_]

[Illustration: _San Cristobal Estancia House._]


SANTA CATALINA AND LA BARRANCOSA.

In January, 1897, the Company rented the estancia of Santa Catalina,
which is situated about five miles from Los Cardos on the Central
Argentine Railway and about 150 miles South of San Cristobal. Here the
stock which was brought down from San Cristobal was fattened before
passing on to the markets. At the same time the Company continued the
sowing of alfalfa which had been begun by the proprietor, and ultimately
decided to buy the camp and use it as an establishment for breeding fine
stock. The terms of the purchase were that the price should be paid by
way of an annuity, payable during the joint lifetime of the owner and
his wife. In 1909 this method of payment was compounded and satisfied in
full by an allotment of shares of the Company.

The practice has been that the male calves born on this estancia should
be sent North to the general herds kept at San Cristobal and the
adjoining sections, and that the progeny of these animals should in turn
be sold as fat cattle.

To facilitate this business the Company found it necessary to acquire a
camp specially adapted for fattening purposes in the Southern part of
the Province, so that they might be brought into closer touch with the
markets of Rosario and Buenos Aires. They accordingly bought the
estancia La Barrancosa in 1906, and have been constantly increasing the
area there under alfalfa, equipping it with a full complement of wells
and fencing. This estancia lies half way between the towns of San Isabel
and Venado Tuerto, from the latter of which it is distant about sixteen
miles. But, during the year 1909, a new broad-gauge railway line was
opened, leading from Rosario to Bahia Blanca. It passes right through
the estancia, and by means of a station just outside the boundary the
Company have fresh means of despatching their animals to Rosario.

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