FOR EVERY ONE
To all Americans both of the Northland and of the South this book with due modesty is inscribed, in the hope that by inciting to travel and acquaintance it may promote commercial intercourse, with the resulting ties of mutual benefit and respect: in the hope, too, that the slender cord now feebly entwining the various Republics may soon draw them all into more intimate relations of friendship; at last into a harmonious Sisterhood, in which neither age nor size shall confer superior rights, but mutual confidence based upon the foundations of justice shall insure perpetual peace.
The opportunity is here improved to express my grateful acknowledgment of kindly assistance and attentions of diverse character, received throughout my travels from many of my own countrymen, from Englishmen invariably interested and ready to aid, and from the ever courteous and helpful Latin Americans: officials and private individuals, with members of my own sex. As a complete list of these would be too long I permit myself the mention of those only who are entitled to especial recognition, our Minister to Bolivia, 1910-1913, the Honorable Horace G. Knowles, and the Governments of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, without whose prompt and substantial aid this work would have been impossible. That its usefulness may be such as to convey to them a valid return is my earnest aspiration.
The indulgence of critics and of tourists is sought for errors (few, I trust) and deficiencies which may be discovered. These and other faults will have crept in on account of a preparation somewhat hurried that the book might earlier be of service, and from the impossibility of securing on some points exact and adequate information, in spite of diligent investigation and careful scrutiny of facts and figures.
Many items of interest and importance have been omitted lest the book should be too long. The selection of material it is hoped will be suitable to the general reader, though doubtless every one will find topics presented to which he is indifferent and others neglected which appear to him of greater consequence.
Hours have been spent in searching for the best authority as to widely different figures and even as to varying accents and spelling. In the absence of other information a few statements have with some trepidation been copied from authors whose recognized blunders have made their unverified observations appear questionable.
While a different statement made by some other, albeit notable writer cannot be taken as conclusive evidence of error, any just criticism or suggestion presented to the author will be gratefully received and considered with a view to incorporating it in a subsequent edition.