ARGENTINA FROM THE IMMIGRANT'S STANDPOINT.
It seems to be the ambition of every new country to secure immigration
at all costs, regardless of the prospects that really exist there, and
also of the true interests of the country. The result of this policy
at its best leads only to a boom, with its inevitable reaction. The
wiser plan of letting the country gradually develop itself, admitting
cheerfully the adventurous spirits who are ready to come without
invitation or advertisement rarely seems to commend itself to colonial
politicians. Argentina at one time seemed more than likely to compete
with Australia and Canada in this respect, trying to allure colonists
with impossible promises of free land and gigantic crops, and only
the untiring efforts of the Englishmen already established there have
prevented that country realising the inevitable consequence. The present
Argentine Government admit the unsuitable nature of the country for
impecunious Englishmen, and confine their attentions to attracting
Italians and other foreigners, for whom the climate and conditions of
labour are certainly more adapted. But even these are beginning to
discover that expectations and fulfilments do not always coincide.
The truth is that, as is heard from all parts of the world, special
knowledge or capital is indispensable in every new country, but that
with these the chances of success in life are considerably greater than
at home. To the Englishman, however, in the Argentine, there is the
additional difficulty of the language--a difficulty which were he
not an Englishman would be almost negligible, for Spanish is an easy
language of which to acquire a working command.
It is the firm belief of every Englishman, apparently, that certain
skill in athletics of necessity qualifies him for cattle farming.
Although he is physically well enough suited to camp life, the whole
truth is apt to be a disillusionment. The market for athletic young men
is already glutted, and though many estancieros take on an additional
overseer or apprentice to please a friend, in many cases they do not in
the least appreciate bestowing the favour. It must not be supposed that
Englishmen are not wanted on estancias. On the contrary, even Argentines
usually prefer an English manager. The only difficulty is that the
supply of raw material exceeds the demand. The young man who goes out to
seek his fortune is usually one with no qualification but an agreeable
manner and a good physique, desirable enough assets, but not such as to
entitle the holder to an extravagant salary. The wisest plan, therefore,
that an immigrant of this sort can pursue is to go to an estancia as an
apprentice for a nominal salary of twenty or thirty pounds a year, on
a three or four year's contract. Work is very hard, though often the
actual conditions of life are extremely comfortable, but the education
required is thorough and qualifies for a position of majordomo at the
end of the contract. Many men who possess some capital, or expect to
possess it, also go through this training as it enables them to invest
their money wisely, and later to work it economically.
There are many, however, who find the work and conditions of life
trying, especially on an inferior estancia, and take the first
opportunity offered to change their occupation. The usual change is
to a bank or a railway. Both are regarded as a last resource, because,
although the pay (anything from £100 a year) is considerably higher than
in camp life, expenses are considerably more so; while there is less
chance of promotion because the better positions naturally fall to men
with a special railway training who enter the service from home under
contract. For a really able man there are undoubtedly good prospects
on Argentine railways, and the difference in salary between that of an
employee there and that of one in a similar position at home more than
compensates for the increased cost of living. In Banks the salaries are
much the same as on railways to begin with, but chances of promotion are
said to be less, while the work does not give so many opportunities of
seeing the country, and to many is intrinsically less interesting.
In business houses there is never a chance of employment, except, of
course, through personal influence. English clerks are employed
very little, and there are no positions corresponding to the large
book-keeping staffs of banks and railways, nor to the assistants, and
secretaries to chiefs of departments, the inspectors and superintendents
of the latter.
For the Englishman it is very fortunate that the lethargic, and often
untrustworthy character of Latin races requires constant surveillance.
But for the same reason it is obviously impossible for employers to
choose their overseers at random, and a personal introduction is almost
indispensable. In giving this short sketch of the prospects open to the
English immigrant no mention has been made of the immigrant labourer or
artisan. The reason of this is that in this respect Argentine must be
regarded almost as a tropical country, where English labour is out of
the question. Italian and English labour cannot work together, not only
from incompatibility of temperament but because the Italian can work
for considerably less than the Englishman. In addition, the climate in
summer is far too hot for the latter. There are exceptions to be found,
notably in the case of butchers at the freezing works, and that of some
engine drivers, and engine-shop artificers. But, as the drivers are
compelled by law to speak and understand Spanish, they are not numerous.
In any case, there is absolutely no opening for a labourer or artisan,
unless he comes to the country to take up a definite vacancy that has
been offered him.
Regarded, however, as a country for the Italian immigrant the prospects
are certainly better, although not so dazzling as he is led to believe
in his own country. Such popular phrases as "immense zones which merely
await the strong arm of the colonist for their development" fall,
unfortunately, rather short of the truth. The tendency is to lay all
land possible under alfalfa, only such as is incapable of growing it
being sold for agriculture. Large tracts, nevertheless, are being formed
into colonies by land development companies, and in the past have been
so divided by government, a system which gives good returns to the
farmer. The latter, however, is rather inclined to work his land to
death, often without rotation, and, though actual exhaustion is very
remote, the rest afforded by a year's fallow and leguminous crops is
rendered impossible for a variety of reasons.
A mischievous result of the financial standing of many of the colonists
is their frequent lapse into the power of the local store-keeper. There
are no branch banks in the camp towns and often no grain dealer apart
from this accommodating tradesman. In return for very elastic credit,
based on crop expectations, he buys the whole yield at his own price,
and, as he has a monopoly of the retail trade as well, he secures a
large profit on both transactions. In his defence it must be admitted
that he runs a very great risk indeed in the credit which he is
compelled to give, and is justified to a great extent in recouping
himself when the opportunity occurs. But the undeveloped economic
system, and the encouragement of settlers without a sufficient backing
of capital, are much to be deplored. In recent years the agriculture of
a whole province threatened to come to an abrupt termination owing
to the complete inability of the colonists to buy or borrow from the
merchants seed for their year's sowing. It was only rescued by the
prompt and wise action of the local railway company who supplied the
grain, on the easiest of terms and without security. The result was,
although, of course, an immediate loss to the company, the salvation
of the province, and the railway's ultimate gain.
Owing to the enterprise of various people there seems to be a
possibility that the colonist's conservative partiality to cereals
may be overcome. Not only have the possibilities of chicken-farming
been demonstrated, but the co-operative working of a large dairy and
ice-producing plant has already proved a success. The co-operative
movement may indeed open a field, especially in the South, for other
labour besides that of Latin origin. It is true that the Boer Colony has
not been an unqualified success. But the Welsh have thrived in Chubut,
and of the newly opened regions about Nahuel-Huapi residents speak
enthusiastically. Unfortunately there does not seem to be much land
available, and, hitherto, there have been no railway facilities. There
is a paper dealing with the Welsh Colony, published by the Foreign
Office in London. But, apart from the accounts of sporting and
scientific expeditions, there is little available literature. It is much
to be deplored, and in default of an independent work in English the
translation of existing works in other languages would be very welcome.