University of Maine at Portland - Reflection / Umpire Yearbook (Portland, ME)

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8 PORTLAND UNIVERSITY 111 191? imports from South America amounted to 5H millions. Experts from the United States to South America totalled 259 millions for the year ending June, 1917. ll: is more than evident that there is a gradual tightening of the com- mercial and economic bonds between the Spanish-speaking lands of the New World and our own land. One of the results of this coming to- gether has been that in the u::it:.r of 1New York, the chief center of commerce he- tween this country and Hispanic America, business people tmen, women. hays mid girlsl have by hundreds undertaken in some way t0 study Spanish. There must he a reason for this desire to learn Spanish. It is very reasonable then that the study of Spanish is based fur practical purposes upon commercial needs. A knowiedge of Spanish is coming to he :1 necessity to the North American export- er. and importer. Ithth, and merchant. If this country wishes to estahiish tm- hreakahle bonds with its Spanish sheathw iiig neighhers there must lie timer imee- course. and this can be accomplished only when we can communicate With each other. Four hundred years ago Balboa came over here and wading out knee deep into the oceaui planted his standard that signified that this land was the property of Spain. Though that right claimed by the sword has not remained in that sense. it has in the supremacy of the language. The language has really separated the two Americas more than the intervening ocean. Now after all these years. mis- understanding has been swept away, and in its place comes closer relations. polit- ically and commercially. and :1 great change is taking place. XVhile Spanish is laying hold of the North it is equally true that English is conquering the Sdnth. North America is learning to read, speak and write Span- ish, while South America is learning English. Not only one class, but 3.11- doctors, lawyers, merchants, and sales- men, bankers, manufacturers, and clergy- men. A large husiums Firm doing business in South America. found that to successfully do business they must employ men with a knowledge of Spanish. This iirm's mitr- ket for their productions comprised some fie? millions of people. and this business was in the hands of native agents who dial business in a desuitory manner. W'ith the establishing of a Spanish Department, and competent men with a speaking knowledge of Spanish. they soon built up their business so that from that time 011 it progressed rapidly. Smith America. Mexico and other Hispanic countries are quickly develop- ing. They are rich in resources. and Aliiel'irans in time will not be in it who cant talk with them. As a foreign language Spanish is a leader in the com mercial world at the present time. The growing importance of all these countries since the war, with their increasing i114 dustrial and commercial activities, all unite to make a knowledge of Spanish :1 business necessity. The command for the student engaged in the study of busi- ness should he, Learn to speak and write Spanish nowlh America is really more than the land north of the Gulf of Mexico. Below that body of water are people who have as much right to call themselves Americans as we have. Vite must know their tongue to tleal with them. There are but three

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THE PUVIAN 7 iEhituriahi OUR LEGISLATURE AND OUR GOVERNMENT. Is our government made up of honest, conscientious men? That is a question which is often asked iahd pondered aboutl by many of the citizens of the state today. If these men are not honest, then something is radically wrong. Int they are elected by the penple themselves. However, 1 strongly believe that the representatives of 0111' people are. as a whole, interested in the common good of their electors, and that many of the com plaints are coming from that class of lazy hLet George Do lt'i type of persons, who, when electiun day comes around. are always too busy to go to the 130115. If we, the citizens of our ermntry with the equal rights in voting and selecting our law-makers. do not do our duty in chaos- ing the right man for the joht then we must necessarily suffer the consequences of being governed by the minority; this is a perfectly fair deal. There are two sides to every question. and there never will he a question, that concerns all men. which will he settled in a manner satis- factory to all concerned. Therefore. every law which is: paseetl will have hit- ter oppositimi and will cause certain members of the Iaw-making hmlies to he ealletl liars and grafters. - 1 do not mean to say that the government is perfect, for there is nothing which is perfect and there is nothing which ever will be per- fect. When the government is perfect, there will he no need For a government at all. for civilization will be perfect without the need of 3. governing body. The problem of getting the people out to vote is slowly being overcome; the people are beginning to realize that every mte counts in selecting the best men for the government. Numerous battles, lost by the majority because of the lack of all'lhition at the polls, have. aroused the people to the realization of the need for honest men in our law-making bodies. If one looks into the life history of one of these law-makere and takes the trouble to meet him and talk with him, he usually discovers that the man is a pretty good sort of being and is trying his best to please those who have entrusted him with their most vital problems. Before you criticize. your senator or representative or the governor of your state. ask yourself if there is not another side to the question involved, and if there is. see if youE as a voter. have done your best to elect the man who is Fighting for the rights of the people. RALPH F. l'imtm. THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF SPANISH Why learn Spanish? There are several commercial reasons as well as cultural and international reasons. A knowledge of Spanish offers exceptional advantages. Our trade with Smith America since the late war and with the XYest Indies and Mexico showed remarkable increase.

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THE. PUVIAN 9 languages spoken in the important uav tions of this hemisphere. Spanish, Engw lish. and Portuguese. The fact is that the people of North America should be- come acquainted with their Hispanic neighhme civilization and languages. Leoxom MARSHALL. DEBATNG Debating is of more actual value to the school and to the student himself than any other activity existing. The busi- ness man of today must he able to express himself. It is an absolute necessity that we be ahle to answer questions on the Floor, and answer them in a creditable manner. If we are to retain our rights then we must be able to convince others that we are right. If we would sell our products we must make people believe in them, and we must point out their good points, and last but far from least, if we would take part in our government then we must be able to assimilate the argu- ments; of others, make arguments of our own. and pteseht to the people our cone victions in a convincing mannert Pub lie Speaking is helping the common man to make a comfortable living. It is help- ing him to live down the tyranny of wouId-be tyrantst in other words. this art is the moat essential part of our educa- tion, for scientific public speaking and debating is a necessity to a thorough and modem education. RALPH F. 3LO0D. THE VALUE OF GOOD BOOKS Just what are books? Are the;r some thing to merely replenish our comforts on a cold wintere night? Are they writ- ten just to give the public something to read and quickly forget? No. There is a greater reae-on for our having so many booksea reason which shouhi make us ail eager to read them. HtiIliam Channing. the great American author and educator, once stated. God be thanked for books. They are the voice of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of the past ages. Books are the true levellere. They give to all who faithfully use them. the society. the spiritual presence of the best and greatest at our race. There are, perhaps. three means by which one may gain education: Flrst. by being tutored; second. by reading instruc- tive hooks: third. by travelling. We must readily admit that the education one receives through our American Schools and colleges is the very best ob- tainable, hut we must also realize that the next best knowledge is that which one receives by reacting good bookst W'hen Abraham Lincoln was of schoel age. it was difticult for most persons to attend school. Unable to enjoy that priv- ilege himself. Lincoln, through his zeal- ous and persevering study of the various cultured books 01' the day. qualified him- self to later become President of the United States. Closely related to our various cuitured books, are the present day, hrsteclass busi- ness. magazines, whose importance is be- ing realized more and more every day. Through these magazines one may keep in touch with prohlems concerning the business and welfare of the country. Of special interest should these current mag- azines be to the student pursuing a busi- ness course, for business today requires men who are not only well educated. but men who also possess a broad knowl- CContinued on page 3m