Says We Will Get Central America.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 20, 1913:
Caribbean Islands Also Will Become Our Territory, Russian Editor Thinks.
FORESEES A SECOND CANAL
    Latin-Americans Don't Like Us, He Says, After Tour of Republics — Admire Our Civilization.
    Even if Secretary of State Bryan's Nicaraguan treaty did not look like itself when the Senate finished with it, it seems to have had considerable effect abroad, and in at least one country that would hardly be suspected of taking an interest in Latin-American affairs. Of such import was that instrument considered that The Novoe Vremya, the leading Russian newspaper, immediately dispatched one of its principal editors to study conditions in Central American republics and their attitude toward the United States. This editor. Vladimir Krymoff, returned to New York yesterday.
    The Novoe Vremya, by the way, has lately started an evening edition, according to Mr. Krymoff, and it has proved very successful, the circulation having already jumped beyond that of the morning paper. This, in Mr. Krymoffs opinion, is due to the fact that the evening paper sells for 1 cent and the morning for 3.
    "I have spent four weeks in tropical American countries," said Mr. Krymoff at the Plaza, yesterday, "and have seen Cuba the Central American republics, and the island of Jamaica. I have been particularly interested in trying to determine whether those countries are going to be Americanized or not. I have interviewed many persons of note in the various republics, and they express the hope that such a thing will not come to pass. From what I have seen and heard I am of the opinion that at least all the countries of Central America and the Caribbean will eventually become American territory.
    "I saw American officials in Panama and I saw American officials in the West Indies. Cuba is supposed to be an independent republic, but to me it seems quite American. I spoke English everywhere. I saw mail boxes bearing the legend 'U.S. Mail.' I found I could buy there everything American. I saw sugar that had been grown in Cuba, sent to the United States to be refined, and then brought back home to be sold.

Jamaica. Prefers Our Money.
    "In Santiago I could not pay my bills in Cuban money. I had to pay them with American money. Even in Kingston, Jamaica — and Jamaica is an English colony — I found merchants more eager to get American money for their goods than English. They preferred to receive one dollar to four shillings.
    "It was in San Jose, Costa Rica, where the elections were about to be held for a new President. The chances seemed to be favoring Senor! Fernandez. I have traveled much on the railways of Central America, and while they are all right for short runs, I would not like to make a long journey on any of them. What has impressed me very forcibly is the fact that not once have I been able to go anywhere in an American ship. Why have you not good steamers carrying your commerce to foreign countries? I came up here on a German boat. To a foreigner who knows what a rich nation you are, and that your people love the sea, and in the past have been skillful seamen, the fact that you have practically no merchant marine is almost unbelievable.
    "Naturally, during my trip, I was interested in making inquiries as to the possibilities of business for Russia in those countries. There would be hardly any, it seems to me, except for a little coffee and fruit.
    "I have no doubt that the United States will ultimately build a second canal from ocean to ocean, this one across Nicaragua, and for the United States alone. It has surprised me not a little to find that Europe has been so very quiet in the matter of the Nicaragua Canal, which the treaty with Nicaragua contemplates. It is my opinion that with two canals across the Isthmus the United States will have the whole of the American continent in its hands.
    "I learned enough to know that the people down there don't like you. This feeling I discovered to be practically universal, the exception being a few politicians who were said to be interested in business with the United States. I talked with one prominent man who told me that while he admired American civilization and American institutions, he did not like the American people. Those persons say that if you get all their business in your hands, then their independence is gone. They realize that American money has been all-powerful in bringing about changes in their countries and their development, but nevertheless they hate the owners of this money.

Costa Rica Has 170 Soldiers.
    "Of course, none of them is strong, and their armies are only for laughing at, as it seems to a foreigner. Now, in Costa Rica, while I liked the people very much, I must say that their army appealed to me only as a curiosity. There are 170 soldiers. They have no boots or shoes, and as a fighting machine the organization does not make an impression. They only have good orchestras. They spend $110,000 a year for their music, and this seems to be the most important concern of the country — that the bands shall be good. The bands or the orchestras play every day in the parks. As for big arms, there are about two or three guns, and nothing more.
    "Then I found the countries on very bad terms with one another. I discovered that a Costa Rican would not speak to a Guatemalan, and vice versa. Then if you go from Panama to Colombia the authorities of the latter country will not let you leave your steamer, not through fear of infectious disease but because of politics alone.
    "Yes, those countries are all very weak and small, but at the same time they are very rich. For its size I should unhesitatingly pronounce Costa  Rica the richest country in the world. There are no really poverty-stricken  people there that I could discover. Every peasant seems to be a proprietor.
    "What should be very interesting over here is the fact that there is in Russia a tremendous opportunity for American business. We are now experiencing a great boom. New enterprises are springing up. Englishmen have invested a great deal of money in development work, and are profiting largely. Americans now seem to be afraid of us. They are timid about doing business in our country. This is largely because you don't know us. Why, I do not know of more than two or three Americans who are engaged in business in St. Petersburg."