I-EaiiLAKV I, ujcg.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



IG3 



tition from abroad would be worth considering except on 

 the basis of possible importations now and then of sur- 

 pluses at a price such as to upset tlie market and tem- 

 porarily threaten the profits of dealers without any real 

 benefit to consumers as a class. 



A few rubber manufacturers have been before the con- 

 gressional committee, for one reason or another, but we 

 cannot see that they have thrown much li^ht upon the 

 subject as a whole. No doubt every rubber man who has 

 visited \\'ashington has had some tangible reason, based 

 upon his own individual business conditions or needs, but 

 we do not hesitate to say that the relative consumption 

 of rubber in America and abroad would not be greatly 

 changed from the present figures were rubber goods to be 

 placed absolutely upon the free list. But since there is 

 not the slightest probability of the free list being aug- 

 mented in the near future, the rubber trade seems to have 

 little concern in the present proposals for tinkering with 

 the tariff. 



The Ixdia Rui!p.i:r \\'okld has always refrained from 

 taking part in political discussions, but since some mem- 

 bers of the trade have become interested of late in the 

 matter of higher or lower duties on this or that article 

 of manufacture, it does not seem amiss to dfeal with a 

 few generalities in the manner here outlined. 



LANGUAGES AND TRADE. 



■■^ 



IT is reported tliat the delegates from tlie United States to 

 the Pan-American Scientific Congress, in session re- 

 cently at Santiago, Chile, prepared a special report, in behalf 

 of the .^ssociatio^ of American ■Universities, having in view 

 tlie establishment of closer relations between the educa- 

 tional institutions of North America and South America. 



In this connection it is of interest to note that in the 

 Bulletin of the International Bureau of the .\merican Re- 

 publics (Washington, December, 1908) appears an interest- 

 ing paper on "The Spanish Language in the Modern Cur- 

 riculum," which relates mainly to the establishment of in- 

 struction in Spanish at the University of Washington, 

 Seattle. It appears that the teaching of Spanish began 

 here in 1897, since which time tlic new department has grown 

 until now three instructors are employed, while tlie number of 

 students in this language exceeds 2C0. It is stated that "Students 

 graduating from the University of Washington have found that 

 Spanish often becomes the chief factor in their success or ability 

 to secure positions, and each year positions are being filled by 

 those who know this language and are able to use it in business 

 transactions, or to teach it in those schools where it is being 

 inaugurated and where its growing importance is being recog- 

 nized." 



.\ pertinent fact revealed by the last annual report of the 

 director of the International Bureau of American Republics is 

 that, while the trade between the United States and South 

 America increases year by year, the share of the Uttited States 

 still remains small as compared with that of Europe, and it is 

 possible that this is due, in an important degree, to the disre- 

 gard hitherto in North America to the languages of the southern 

 half of the continent. 



It has not been sufficiently appreciated in the United 

 States that the solicitor for business south of the Isthnnis 

 •of Panama must deal with an educated class, and that men 

 ■of cultivation must be sent in quest of trade. The oldest 

 ■seat of learning in the United States is inferior in the point 

 of age to the University of Lima by nearly a century, and 

 the university at Quito is nearly as old. It is to be noted 

 that almost every South American governor or president 

 or other important government official is termed "Dr.," the 



significance of which is that before being called to office he 

 has a university degree at least of PH.D., whereas the practice in 

 the United .States is to confer a ll.d. upon any man who may 

 liapijen to attain to high oflice, whether or not he has happened 

 previously to share in a liberal education. 



The people of South America buy foreign-made goods in 

 increasingly large amounts year after year, but exports in 

 that direction from the United States are not likely to in- 

 crease proportionately until such attention is given in this 

 country to the languages of the Latin countries as is con- 

 sidered necessary in Germany, for instance. 



It has long been customary for young men of wealth and 

 social standing in Latin American countries, after instruction in 

 their own universities, to give a year or two to a finishing course 

 in European institutions. They have been content usually with 

 classical instruction, but there is a growing tendency among such 

 young men to study technical and industrial subjects, which 

 is being encouraged by their respective governments with a view 

 to the future development and prosperity of the score of repub- 

 lics south of the United States. It is understood that there are 

 now several thousands of Latin .-Vmerican students in universities, 

 colleges, technical schools and industrial establishments in the 

 United States, many assisted by their governments, but the greater 

 majority paying their own expenses. These young men will in- 

 evitably become familiar with the English language and with 

 .Ajmerican business customs as well as American manufacturing 

 and engineering products, and the ultimate result can hardly fail 

 to be closer business relations between the republics of the north 

 and the south. The sending of a number of students from the 

 United States to South American universities might prove 

 no less valuable to this country than the studying here by so 

 many SoiUh .Xmerican young men to their own countries. 



SYNTHETIC (?) RUBBER FROM GOLD ORE. 



IN a recent special dispatch to the St. Louis Glohc-Dcmocrat 

 from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is announced the dis- 

 covery that in low grade, oxidized Cripple Creek gold ore 

 has been discovered a content "more valuable than its 

 treasure of gold — caoutchouc, or gum elastic." This can be 

 extracted profitably from the ore by a secret process known 

 only to its discoverer, Dr. J. C. Ross. The doctor, who seems 

 to be a practicing physician, claims that after years of 

 scientilic investigation and experiment this ore can be trans- 

 ferred into a high grade of rubber, equal if not superior, to 

 tliat obtained from the latex of rubber trees. He is confident 

 of more than doubling the world's production soon. This 

 news is most interesting and startling and opens up infinite 

 possibilities. If from gold ore, why not silver ore, giving 

 a product that could be compounded 16 to i? If gold rubber 

 is in sight, why not drop the idea of a gold or a silver basis in 

 coinage, and adopt a rubber basis, thus settling the problem 

 of elastic currency? By the way, was it a doctor or a minister 

 who succeeded in extracting salt water from gold, or was it 

 gold from salt water? 



WuK.N- TiiK "R.mnproof" carment first appeared on the 

 .'\merican market mackintosh manufacturers predicted that 

 it would injure the rubber proofed garment, and it did. This 

 was simply because people at large expected the "rainproof" 

 to be in all respects just what the rubber proofed was. .^fter 

 a while they discovered that each type of proofing was exceed- 

 ingly valuable, and the best under certain conditions. It took 

 some time for this adjustment of public opinion to be 

 effective, and to-day not only is rain proofing persisting and 

 growing, but the rubber proofed mackintosh has taken on a 

 new lease of life, particularly in fine garments and business 

 is excellent. In other words, the mackintosh is again a 

 favorite, as it should be. 



