March i, 1905.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



205 



which must be encountered and overcome in order to solve the 

 rubber problem. But these obstacles are not insurmountable. 

 England has met and overcome similar obstacles in India and in 

 South Africa. The Anglo-Sa.\on race has never permitted natural 

 barriers to stand in the way of its commercial and industrial ad- 

 vancement. 



There is no danger of an immediate cessation of the supply of 

 crude rubber. We are looking simply to the not distant future, 

 with a full realization of the possible peril that exists. We all 

 realize that it will take time, energy, and capital to accomplish 

 satisfactory results. Crude rubber has now become almost as val- 

 uable :is some of the precious metals. As no obstructions of na- 

 ture have ever long impeded the development of gold or silver or 

 copper mines, so we believe that American courage, and energy 

 and perseverance will solve the rubber problem before the danger 

 point is reached. 



Our whole history from the landing of the Pilgrims on the At- 

 lantic coast until we entered the Golden Gate of the Pacific has 

 been one I'mg struggle with nature's barriers. But nothing could 

 stem our progress or dampen the ardor of the American spirit. 

 The same fearless energy and undaunted heroism which has sub- 

 dued a continent and made it the home of civilization and freedom 

 can conquer and utilize for the comfort and health of mankind the 

 vast forests of the Amazon. 



It is this American spirit which has made us what we are to day. 

 It is this spirit which has hitherto defied the trackless wilderness, 

 the swamp, the desert, the mountain and the prairie. It is this 

 spirit which has built our magnificent cities, spanned the territory 

 between the oceans with railways, made the flinty rock yield up 

 its hidden treasures, and covered the land with rich harvests of 

 grain and fruit. 



It is this spirit which animated the early pioneers in their long, 

 dreary march over thousands of miles of desert and mountain to 

 the gold fields of California. It is this spirit which has surmount- 

 ed the impenetrable fastnesses of the Klondike, locked in perpetual 

 snow, to obtain the most precious of metals. 



It is this spirit which will build the Panama canal under the same 

 climatic and other adverse conditions that prevail on the Amazon. 

 It is this spirit which filled the intrepid soul of Goodyear, who, 

 during the ten years of hardship, suffering and want, in jail and 

 out, using even the few tea cups he had for experimental purposes, 

 continuing his struggle until his dream of vulcanization had be- 

 come a reality- 

 It is this spirit which has conceived and organized our vast in- 

 dustries upon plans so comprehensive, and cf such magnitude, as 

 to arouse the amazement of other nations. It is this spirit which 

 is pouring into our lap the largest share of the commerce of the 

 civilized world. 



It is by the exercise of this spirit that the difficulties which now 

 confront us respecting the supply of crude rubber will vanish, and 

 its production be placed upon foundations of such security and per- 

 manency as will not only meet the increased demand, but will 

 also ensure to the rubber industry that measure of prosperity 

 commensurate with the benefits and blessings it confers upon 

 mankind. It is this spirit that inspired the lines of the poet : 

 " Rift the hills, and roll the waters, 



Flash the lightnings, weigh the sun — " 



MR. PHELPS INTRODUCED. 

 The Chairman said : 



Among the invited guests this evening, I am pleased to see that 

 we have with us a gentleman from Chicago who has accomplished 

 what we are all striving for, and that is, the accumulation of a sat- 

 isfactory quantity of the almighty dollar, and has retired from ac- 

 tive business. He was a large and successful jobber of leather 

 and rubber boots and shoes, and, therefore, undoubtedly retains 

 some interest in the object for which our Club is organized. His 

 reputation as a business man has preceded him, and I feel safe in 



assuming that, as a citizen of Chicago he can bring us a message 

 from the West which will be welcome. On a similar occasion 

 while in his city he called upon me for a speech in the most unex- 

 pected and heartless way, and so I have no hesitancy in availing 

 myself of the first opportunity for retaliation. 



I call upon Mr. Erskine M. Phelps, of Chicago. 



Mr. Phelps, coming as he said from the city by the" inland 

 sea," spoke a word of graceful eulogy of his long time friend 

 the late Hon. Elisha S. Converse, another to the Club, and sat 

 down. Ex-Secretary Long, turning to him and mentioning the 

 extreme brevity of the speech, said : " It's the best one to- 

 night." 



INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. 



EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. 



OFFICIAL statement of values of exports of manufactures 

 of India-rubber and Gutta-percha, for December, 1904, 

 and for the twelve months of five calendar years : 



COMPARISON OF RETURNS FOR THE PAST TWO YFAR.S. 



Gain in Belting, packing;, and hose $ 32,442 



Gain in Boots and Shoes 235,421 $277,863 



Loss in all other 170,941 



Net gain for 

 Number of pairs 



In 1899 



In igoo 



In igoi 



1904 I 96,922 



of rubber boots and shoes exported : 



. . 621,069 In 1902 2,377,743 



..1,399,285 In 1903 2,170,172 



. .2,408,776 In 1904 2,391,806 



SHIPMENTS TO NON CONTIGUOUS TERRITORIES. 



Destination. 



Alaska : 



1903 



1904 



Hawaii : 



1903 



1904 



Porto Rico : 



1903 



1904 



Philippints : 



1903 



1904 



Totals : 



1903 



1904 



Belting, 



Packing, 



and Hose. 



5'32,35t 

 44,363 



137,322 

 29,439 



$8,545 

 8.776 



$23,044 

 31,653 



$101,262 

 114. 231 



Boots 



and 



Shoes. 



$ 88,331 

 130,552 



$ 7,386 

 12,036 



$811 

 269 



$ 2,576 

 7.684 



$ 99,104 

 150.541 



All 



other 



Rubber. 



$17,248 

 19.337 



$30,169 

 34,089 



$16,074 

 16,814 



$35,261 

 42,809 



$ 98,752 

 113.049 



Totals. 



$'37,930 

 194,252 



$74,877 

 75.564 



$25,430 

 25,859 



$60,881 

 82,146 



$299,118 

 377,821 



IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES. 



India-rubber goods $562,997 



Guttapercha goods 121,123 



Total $684,120 



Reexports 4,655 



X103. 



$682,982 



442.580 



$t. 



25,562 

 8.624 



1904. 

 $1,003,167 

 123.330 



$1,126,497 

 10,077 



Net Imports $679,465 $1,116,938 $1,115,220 



Canada. — The rate of import duty on automobiles has been 

 increased from 25 to 35 per ctnl. aii valorem. The same rate 

 applies to automobile tires. 



