406 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[September i, 1904. 



THE GOVERNOR OF PARA STATE. 



THE portrait on this page is that of the young governor of 

 the state of Para, Brazil, who, previous to the fall of the 

 monarchy, started his public career in the diplomatic service, 

 being sent to England and France. After rendering service to 

 his country as a member of the chamber of deputies in the 

 Federal congress, he was elected governor, and is at present in 

 the fourth year of the direction of the public affairs of his state. 

 Through his determined and convicted policy, his management 

 of the state of Para during the last four years has been that of 

 reconstruction of the budget, heavily thrown out of equilibrium 

 by the economic and financial crisis of the last five years. 

 Nevertheless, encountering only obstacles in his way, he 

 adopted a very economical policy which is already yielding 

 good and material results. Dr. Augusto Montenegro is the 

 governor of one of the richest states of the Brazilian republic. 

 In the revenues of the customs of the republic, Para to-day 

 takes the third place, that of Rio being first and Santos 

 second. 



The principal element of the rich resources of the state is the 

 India-rubber industry ; the crop July, 1902. 

 to June, 1903, amounted to 11,327 tons, 

 representing approximately $14,850,000 in 

 value. The crop ending June 30, 1904, 

 showed an increase in tonnage, and, 

 owing to the high valuations in con- 

 suming markets, one will not err in say- 

 ing that this part of the Amazon valley 

 produced over $16,000,000 worth of raw 

 material. 



Para has yet a good many unexplored 

 sources of production, and with the regu- 

 lar exploitation of the Xingu, Tapajos, 

 and Tocantins rivers — the present output 

 from which represents but a small frac- 

 tion of their possible production — the In- 

 dia rubber production will go far beyond 

 the figures given above. The develop- 

 ment of these rivers, with the aid of rail- 

 roads to give easy accessto the falls, would 

 open another era of prosperity to this 

 great state, where the natural resources 

 are inviting to foreign capital and paying 

 undertakings. 



Governor Montenegro was elected November 15, 1900, by a 

 large majority, for a term of four years, and was inaugurated 

 in office February 1, 1901. There is talk of the probability of 

 his reelection this fall, in which case Para will have cause for 

 congratulation, for the honesty and energy that the governor 

 has displayed thus far are a guarantee of prosperity to his na- 

 tive state. 



On the occasion of his birthday, in July, Governor Monte- 

 negro was the object of an imposing demonstration on the part 

 of the merchants of Pard. In reply to the address that was 

 presented to him, the governor pointed out that it had been 

 from the first an aim of his administration to maintain order 

 and credit without increasing expenditure. This he had real- 

 ized, and the disorders so common when he took over the ad- 

 ministration had ceased, and not only had he, in spite of the 

 terrible financial crisis, not added a vintem to taxation, but on 

 the contrary it had been reduced. This was possible only by 

 the exercise of the strictest and, as it has been termed, almost 

 " ridiculous " economy. To pay off obligations accumulated 

 under previous administrations, the foreign loan was negotiat- 



ed and the banks and commercial body relieved of a mass of 

 credit paper too heavy for their market to carry. The effect 

 has been immediate, and though for some time the Par£ market 

 must feel the consequences of the late crisis, confidence has re- 

 vived and with better rubber prices and greater stability of ex- 

 change, prosperity is returning. The Brazilian Review, edited 

 by an Englishman, remarks in this connection: "The mer- 

 chants do well to be grateful to Dr. Montenegro who, young as 

 he is, has shown good sense and resolution in dealing with dif- 

 ficult problems, quite uncommon in this country." 



THE RUBBER SCRAP SITUATION. 



FROM Russia a correspondent of The India Rubber 

 World writes : " The price for old rubber shoes has 

 heretofore been so low because there were large quantities of 

 them here in Russia, and we were compelled to sell at any 

 price. At present, however, the quantity of old rubber shoes 

 in the market is very small, as most dealers have already sold 

 their stock, while, on account of the low prices which prevailed, 

 few have been collected, these coming mostly from distant 

 parts of Russia, whence the railroad freight 

 to here amounts to 2 cents per pound. 

 Under these conditions it does not pay to 

 collect the old shoes, and there probably 

 is only one third of the quantity in the 

 market that we usually had in the past. 

 Besides, Russian manufacturers at present 

 buy large quantities of rubber shoes, while 

 an export duty of 2% cents per pound on 

 old rubber shoes has been approved and 

 may at any time begin to be enforced. So, 

 if the American manufacturers will not pay 

 higher prices, they will not be able to buy 

 old rubber shoes in Russia, and will be 

 compelled to confine themselves to Ameri- 

 can old rubber shoes, which will, of course, 

 lead to higher prices in America also." 

 * * • 



At the request of some leading firms in 

 the rubber trade who were in doubt as to 

 whether the proposed Russian export tariff 

 on waste rubber had been put in force, the 

 department of state at Washington cabled 

 to the United States embassy at St. 

 Petersburg for positive information on the subject, and re- 

 ceived the following return cablegram, dated August 4: 



Informed by Russian government that time when new export duty on 

 rubber waste becomes operative not yet fixed ; probably very soon, in 

 view of conclusion of Russo-German commercial treaty. MCCORMICK. 



AUGUSTO MONTENEGRO 

 Governor of Pard. 



THE JIMINEZ RUBBER PLANTATION. 



A YEAR ago this Journal mentioned more than once the 

 planted rubber trees on the coffeeestate of the late Joaquin 

 Jiminez, of Tuxtepec (Oaxaca), Mexico. These trees were seen 

 by Ben L. Edgarton, in his recent inspection, as shareholders' 

 committee, of the Batavia plantation, which is nearby. The 

 estate as a whole, now owned by the founder's son, Joaquin 

 Jiminez, is reported in a prosperous condition, and the rubber 

 trees large and thrifty. The inspector for the Obispo planta- 

 tion, John A. Schauweker, also visited the Jiminez property. 

 He reports that the rubber covers about 50 acres, for which the 

 owner asks $80,000 [Mexican ?], or $1600 per acre, his father 

 having refused $1200 per acre. 



