The record-union., 1897-12-12
OUR GUATEMALAN EXHIBIT.
WHAT COMMISSIONER earle
TON CLARK SAYS OF 1T.
california Made a Great Hit, but
Her Merchants Fail to
Profit Thereby.

Carleton H. Clark, California Com
missioner to the Guatemalan EXPOSE
tlon, who returned from the Central
American Republic week ago, was in
the city yesterday looking none the
worse for his prolonged sojOurn in the
tropics
In conversation with a "Record-U I'm
ion'' reporter, however, Commissioner
Clark said the climate of the country
had served him no better than the
hundreds of other foreigners who at
tended the exposition, and that dysen-
terry, with which he was attacked
shortly after his arrival at his post Of
duty, scarcely left him during his stay.
Commissioner Clark said that Cali
fornia is the only one of the United
States which made an exhibit at the
exposition and as ii was centrally To-
Gated in the main building, it was the
principal point of interest, and at
tracted immense crowds throughout the
entire season. Aside from the Califor-
mia exhibit only two otheA were from
the United States, and they We're of
pianos, and We're made by private firms
of New York City.
The people of Guatemala, the Com
missioner said, are thevish to a de-
gree seldom paralleled, and do not hes
itate to steal anything from a red-hot
stove down. They are also lazy. which
characteristic is to be accounted for
by the torridity Of the climate.
But" continued Commissioner Clark,
IF the people of Guatemala are lazy,
and nobody who ever studied them can
doubt it, l have come to believe that
they are no less slothful than the mer-
chants of California. The trade of Qua
temala properly belongs to California,
while, as a matter of fact but a small
percentage of it comes this way and
l lay this to the laziness of our mer-
chants
The Commissioner called attention to
one branch of agricultur-
al implements and said that Germany
furnishes more than 30 per cent, while
England put in % per cent, and the
United States less than % per cent.
Other commodities. he said, are fur
nished about in proportion. 1t would
be comparatively easy for California
to corner the great bulk of the Guate-
mala trade, and once it had set this
way, il would be the work of years for
any other country, or section Of this
country, 70 diverge it, admitting that
such thing were possible.
Leaving out Germany, England and
Italy, California will, Mr.. Clark said,
soon have powerful competitor for
the trade of the Central American Re-
public in the shape Of New York and
other Eastern cities, as we'll as Chica-
go and other cities in the Mississippi
Valley. A railroad is now in course of
construction from the Gulf seaboard
to Guatemala City; and when it is fin
ished New York and New Orleans mer
chants will lose no time in fitting out
swift and strong steamers, and Will
certainly monopoliZe the Guatemala
trade unless California wakes up and
with a strong hand seiZes what prop
erly belongs to her
The railroad in question extends six
ty miles inland from the coast, and
seventy-five miles remains to be con-
structed The recent revolution. he
said has delayed the construction of
the road, but President Barrios is an
energetic man, and viii see that il is
pushed to completion at the earliest
possible moment.
The exhibit. said Commissioner Clark,
has thoroughly advertised California
products. and If the merchants take
advantage of the favorable impression
made they may easily carry off the
bulk OF trade from the revolutionary
republic.