The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-03-20
REPUBLIC WILL
REMAIN NEUTRAL
Brazil Sold Us Karships Because She
Needed the Money.
NO OTHER MOTIVE IN VIEW
She Realizes the Fact That Nothing Is TO
Be Gained by Display Of sympathy
to Either America OF Spain

Chicago. March BIN the event OF
war between the United States and spain
the attitude Of Brazil will be one or
hands on. The republic Of Brazil is
more friendly to us than she Is 70 Spain,
but the people are too clever not to know
that Brazil could gain nothing by taking
sides in such a contest"
In the opinion OF Major f. II. conger,
formerly United states minister to Bra
I'll. who is now making his way to the
western coast, whence he will sail for his
new post in China within few weeks.
Brazil. he says. does not know absolutely
what position she would take. The presi-
dent has not figured on II; the people have
not thought about it. Major Conger rea-
sons thus:
brazil could not AFFORD TO lend either
moral or material support 10 Spain, be-
cause her extensive trade with the Uni
ted States would thereby be affected; she
would gain nothing By joining hands with
this country or In rendering her sympa-
thy She is not interested In Cuba from
a commercial standpoint and cannot AFFORD
to be interested from any other. because
Of the condition OF her finances. Her
president and statesmen are too clever
and wise TO assume any attitude that
would react upon the republic itself and
in consequences her position must be one
OF neutrality"
The sale OF warships to the United
States the major considered purely COM
mercial transaction.
Brazil needed the money" he says,
more than she did the vessels. There
is nothing in the sale TO warrant the con-
clusion that Brazil would assist the United
States In a war with Spain. The ships
were built after the last revolution when
IL seemed that there would be need OF
them. but that need has not come and
is not now probable. The decision
reached was that the ships could be
spared. and the United States got them
Speaking of the fighting strength Of the
republic, Major Conger said that with
a population very much out Of proportion,
Brazil has nearly as many men enrolled
in her army as has the United States
The 1900 troops are under splendid disci-
pline and in each state the national guard
is far better organized than here. She
has several very good war vessels, be-
sides number OF smaller old-fashioned
ships. These forces are maintained as
safeguards to the republic against pos
sible attacks from the old monarchia
party. which has not disappeared entire
ly. There are men who are contempora-
neous with the late emperor and who are
not content TO surrender power. Still
Major Conger declares that Brazil poit'
lcally was never so strong as she is today
She has copied her republican form OF
government from us and our constitution
and our system OF courts, Those she has
modified and adapted and is experiencing
with. This is one strong reason Majoi
Conger assigns for the friendship to th'
United States. The question Of duties OF
exports and imports Of the two republics
he considers as very uneven and salts
factory to the United States. While W,
bought S7O,OOO,OOO worth of goods in Bra
zil and take them into our ports practic
ally free OF duty we pay enormous rate
for the a2OOOOOO we sell her. In Majo
Congers opinion another reciprocit!
treaty will come in time,
"In ten years" he said Brazil vii
have a credit equal to that of any coun
try; her need of revenue will not be ST
great as now and she can AFFORD to dea
with the United States reciprocally. II
experimenting with republican form o
government she has been fortunate il
selecting a courageous, conscientious
able man as the president and in naming
| n man as his successor who combines tn
same elements"
Mr.. Conger expects to reach his post II
China some time early In June, He 1
guarded in his statements concerning tn
eastern situation. But ne is not blind I
the fact that while we have been ob
sorbed with our difficulty with Spain tn
situation in the east has not ceased to b
| complicated and that II anything 1t
becoming even more so.
"What the United States wants Is ope
ports" he declares. "Cnlna is just be
ginning to develop; she Is building rail
roads into the interior; her trade rela
tions with the outside world will be eS
tended and this country insists upon gel
ting her share, That is our policy. Wha
the attitude of this nation will be in tn
future must be determined by the step
taken by the foreign powers, do not be
leve. however, that there is going to b
Thanksgiving carving of the Chinese en-
pire.
Mr.. Conger has lnly words Of praise 70
Minister DENLY, whom he succeeds. II
calls him strong man of wide experienc
and of unusual attainments, as lawye
and stateman and a diplomat, and with
al, a man who stands high with the Chi
nese government