Evening star., 1899-06-24


- of 5000 miles and
have seen the prnci-
pal industrial centers of the empire.
l believe that Brazil is in the infancy of
its development. 1t will support hundred
people some day where it now supports one.
1t will be one of the richest countries of
the globe. and it will pay Uncle Sam to cul-
uYate 1t, and to insist that he gets his
rights in 1t as one of the great traders of
the world Brazil has territory almost as
large as the United States, and one which
includes more cultivable land 1t contains
more than half the people who live in South
America. Its population is increasing and
| 1t Is steadily growing a goods consumer
AT present its exports amount to S25-
on,ooO more than its imports and still its
imports figure up the tidy sum Of 500 OOO-
0CO year.
We take about half of all that Brazil
sells. We buy the most of her coffee and
tens of millions of dollars worth of her
rupoer. we get but little in exchange. Our
exports to Brazil are only about one-fifth
our imports, and we pay her balance of
about $4S,0O0,O00 a year.
II We should stop buying the officials Of
some of the best states would go hungry
Para would have a famine, and Sac Pauo
would nave to patch its pantaloonS. The
ofhcials of these provinces rely upon their
revenues from the export business These
are enormous, amounting to % cents
pound at the present rates rubber, and
IL per cent on coffee. The duties are of
course paid by the consumers, so that every
American who rides rubber-tired bicycle
has had to pay % per cent into the treas
urles of Para and Manaos, and every one
who drinks a cup of coffee adds thereby to
the support of the government Of the cof-
fee-growing states of Brazil.
Petty Taxes on American Trade.
You would think that Brazil ought to be
grateful to us for this enormous trade. She
may be so, but she has queer way of
showing it. She charges us a tariff on
everything we sell to her, taxing us on
some articles as much as 100 per cent. At
times she makes what are called reciprocity
treaties Some of goods go in nominally
free, but indirectly every ship carrying
American goods which comes to Brazil has
to pay toll In most of the harbors there is
what is called expediente taxes These are
leVieS for some excuse or other. At Bahia
the officials will ask the ships to pay so
much for d new hospital. At Pernambuco
they want something for sailors home.
and at Rio they blackmail you for harbor
improvements
Such taxes are levied not by law, but ac-
cording to the ideas and tastes of the local
officials. They are really a sort of black
mail, and the probability is that most of
the money goes into the pockets of the men
who levy the taxes. I'm fact" said a lead
ing railroad official to me the other day,
every one down here seems to be lying
awake at night to think how he can squeeze
a few milreiS out of the foreigner without
working fo1 them
Every man who comes down here to go
into business must expect to pay a tax
for the privilege. There is not a merchant
or mechanic in Rio who does not pay
tax The bootblack pays for the right to
black your shoes. Every store pays for
the privilege of opening its doors, and
every contract, note and check must bear
its stamp.
Disseminated Against.
1t seems to me that the United States
has been Disseminated against as to gov
ernment contracts. At least this has been
the case in the past Brazilian coal until
now has all come from England, and 1t
was only last year that American firms
were allowed to compete for government
supplies. Then Minister Bryan and Con-
sui Gen. Seegar secured the right to COM
petitive business. and 10000 tons Of coal
were put up for decision in this way. Our
coal companies should study this market.
Brazil uses s3.00O,OOO worth of English coal
annually.
The Brazilians rapidly adopting cleo
tricity. There are towns of ten and fifteen
thousand in southern Brazil which have
electric lights. The city of Sac Paulo,
which has 100000 population. Is well equip
ped in this respect. There is good electric
light system here in Para, although the
walk 1 find that the Brush arc lights are
used in Manaos, thousand miles up the
Amazon.
Rio is still lighted by gas. 1t Is city of
100 600 people, and good electric light
plant could make fortune for it's owners.
At present the gas company has, believe.
an exclusive franchise, but this could easily
be set aside or compromised.
Petropolis. which is in the mountains
back of Rio, and which is a favorite sum-
mer resort of the Brazilia1s. has an electric
plant, the power of which is generated by
mountain stream. This plant not only
lights the city. but many of the houses,
and, among others, that of Minister Bryan.
Some Street Railways.
At present nearly all the railroads Of Rio
de Janeiro are moved by horse or mule
power. The electrical franchises would be
worth a great deal. The city is surrounded
by suburbs and the Brazilians would pat
ronize the electric railroads well. They are
a lazy people. The climate is such that no
one cares to walk two blocks If he can ride,
and in proportion to the population the
street car travel would be very great.
Sac Paulo (200000) still has horse cars.
Para is arranging for an electric railroad,
although at present the street cars are
hauled by mules. Manaos has about com.
pleted electric railroad This is owned
by an American firm. Bahia Coo, O,000) still
relies upon horse cars, although the Ger
mans are scheming to get hold of the elec-
trio railway franchises.
am told that there IL big German syn