The record-union., 1899-06-18
THE PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION.

Our Consul at BarranquilIa, Colom-
bia, was asked recently to report upon
certain matters in response to inquiries
regarding the shoe trade in Colombia.
His report to the State Department in
reply, is just at hand, issued as one of
the advance sheets Of Consular Reports.
1t is a rather elaborate affair, and re-
veals a state of facts regarding shoe
making by hand and machinery in CO.
lombia not expected by people not inti-
mate with the business. One passage,
a sample OF several suggestive ones, we
extract:
I believe there will be demand in
the near future for improved processes
and machinery for tanning leather and
for labor-saving machinery for manu-
featuring shoes. The United States
should be in the field to furnish this
machinery and also many supplies now
coming from European countries.
In the same advance sheet there is
report from our Minister to Peru con-
cerning commercial relations with that
country, in the course of which he says
that he feels safe in predicting that a
railway line connecting North American
cities with those of South American
States as far south as Lima is
thing of the very near future,
since Of the required 1O,22S miles
only 5.456 remains to be COM
pleted at q cost Of S174,OOO.oOO. He
adds that the scheme is not Utopian
when we consider that of that amount
fully S1O0,O00,OOO will be spent in the
United States for rails and rolling ma
terial Rejecting upon what that will
says:
But a few years ago, still more diff
cult appeared the realization of the
construction of a railroad across the
continent OF Africa, beginning ar cairo
and ending at Cape Town; neverthe-
less. to-day it is no longer a matter Of
doubt that within a relatively short
time that road will be In operation. The
existence of the great railroad Of our
continent destined to bind together all
the Latin-SAmerican republics, would
constitute their principal element Of
prosperity and stability, and, at the
same time, would make New York the
commercial and financial center Of the
whole Of this extensive and rich hemi-
sphere. Its power and preponderance
would be so advanced that in the next
century, we would see New York dis
putting with London the predominance
which 1t has maintained In the business
world and especially in financial mat
ters. during the century about to close.
Referring to the trip OF the United
States steamship Wilmington up South
American rivers, our Minister to vene-
zuela writes OF our opportunities In South
America:
Practical results are coming, too, in
the way of increased commerce with
the United States; and if our merch-
ants and manufacturers will take ad-
vantage CT the favorable conditions that
have been created for them, they ought
to profit very largely.
Here, then are three instances out OF
a score we could cite Of recent date, re-
fecting the value and high Importance
of the Pan American Exposition to be
held in the City Of Buffalo in the year
1901 and of which the Record Union
has twice spoken already. 1t is an ex-
position in which California must be
fully and freely represented and we are
justified in saying that it win be. We
have first interest in the success of
that exposition. 1t has received the
hearty approval of the Congress of the
United States and large appropriation
for the ESSENTIAL Government exhibition
to be made there. Congress and great
commercial bodies have pronounced il
the most important Of all the exposi-
tions, coming closer to us and involv-
ing our material interests more than
any other.
Buffalo, city of 100000 population,
is an ideal spot for it. It Is first
class American city, lying upon the
Canadian border and being in manu-
factures, internal and foreign COM
merce thoroughly representative. Its
centrally. ease Of approach and natural
attractiyeness make it peculiarly well
chosen
Already ali the Ministers Of American