The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-27
THE PRICE OF INDIA RUBBER
Is It Due to the Scarcity Of the Ma
terialp

ter1alE
From Engineering.
i'he high price Of India rubber is un-
doubtedly due to the shortness of sup
ply; but what is this decreased supply
due to? If 1t is due to scarcity of the
material, how is it that after previous
periods of high prices, notably in. 1884,
a fall Of 40 per cent. and more took
place in the Immediately succeeding
years, seeing that no rubber from the
attempted plantations of that date has
come into the market? No, we must
look around for other causes. and We
think they will be found under two
main heads. These are the shortness
of native labor in the forests and
speculation. though the former may
be considered as the most important.
The Seringos. or natives. by whom the
rubber in the Amazon districts of
South America is entirely collected,
are, comparatively speaking, a limited
body of men, the total number Of whom
has been roundly stated at 10000.
though we do not vouch for this fig
ure. Now, these men, like most others
on the face of the globe, being free
agents prefer to sell their labor to the
highest bidder and, owing to the fact
that the coffee planters have been
shorthanded, there has been a spirit
ed contest between the rubber and cof-
fee merchants for the available labor.
The consequence has been that the
higher terms offered by the latter
have seduced the natives from their
former adherence to the rubber coll
lecting business.
A very similar state of affairs has
occurred more than once in West AZ
rica, where there is competition for la
Dor between the rubber and palm oil
merchants. Market reports from this
area have described the scarcity Of
either of these commodities at certain
times to be due to the lack Of labor
This condition Of things on either con-
tinent Is not one that can be easily
remedied. as, owing to climatic causes,
1t Is only certain constitutions that
can successfully ward off the dangers
to be apprehended. So much in a few
words for what appears to us to be the
cause of the present high price, and ii
will be seen at once that any amount
| of plantations will not prove appa'ia. f.
| tive. OF course, 1t Is a question for
| consideration as to how long the rub
| ber forests of South America will!
| stand the increasing drain upon their
resources. not only by ourselves, but
also by the United States, Russia and
Germany. At present there seems no
| reason for alarm. as there are large
| areas of ground comparatively un-
! touched, and there is ample scope for
their exploitation under correct condi-
tions. 1t Is pity that the law which
was passed against the Telling OF trees
| In many parts of the watershed Of the
Amazon and Orinoco seems 20 Ln hon.
ored in the breach rather thar In the
observance. and this theme suggests
itself as one upon which energetic and
concerted action might prof ably be
| taken.
At one time the best rubber came
| principally from the lower reaches OF
the Amazon, for the main reason that
| as 1t was nearest to the shipping port
there was no necessity or object In
surmounting the difficulties to be ex-
perienced in tapping the trees Of the
more inaccessible regions. Today
however. the area is being rapidly ex-
tended, and Bolivian rubber is quoted
| a fraction higher than Para. As the
she rubber NAV be stated to