The Portland daily press., 1900-12-04


before the Senate,
A boundary dispute between Brazil
and Bolivia over the territory of Acre is
In a fair way Of fgjendly adjustment,
protocol signed In December, 1899, hav-
/ ing agreed ON a definite frontier and pro-
vided for its demarcation by joint COM
f, mission.
Conditions in Brazil have weighed
heavily on our export trade 10 that coun-
try in marked contrast TO the favorable
conditions upon which Brazilian products
are admitted into our markets. Urgent
representations have been made TO that
Government on the subject and some
amelioration has been effected. We rely
upon the reciprocal justice and good will
OF that Government to assure TO us a
further improvement In our commercial
relations.
The Convention signed May "a, 1897,
| for the final settlement Of claims left in
allegiance upon the dissolution Of the
Commission of 1898, was at length rati-
fed by the Chilean Congress and the
supplemental Commission has been or
ganized.
1t remains for the Congress TO appro-
pirate for the necessary expenses OF the
Commission.
The Insurrectionary movement which
disturbed Colombia In the latter part of
1899 has been practically suppressed, al
though guerrillas still operate in some de-
partinents. The executive power Of that
Republic changed hands in August last
by the act of Vice-President Marroquin
in assuming the reins of government dur
ing the absence of President San Gle
mente from the capital. The change met
with no serious opposition, and. following
the precedents in such cases, the United
States minister entered into relations
with the new de facto Government on
September nth.
II Is gratifying to announce that the
residual questions between Costa RIGA
and Nicaragua growing out OF the Award
of President Cleveland In 1888 have been
adjusted through the choice OF an Amer
lean engineer, General Il. p. Alexander,
as umpire to run-the disputed line. His
task has been accomplished to the salts
faction OF both contestants.
A revolution in the Dominican Repub-
lie toward the close of last year resulted
In the installation Of President Jimenez.
whose Government was formally recog-
nixed in January. Since then final pay
ment has been made of the American
claim in regard to the Ozama bridge.
The year of the Exposition has been
fruitful In occasions for displaying the
good will that exists between this coun-
try and France. This great competition
brought together from every nation the
best in natural productions, industry, sci
ence, and the arts, submitted in generous
rivalry to a judgment made all the more
searching because of that rivalry. The
NJ az inns
from this country during the past three
years and the activity with which our in
ventions and wares had invaded new
markets caused much interest to center
upon the American exhibit. and every en-
enlargement was offered in the way of
space and facilities to permit of its being
comprehensive as a whole and complete
in every part.
1t was, however, not an easy task to
assemble exhibits that could fifty illus
trate our diversified resources and man
ufactures. Singularly enough, our ma
tional prosperity lessened the incentive
to exhibit The dealer in raw materials
knew that the user must come to him;
the great factories were contented with
the phenomenal demand for their out
put not alone at home, but also abroad,
where merit had already won profitable
trade.
Appeals had to be made to the patriot
ism of exhibitors to induce them TO incur
outlays promising no immediate return.
This was especially the case where il be-
came needful to complete an industrial
sequence or illustrate Il class of proc
esses One manufacturer after another
had TO be visited and importuned, and at
times, after a promise to exhibit in
particular section had been obtained, ii
would be withdrawn, owing to pressure
of trade orders, and a new quest would
have to be made.
The installation OF exhibits, too, en-
countered many obstacles and involved
unexpected cost. The Exposition was far
from ready at the date fixed for its open
ing. The French transportation lines
were congested with offered freight. Be
lated goods had to be hastily installed
in unfinished quarters with whatever la
Dor could be obtained in the prevailing
confusion. Nor was the task of the
Commission lightened by the fact that,
owing to the scheme of classification
adopted, it was impossible to have the
entire exhibit OF any one country in the
same building or more than one group
OF exhibits in the same part of any
building Our installations were scat
tered on both sides of the Seine and in
widely remote suburbs of Paris, so that
additional assistants were needed for the
work of supervision and arrangement.
Despite all these drawbacks the con-
tribution OF the United States was not
only the largest foreign display, but was
among the earliest in place and the most
orderly in arrangement. Our exhibits
were shown in one hundred and one
out Of one hundred and twenty -one
classes, and more completely covered the
entire classification than those OF any
other nation. In total number they
ranked next after those of France. and
the attractive form in which they were
presented secured general attention.
A criterion OF the extent and success
of our participation and Of the thor
oughness with which our exhibits were
organized is seen in the awards granted
to American exhibitors by the interna-
tional jury. namely, grand prizes, 240;
gold medals, 597; silver medals. 776;
hron1a .oerials k41 and honorah HE mem