The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-04-12

been completed. President Diaz is
praised for the results which have
accrued from his railroad policy.
Regarding the Central American re-
publics. the Commissioner says that
most of them now have policies for
building lines to bring their Atlantic
and Pacific ports into communication
and these as feeders for the Pan
American route. He states that the
demand for supplies which will re-
suit from the Panama canal cOnstruc-
ton will encourage railroad enter
prises throughout Central America, and
he suggests the probability of further
facilities for meeting the needs of in
ternational traffic.
The completion of the Guatemala
extension of the Central Railroad in
November, 1903, has left only thirty
miles open from the capital to the
northern border and this section, it is
believed, will be built in the near flu
ture. Importance is given a contract
closed in January, 1904 for completing
the northern railroad from Guatemala
City to El Rancho This will insure
a through railroad from the Atlantic
to the Pacific of lines to the border of
Salvador
In describing the prospects of Me
aragua, Commissioner Pepper calls at
tention to the action of the Govern
ment in reviving former projects for
a railroad to the Atlantic as soon as it
was definitely settled that the canal
was to be built across Panama instead
of through Nicaragua. Engineers are
making the survey for what is known
as the Atlantic route. The Govern
ment is negotiating with New York
and London capitalists for the estab-
lishment of a national bank If this
is done, railway enterprises will be
aided.
Much significance is placed by Com
missioner Pepper on the payment of
$1O,O0O,O00, which Bolivia will receive
from Brazil for the Acre tract, and
which is to applied to railroad con-
struction. The report, in discussing
the mineral resources of Bolivia
makes special mention of the fact
that Bolivia is the only country on
the continent which has tin deposits.
In Peru significance is given to the
railroad movement now in progress
and to the $1O,OOOOOO investment of a
United States syndicate in the copper
mines of Cerro de Dasco and in col
lateral railway enterprises The work
ing of the bituminous coal deposits
is predicted.
Full accounts are given of the va
rious railway enterprises in the diff
ferent countries and the concessions
in force, as well as the inducements
to capital in the way of Government
guarantees and subsidies and exemp-
tons of railway material from Gus
toms and international taxation, Com
missioner Pepper comments on the
friendly attitude toward investments
the growing stability of the govern
ments and their ability to carry out
the guarantees.
special chapter is devoted to mar
kets and trade. Numerous instances
are given of the ability of the United
States to supply South America and
Central America with steel rails, as
well as with rolling stock generally.
The report praises the adaptability of
manufacturers in the United States
in meeting the special needs of local
conditions and recites the marked pre-
ference shown for locomotives and cars
of American make.
An analysis is made of the unsatis-
factory status of United States ex-
ports to South America, and the fig
ures are given in the belief that these
can be materially and permanently
increased. In the rivalry of Great
Britain and Germany, the report
states, Germany has made Roadway.
Pepper says, however, that there is a
reaction from German cheap goods,
and the United States can compete
with Germany in supplying the better
grade for which the demand now ex-