Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-29

NeNlNpt many thousands OF tnem OF All
ages growing Wild in the rubber belt"
Is now known as the most prolific pro-
Queer and the earliest In maturity OF
the two species that are utilized for
commercial purposes, II has also been
demonstrated that the tree responds
very prolifically to the spiral" or new
tapping system.
The amount of plantation rubber
coming into the market amounted III
1907 TO about Ia per cent of the worlds
annual consumption which I'm round fig
ures during 1907 was 10000 tons. About
$4,000 tons OF this amount comes from
the Amazon region, Mexico and Gem
trail America. The Amazon product ~
known to the trade as Para rubber"
and when first imported was obtained
from the trees growing near the city OF
Para at the mouth of the Amazon river.
The wild supply Is entirely dependent
upon the native gatherer who. to OBJ
tain the maximum quantity, has sys-
tematically destroyed these valuable
trees for two generations. The consc-
quence Is that today the natives have
to penetrate fully 1900 miles into the
interior OF the Amazon country and
wade around in morass and swamps
to obtain il. There are no inhabitants
in the section referred 20 and the ma
times from the coast have TO go after
stated, and there is no question as to
its truth. that every ton of rubber COM
ing from the Amazon region costs q hui
man life. Not only that but 1t costs
at least IS cents gold per pound to get
the rubber out
The annual increase in the worlds
consumption for the past 10 years is
about 10 per cent. Taking this as
basis, the demand by 1912 will amount
to 100 600 tons. Now. 1t Is well known
fact that In spite of the great demand,
the wild supply is rapidly decreasing
and the problem presents itself to the
rubber manufacturer AS to where this
extra 30 coo tons is to come from. II
all the present planted rubber acreage
and all the acreage that is I'm contenl-
plation of planting was in bearing, 1t
would not nearly supply the coming de-
felt The condition of the worlds mar
ltet points to only one conclusion for
the future and for a great many years
to come and that is continued high
prices. Let us suppose that prices of
rubber should drop to - cents per
pound The output of $4,000 tons from
the Amazon region would Immediately
cease and a great part of the output
from the Congo and other wild rubber
producing countries would be greatly
curtailed. This would cause a shortage
of the rs, 900 tons from the Amazon re-
gion and the 10000 tons of natural cX-
pansion above referred to, to say moth
ing of that from the Congo. which
would make the shortage more than the
present worlds supply. 1t can, there
fore, be readily seen that there is no
prospect for a great many years at
least of cheaper rubber. but on the
other hand we may look for higher
prices. An extract from brilliantly
compiled official report on agriculture
in the Malay states during 1905 says:
1T has been shown over and over again
that the output from every rubber
plantat ton at present i'm existence, when
every tree Is in full bearing cannot
possibly affect to any great extent OF
in any permanent manner the legiti-
mate PROFITS which the proprietary COM
panies should, and unquestionably will,
earn"
During the last 10 calendar years.
from 1888 10 1907 inclusive, the imports
into the United States amounted to ST.
400 2q2 mounds valued at $40, sol $40, a
larger amount having been imported
and consumed in Europe.
The problem presented to the manu-
facturer of rubber Is a serious one. be-
cause he not only has to continually
replace rubber articles in daily use, hut
has to supply the rubber for new artl-
cles that are continually being offered
TO the trade. An iron tire, for instancA
will sometimes outlast the vehicle but
a rubber tire is of short life, and they
have therefore not only to keep renew
ing the rubber tire while the same We
hlcle is in activ operation. but con.
stantly supplying new tires for the new
vehicles, Hence the demand Is con
tinually increasing while the supply is
not.
1t is officially stated that upwards of
81 coo, 900. GOO of foreign capital Is invest
ed in Mexico. OF this amount between
5000 900 600 and $500 ono, 900 is American
capital. $50, 200, 900 of the latter being in
vested in rubber culture alone. The
owners of this vast amount OF money,
which has developed the republic into
it's present conditions OF activity aud
business progression. have and are
realizing, large returns ON their invest
emnts which consist Of various indus
tries. such as railroads. manufacturers
electrical plants, mining and agricul-
ture. Under our Monroe doctrine the
United States Is bound to protect TINS
Invested capital, both local and Foreign,
and the Mexican government realizing