The Washington herald., 1908-04-19

The following article upon Brazil, its
rubber production, coffee plantations, rail-
ways. and varied riches, was prepared
specially for The Washington Herald,
under tha supervision OF John Barrett
director OF the Bureau Of American Re
publies. from data furnished by the bu-
reau,
Brazil is a wonderland. Trees in that
lucky republic yield a substance most
easily changed into gold. This is rubber
The United States imported last year 1885,
10000 pounds OF rubber, valued at over
100000, This product is to-day one OF
the greatest necessities 10 industrial prog
ress. Stop its influx to any country for
q month"; and civilization would halt.
Rapid transit. the telephone, and other
developments OF our era. including auto
mobiles, depend upon rubber, and, ex-
oepting a few plantations in Africa and
Asia, Brazil controls the rubber crop Of
thu world.
Up the Amazon, 1000 miles TO Manaos,
Loo miles further to Iquitos in Peru
stretch the forests that are part Of Bra
zils riches. These are ineXhaustDle, De
cause they are IN the tropics. where
new vegetation springs up as soon as an
older one is attacked.
Cacao Follows Rubber.
After rubber. comes caeaO. for the de-
nuded rubber areas seem well adapted Tor
the less native plant. These forests Of
Brazil provide more than rubber, now
ever. They are full of dye woods, OF
medicinal plants, and of trees which, for
generations to come, viii furnish build
ing and furniture material 10 relieve cur
forests of the demands upon them. Along
the coast Is an immense sugar and cot
ton region. Brazil exports sugar, and
whenever the cali is made upon her, she
can supply this food TO large part Of
the world.
This northern third OF the republic may
he broadly entitled the Amazon basin.
FARTHER south. in the middle third, is the
great coffee district Brazil exported last
wear Sl35. 600 of coffee, more than han
The worlds supply. The United states
took half of this crop The States OF Rio
de Janeiro. Minas Geraes, and Sac Paulo
are rich with coffee plantations, yet the
land still unoecupied is capable or pro-
ducing food for millions OF people. TINS
Is 2 point little appreciated by the North
American
Brazil Is By no means a mountainous
country. even compared with Mexico ana
Central America. Back Of the range
skirting the coast the country is pla-
teau. There may be heights Of 1900 10
5000 feet. but the extensive inland OF the
republic is hill and valley, with a tenn
perate climate well suited for the homes
of all races. The elevation of 700 TO
1900 feet neutralizes the proximity TO the
Tr0pic OF Capricorn, and the abundance
OF water from the many rivers inteTiacing
the land. assures against drought and at
the same time furnishes power Tor all
modern Improvements.
Cattle in Southern Brazil
The southern third Of Brazil is alto
gether within the temperate zone. Here
cattle are grown, and here. when the
western portions of the country are
brought under cultivation, all grains and
fruits viii flourish as in Missouri
These facts give emphasis to the asser-
ton that Brazil is one Of the lucky few
among the nations upon earth which has
within her own confines all the neces-
sarIes for sutaining life ana fostering civ
ilizaton No European nation, with the
probable exception of Russia, including
Siberia, can say as much. Brazil, in this
respect, has 10 some extent the advantage
over the United States. We cannot grow
rubber, or coffee, or cacaO. Yet Brazil
exports these In 1906 her exports
sa--a grn srr-fe
to S65,Oo0 000.. And Brazil is never neg
lectful of her opportunities to encourage
this foreign commerce.
On the beautiful harbor al Rio the gov
eminent is now spending at least $4,000
05o, so that the largest steamers viii soon
be able to lead and unload with all me-
ehanical convenience at the waters edge.
At Santos, where the coffee comes from,
are as fine docks as can be found on the
Atlantic ocean, second only in size 70, but
not surpassed in convenience by, those at
Buen0s Ayres. Al the modern docks of
ManaOs, up the Amazon, which cost So
000, 600 Ocean-gOing vessels are convent
entity berthed. At Massiambu S5.000000 will
soon be expended For Recife, the port
better known as Pernambuco Sl6,000000
has just been appropriated. At Rio
Grande (do SUD. SlG.000050. and more if
necessary, is going to make that port
OF Southern Brazil one of the best out
lets for the eastern La Plata valley.
Steamers Run TO New York.
Brazil has a line Of steamers running
to New York, which carries back a goodly
share Of the 100000 Of goods we ship
20 her. The balance went in ships under
other foreign flags. and only a few trihing
dollars worth went under the Stars and
Stripes
The country, although agricultural, Is
not lacking In mineral wealth Gold has
been mined for centuries. The diamond
fields are second only 10 those OF Africa,
and coal in substantial quantities has
been found In the republic.
Brazil has in operation 1880 miles of
railway with about 1900 in process OF
construction. An interesting feature OF
these railway systems is that they are
fan ike, the point of conveyance being
some seaport. only few ports being con
neeted by internal commercial eommuni-
cation But the national government is
to-day fully alive 10 the fact that to in
crease her activities something more than
marine commerce is needed.
EneOura cement to Railroads.
Encouragement is, therefore, given 10
developing the railway system within the
interior. II may be years before the capt.
tai. Rio de Janeiro. can be reached over
land from Para at the mouth of the
Amazon. but the time VIII soon be here
when the traveller can go from Rio to
RuenOs AVTag nv rail American eDgfDnare
are working now on a survey from the
southern boundary of the State OF Sac
Panlo to Porto Allegro. From this city