The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-25
DIR. BELlsA R1S PORRAs
The progressive President of South Americas baby republic


The secretary of public works tells ms
that this law has been in effect since last
July and that 1t is working well. 1t will
bring in a population of land owners
whose estates will be comparatively
small and it will lead to the immediate
and active development CT the country.
DR.. Porras says that the government has
also reserved some of its lands to give to
the poor. 1t will allow five hectares to
every poor person who can show himself
to be such. and 10 hectares, or % acres,
to each immigrant family.
Another thing we expect to do said
the President OF the republic, 'fs to es-.
tablish here at Panama hanks of issue,
with charters from the government The
laws for these will go into force very
soon. AS it is now there is practically
no opportunity for the small land owner
to borrow money on long time. The banks
here will not usually loan for more than
six or nine months, and some years ago
before the national bank was established
the interest paid was often as high as 10
or l. per cent month. These new
banks Viii loan money on mortgages,
which may extend long as 20 years,
according to contract, and the interest
must not exceed 8 per cent per annum.
We expect that the people who Will
take up these public lands and pay for
them will borrow money of these banks
in order to develop their plantations and
to maintain themselves until their lands
come into bearing.
What are you doing as to other public
works?'I asked
We have laid out the construction
plans for two railroads that will form
the initial development of the interior OF
the country. One of these is in the prov
ince of Chiriqui, of which l have al
ready told you, and the other is in Los
Santos, which slopes down to the Gulf
of Panama. Both of these roads will be
electric Fuel of all kinds is very high
here, but we have swift flowing rivers
with great falls, which will give US enough
electricity to light all our villages and
Cities to run our railroads, and in ad-
dticn move many great industries. We
have already tested the Caldera river,
which is to supply the power for the CHI
Iiqui road, and also for the road which
will run to Los Santos. The Chiriqui
road will be about 80 miles long. 1t will
go from David to Boquete, with branch
to Conception. There is now at Boquete
a colony of about 20 American families
ana five English families. The most OF
them are raising coffee, but they cannot
export their crop on account of the cost
of carting it to the seacoast When the
road is completed, it will go down upon
it.. The road in Los Santos will not only
develop the agricultural possibilities OF
that part of the republic, but will open up
a mining section which is rich in copper,
gold and silver. It's power will be supplied
by the Lavilla river"
what do you expect to do for the tour
lists when the canal is completed?''
I'VE shall make them comfortable" re-
piled President Porras We have al
ready put up several hotels in Panama
and Colon, and we have just now made a
contract with an English firm for a big
hotel to accommodate at least 500 peo-
pie. This will be located on the sea,
but facing the canal on the edge OF
Panama City. 1t will be largely patron
lied and it ought to pay from the start.
We had, 25, ,001 tourists here last year and
we expect to have 10000 during 1914 IL
they spend s25 apiece, which is not high
they will leave on the isthmus
/, 100000 gold dollars.
What are your plans connected witl
the completion OF the canal?" / asked
I'VE have a number. OF important meas
ures under way. President Porras fc-
piled. For one thing, we expect TO have
a large exposition hefp in 1876 This will
be participated in by the countries of
North and South America and we hope
by those of Europe and Asia as well. We
want the merchants of the world to bring
of their goods and show then
at Panama, and we hope that many Of
them will leave the samples here, making
a permanent commercial museum along
the line of the canal All such samples
will be admitted free of duty
How about goods in bond?"
That is another measure | am trying
to further. / want to establish two largo
bonded warehouses at either end or the
canal, where goods can be exchanged and
sent onward without paying duty for the
of making the exchange at tihs
point. We believe that this will result IN
a great carrying trade. by which goocs
will be brought to Panama and trans
shipped. The larger lines or steamers w'l
have their feeders that will go up and
down the ,uast of the continents collect
ing freight for their larger vessels, upon
which 1t will be taken through the canal
and to other parts of the world
as If YOUR idea that Panama will grow
mot Immediately" said the President
of the republic LAS soon as the canal
is quite finished many of the employees
will be dismissed and for a year or 50.
perhaps, our business may be dull. 1t win
spring up with the increase of the traffic
the canal, and from then on
there will be steady growth in tile
and cities. / expect that Panama :
itself will. within 10 years from now. have
100000 people, and that Colon will then
have half as many. AS to the republic
that is bound to grow as soon as its re-
sources and the great opportunities we
offer to investors and colonists become
generally known"