Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-06-16

The sentiment in these countries is
that sooner or later the United States
will take over all of the republic OF
Panama and then all of Central
America, and it would then only be
a matter of time before the Gala
pagoes Island would follow suit. This
is the fear of Ecuador.
The Republic of Panama covers an
area of $4,000 square miles. about a5
large as Maine. Population is esti-
mated at 60000, about eleven 10
square mile. The cities are Panama,
with $4,000; Colon, with 15.000 David,
with 10000. The latter city is some
320 miles from Panama.
The railways of the country aver
! age about 202 miles, and consist OF
the Panama railroad. the small. mar
row-guage railways of private owner
! ship on some of the large haeiendas
and the railways of the United Fruit
| Company, which connect their prop
critics with the coast and are used
for the expectation of bananas, as
well as carrying passengers and
freight
Rain is in plenty and the vegeta-
tion Is luxuriant. while the topog-
raphy Of the country especially fits 1t
for agricultural pursuits, cattle rais-
ing, fruit raising, etc, nature reward
Ing the lnuuSlTlouS douludutlAs
Panama is the Mecca for tourists.
and they will flock hece by the thou
sands. They will purchase literally
from the local merchants. There Is
thriving business already estab-
lished with Panama and the United
States, but it should be increased to
greater proportions.
Mineral Wealth.
Panama has a wonderful future as
mineral producing country. for
among her hills and mountains are
found iron, copper, silver. gold,
aluminium, coal lead salt and Ignite.
while mineral springs abound in the
volcanic regions.
All purchase OF material by the
commissary stores is made through
the main office in Washington. ex-
cepting such supplies as are secured
locally. And any firm that plans to
have agents in Panama to furnish
supplies to passing ships had better
give up the idea, for all supplies are
sold by the commissary stores of the
government at prices that are lower
than the merchant himself can pur-
chase them. The government pays
no duty. and practically can carry Its
own freight for nothing.
Panama does not shine as an ex-
pOIiiiiE ildIlOlAf pllilSlR1i
of which are tortoise shell. mother
of-pearl and hides and skins to the
extent of $2So,000 a year; vegetable
ivory, S250,000 wood, 100000; rubber,
100000 cocoanuts, $4,000, and the
largest item of all is bananas, which
amount to 81. .150, 900, being the prod
uct of the United Fruit Company.
There is a superb steamship ser
vice to Panama and Colon, the best
being that of the United Fruit Com
pany, which operates twice-a-week |
service of fast, oommodious passen-
ger steamers, and have freight SER
vice almost daily. This line flies the
American flag, as we'll as the Pan
anna Steamship Company, which is
owned by the government, but which |
gives preferentials TO army and navy |
officers and employees of the govern |
ment of the canal zone. In times OF |
peace there are other lines, the Ham
burg American, the Royal Mail line, |
as well as several other freight lines. |
On the west coast, from Panama to |
San Francisco, is the Pacific Mail, |
and south are the Chilean line,
known as the Compania Sud Amer
lea de Vapores, which furnishes the |
best service for passengers and
freight, being more regular in it's
sailings and handling of freight.
Other lines are the Pacific Steam /
Navigation Company, flying the |
English flag. The Chilean line flies
the Chilean flag. although the cap
tains are generally British.
Crossroads of Trade.
Panama is the crossroads of the !
North and South American trade. AS
a distributing point it is ideal, reach !
ing not only nothern South America |
on both the east and west coasts, |
but also all of Central America. For |
merchants in these countries to get !
to New York or to Europe, 1t Is nee |
essary to pass through Panama. A
display here, with warehouses for |
distributing, would be the ideal thing |
for the American manufacturer, and
with this idea in mind the republic
of Panama has passed a law provid-
ing for warehouses where merchan-
disc may be kept in bond, paying
the custom duties only when taken
out, and only to Panama when taken
in the republic for selling purposes.
Merchandise consigned to other
countries does not pay duties to
Panama, being considered as mer-
chandise in transit. This law also
provides for a private warehouse.
Tho only obstacle at the present
time is the Panama railroad, which
controls the terminals and has the
control of the railroads, and thereby
prevents q private warehouse from
running tracks right up to the dock
and loading on board the steamer
from alongside.
President Behsario Porrss, presi-
dent of the republic of Panama, is
| enthusiastic over the warehouse idea,
| and the government of Panama has
81 haT aT,1o M
structures as permanent exposition
buildings wherein American manu-
! facturers or others may display their
| merchandise. The writer approached
| him on this subject. He pointed to
| the laws already passed by the As
! sembly of Panama as rejecting his
opinion.
THE government of Panama" he
| said, lis willing to do everything to
| further the commercial relations be-
tween the United States and South
| America. We will be happy to see
| trade increase because it adds further
to the prestige of Panama.
I'VE encourage immigration and
offer every inducement to foreigners
to settle in Panama and aid in its
development. Our railroads, for the
present, are sufficient for our actual
needs, but we require railroad extern
sions for the opening up of New York
and the bringing of new population.
No Foreign Debt.
Panama has no foreign debt, ex-
cept 1000. 900, just borrowed from the
National City Bank, of New York, to
pay for the construction of the CHR
iuui railroad, which will open up a
rich district on the west coast. Pan
| anna has $6, ,000, 900 on investment in
New York, which represents the bal
ance of the $10.000.0o0 received from
the United States at the time of sign
ing the canal treaty.
| HWa anco1rape trade and teach