Evening star., 1915-05-26

The real needs of South American re-
publics in the way Of new credit. new
public financing, new money for the
of the rich mines of the
Andes and the products of the splen-
didly watered valleys began to be laid
before the bankers and business men
of the United States at the first sessions
of the group conferences in the Shore
ham Hotel yesterday afternoon.
One of the most interesting meetings
was that of the Honduran delegation.
where it was soon understood that the
Hondurans would be extremely glad to
effect a financial alliance with United
States source. The Honduran delegates
discussed the possibility of some ar
rangement by which the English capi-
talistic control of Honduran railroads
could be shaken off. English bankers
are holding bonds Of the Honduras rail-
road at a prohibitive price. not because
of the value of the security, but rather
because of lack of money. On the
other hand. the American delegates dis
cussed with the Hondurans the shipping
facilities, interior transportation and
the financial condition of the country.
Reciprocity Treaties Discussed.
Cuba and Salvador both discussed the
possibility Of reciprocity treaties with
the United States, new treaty to take
the place of the present one in the
case of Cuba, and a first treaty in the
case of Salvador.
Tobacco and sugar conditions were
also gone into in the case of Cuba
The Cubans desire reduction in the
present tariff on tobacco. Tariffs al
most exclusively occupied the attention
Of the Cubans. Among the Americans
who conferred with the Cubans on
these matters were Paul Fuller of New
York. Charles A. Conant, Franklin @.
Brown, Adolph c. Miller of the federal
reserve board and A. b. Farquhar. one
of the vice presidents of the Chamber
OF Commerce of the United States.
Salvador desires the establishment of
a branch bank of some institution of
the United States. with a capital of
$10.000.000. and the government of Sal
vador will do everything possible to
assist such a bank. E. c. Lufkin of the
Texas Oil Company Of New York was
one of the Americans discussing con-
ditions with the Salvadoreans, and H.
G. p. Deans Of the Merchants Loan and
Trust Company Of Chicago was an
other: also Frederick r. Curtis. chair
man of the federal reserve bank of
Boston, was another.
Point Against Careless Packing.
Central American countries, makes d
point against the careless packing of
goods exported by American firms, and
recommends that there be improvement
along this line. Salvador would have
all the American republics exempt from
port dues ships of other American re-
publics: in other words, create an inter
American coastwise shipping benefit.
The Dominican Republics delegation
is preparing a statement of the ffnan-
cial condition of that country which
will be availa BILE some time this after
noon.
Bolivia is in what might be called a
critical state at the present time, owing
to the fact that that country has re
Gently had two railroads completed, and
the development of the country de-
pends on foreign investment, particu-
larly the need for cash to mine and
develop its tin. The war has cut off
foreign investment there, and the
money which was previously SO plehti-
fully supplied is now being used for
the war loans of Europe.
One of the new railroads is 300 miles
long and the other 500 miles long.
opening up territory in one of the
richest american countries. The
Roliyjans were greatly appreclative OF
the efforts to be of assistance shown