Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-08-28

lgreat, for it may mark what some be-
lieve will be the orientation of the
neo-Latin republics toward a future
Zollverein, or customs union.
The treaty provides for free trade in
natural produce for period of ten
years. For manufactured articles
these facilities are withheld until five
years after the ratification. This
clause was inserted in the interest of
small manufacturers.
The treaty had its rise in sentiment
Ever since the war between Paraguay
and the Allies (Argentine, Brazil and
Uruguay, the vanquished have had to
struggle against adverse circum-
stances. The manhood of Paraguay
was literally wiped out of existence
before the Allies were able to impose
peace. The country was, in fact. fl
nancially and completely ruined. CT
vii wars succeeded war; ana, with
very brief intervals, political commo-
lions and military revolts have been
maintained ever since. Though at
peace for six years and well governed,
the situation in Paraguay is still pre-
carious to degree, the paper cur
rency having deprecated to an almost
Incredible extent its purchasing power
Is practically nil. Fluctuations are SC
frequent that speculation on the rate
OF exchange has become a veritable
gamble, as it was in Argentina before
the monetary problem was solved fif
teen years ago when the paper unit
was given definite gold basis. It Is
hoped that the treaty will give the
Paraguan dollar a certain degree OF
stability and consequently an en-
HANGED value. This is one of the ma
terial advantages which local finan-
ciers foresee. Another important one
is that smuggling will be discouraged
and finally stopped. This traffic has
hitherto constituted a serious problem
for the frontiers are so vast, and so
accessible, that no proper vigilance
could ever be established along their
sparsely populated, sub-tropical and
unhealthy extensions.
The manufactured articles exported
to Paraguay from Argentina are sad
dlery, candles. matches, sugar, furni-
ture, shoes, etc. Paraguayan exports
to Argentina are frcit, vegetables.
yerba mate (Paraguayan teal, timber.
lace and conserves, the value of which
in 1915, aggregated $2,257,sS7 gold.
against imports from Argentina val
ued at $1,55O,316 gold.
The belief that the result of the
treaty will be series of identical ar
engagements is not, however, general. /
AT least, no other republic has yet
asked for an adjustment in accord
ance with the spirit of the most favor.
e. nations clause. Nor does the Com.
mercial Union of the future receive
much credence. 1t is we'll known that
the stable products of every one or
these republics are very similar: Uru-
quay, for example, sends fish and poul-
try to this republic, which, in turn,
sends to Uruguay hides, fish, poultry,
ETC., but naturally in lesser quantities.
the disparity between the populations
being considerably in favor of Argen-
tina. Chile exports wine to Argentina,
although the champagne country of
this republic, Mendoza and San Juan,
are separated from the sister republic
only by the Andes, the trans-Andine
railway connecting them. Brazil
sends yerba mate (Paraguayan tea;
competing in the Argentine market
with Argentine, Paraguayan, Uru-