The Washington herald., 1918-08-08
OIL
IGPROSPECT
Magnate of Seaportless
Country. Described as
Useful by Holland.

Gen. 1smael MonteS, twice presluent
Of Bolivia. and also minister from
that country to France and then again
b England, has been spending sew
eral days in New York, sotourning
here not merely for pleasure but pre-
sumably for the purpose Of consult
ing with some of the leading men OF
finance and industry with intent to
bring about an understanding where
by increased trade with Bolivia can
be secured.
Within a few days Gen. Monies will
depart for France, where he will be
cordially received as minister from
Bolivia, sfor IL Is known to the French
authorities that Bolivia was the first
of the South American republics to
hand passports to the German min
lister after the United States sent to
the German ambassador his passports
In the mid-winter OF 1917.
Notwithstanding the embarrassment
which the war has occasioned in Bo-
Hyia so far as her export trade is
concerned, the nation has enjoyed a
favorable trade balance. and Gen.
Monies hopes that the trade between
Bolivia and the United States will be
50 increased that this trade balance
may be maintained and enlarged.
During his second term as presi-
dent of Bolivia the trade balance
measured in United States gold in
favor of that country amounted to
nearly s9o,ooo,ooo.
Z Big Trade.
In seven years, beginning 1910, the
total exports from Bolivia were Of the
money value of two hundred and
eighty-five million dollars, while her
imports for the same period were of
the money value of nearly a hundred
and ten million In seven years her
total foreign trade reached approx
mately four hundred million dollars.
This is a very large sum for a coun-
try which has no seaports. 1t Is due
in considerable measure to the con-
structive and business statesmanhip
which has characterized the career Of
General Monies. He was persuaded
that it would be of the highest ad-
vantage to Bolivia. so far as material
prosperity was concerned, II there
could be a very large increase in her
transportation facilities.
The country possessed rich mines,
not only Of the precious metals. but
of other metals. especially copper, tin,
tungsten and lead. But these re-
sources could not be exploited until
adequate transportation could be
provided.
President Monies advocated the
construction of a great network of
railroads. Ons contract was made
with James Speyer. 1t is the So
called Speyer contract and for a
while caused some criticism. But 1t
was entered into for the purpose of
instituting a great system of railway
construction. Today General Monies
Is able to tell his friends in New
York that the railway lines from La
Paz to Oruro and from Oruro to
Cochabamba to Potosi and to other
important centers represent the aid
Furthermore the MADEIRA -Mamore
line has been constructed in conform
ity to a treaty which was signed
with Brazil in 1903
Unfortunate Expedition.
This Madera-Mamore line reflects
the attempt made some forty years
ago by English and American capital
under the leadership of a very promi-
hcllI engineer. associated with WnOm
was Neville Craig. of Philadelphia, to
construct a railroad around the rap
ids of an otherwise navigable river
in Bolivia to a navigable point in one
Of the headwaters in the Amazon.
For It was presumed that IL this
railroad were constructed adequate
transportation to and from the heart
Of Bolivia and a great development
of the resources, especially rubber,
in upper Bolivia and Brazil would be
made possible
At that time there were no Gen.
Gorgas and other men of great scien-
tific attainment to teach the way to
overcome the diseases of the tropics
and to exterminate the mosquito.
For that reason the expedition was
abandoned, many of those who took
part in it having fallen victims to
tropical diseases.
Years later. by treaty between Bra
zil and Bolivia, arrangements were
perfected for the construction of this
line. and as science has shown how
to overcome the climatic and insect
dangers Of the tropics. 1t has been
possible to complete the line. One of
these days-it will become a very i'm
portant waterway and railroad sys-
tenn facilitating commerce between
the interior Of South America and the
rest of the world.
In this city some of the ablest and