Guatemala, the country of the future Part 5

The shipments with which up to this time the United States has been most successful in furnishing Guatemala can be understood from a summary of the articles sent out under a consular invoice from various ports. The exportations from the port of New Orleans during a recent year were as follows:

NAME OF ARTICLES. VALUE.

Linseed oil $168 Petroleum, etc. 2,534 Tar 255 Live animals 5,447 Rice 974 Empty barrels 116 Coal 185 Cement 422 Cistern materials 648 Dynamite 249 Drugs 1,972 Hardware 19,468 Cotton goods 45,733 Iron bars 338 Wheat flour 15,817 Surgical instruments 281 Locomotives 7,465 Earthenware 1,122 Manufactured woods, railroad ties, etc. 55,772 Indian corn 16,335 Malt 474 Cable rope 1,874 Gentlemen's furnishings 2,724 Gasolene motors 285 Furniture 657 Umbrellas 444 Provisions 23,127 Bridge material 18,794 Salt 2,136 Hats 452 Whiskey 978 Shoes 1,531

From the port of Mobile shipments were as follows:

Wheat flour $10,196 Cotton goods 9,916 Canned meats 2,108 Cornmeal 1,316 Hardware 804 Alimentary conserves 777 b.u.t.ter 676 Beer in bottles 572 Petroleum 523 Vegetables 507 Coal 420 Hay 405 Dried fish 376 Footwear 362 Stearine candles 317 Matches 300 Condensed milk 238 Soap 228 Lard 206 Fruit preserves 204 Cheese 173 Rice 168 Miscellaneous food products 1,700

The exports from New York, which average about $75,000 per month, are composed chiefly of the following articles:

Galvanized wire Lubricating oil Alimentary articles Electrical equipments Betum Iron pipes Gla.s.sware Cured hides Beer Drugs Photographic material Hardware Cotton goods Agricultural implements Soap Jewelry Earthenware Sewing machines Railway material Medicines Typewriters Miscellaneous machinery Plated goods Perfumery Paper Petroleum Watches Weighing scales Hats Whiskey Chintz Leather ware

From the port of San Francisco the annual shipments amount to approximately $1,000,000. The princ.i.p.al articles are flour, wheat, hops, corn, barley, oats, cotton, furniture, machinery, beers, wines, and whiskies. The articles imported at San Francisco are chiefly coffee, sugar, cacao, rubber, hides and lumber.

HOW THE COMMERCE IS DIVIDED.

While the United States has a fair share of the trade the proportion is not as large as it might be if systematic efforts were made. In the last year for which statistics are available the foreign commerce of Guatemala amounted to $12,593,000, of which $5,041,000 was imports and $7,552,000 exports. Germany, which takes the bulk of the coffee crop, is the largest consumer. In the year quoted it took 53.79% of the total exportations from Guatemala North America (chiefly United States) 25.86%. England, 15.37%, and France 2.4%.

The exportation of the various countries to Guatemala in percentage terms was as follows: United States 36.59%; England, 22.62%; Germany, 19.97%; France, 9.21%; South America, 2.82%; Central America, 1.83%; Mexico, 1.69%; Spain, 1.54%; Italy, 1.32%; Belgium and Holland, 1.27%; other countries, 1.14%.

In detail the value of the goods imported by Guatemala in the given year was: from Germany, $1,019,000; United States, $1,442,000; England, $1,038,000; France, $175,000; Belgium, $114,000. No other country except the above exported to Guatemala goods exceeding $100,000 in value. Of the exports from Guatemala, chiefly coffee, as previously stated, Germany took $3,508,000; the United States $2,292,000; England, $1,282,000.

President Estrada Cabrera in his annual message commented on the balance of trade in favor of Guatemala and expressed himself very hopefully concerning the measures of internal development which could be carried on while the conditions of foreign commerce were so satisfactory.

Since a portion of the revenue of Guatemala is raised from the export tax on coffee it is possible to maintain a very moderate schedule of import duties and this is done. The average duty on the group of articles described under the heading of prime necessity is 23.67% _ad valorem_. On the second group 30.84% and on the third group 7.60%. The duties are equitably distributed so as to bear lightly on everything that enters into the industrial upbuilding of the country. Moreover, special concessions are sometimes made on material for railway and other enterprises which enter into the national development.

The general rules regarding the application of the tariff are very clear. They are formulated with a view to saving annoyance to shippers and are specific enough to avoid uncertainty. Import duties are not high. The list of articles which it is prohibited to import is a short one.

The charges for invoices on shipments to Guatemala are as follows:

Ship's manifest $10.00.

Validating invoices of from $1 to $100 7.00.

" " " 100 " 500 10.00.

" " " 501 " 1000 14.00.

" " " 1001 " 3000 16.00.

" " " 3001 " 6000 20.00.

For each additional $1000 the Consuls will collect $2.

The government officials of Guatemala and the merchants gave hearty support to the project of an exposition ship or floating exposition which was undertaken on the Pacific coast in order to display American products and manufactures and at the same time familiarize American firms with the products of other countries.

EXCHANGE AND BANKS.

In the conduct of its foreign commerce reasonably long credits are required by the merchants of Guatemala, but always under fixed conditions. When the coffee crop is shipped bills on Europe and on New York can always be procured at reasonable exchange and the obligations be met in this manner. Since the balance of trade is in favor of Guatemala there is always the certainty of funds for exchange.

Under President Estrada Cabrera's administration the banks of the country are subject to a regulation somewhat similar to the national banks of the United States. Various decrees have been issued governing the emission of banknotes. The latest decree inst.i.tutes a special bank examination project and requires all the financial inst.i.tutions to give an account of their condition and operations to this Department.

The following statistics as to the leading banks of Guatemala have been compiled from recent reports:

GUATEMALAN BANK (BANCO DE GUATEMALA).

Capital subscribed and totally paid $2,500,000 00 Reserve fund 655,000 00 Contingent fund 292,208 67 Fund available for dividends 200,000 00

Manager: Carlos Gallusser.

OCCIDENTAL BANK (BANCO DE OCCIDENTE).

Capital authorized $2,000,000 00 Capital paid 1,650,000 00 Reserve fund 1,200,000 00 Contingent fund 1,200,000 00

Manager: Rufino Ibarguen.

INTERNATIONAL BANK (BANCO INTERNACIONAL).

Capital subscribed and totally paid $2,000,000 00 Reserve fund 1,507,000 00 Contingent fund 281,918 76

Manager: Carlos B. Pullin.

COLUMBIAN BANK (BANCO COLOMBIANO).

Capital paid $1,776,000 00 Reserve fund 797,747 94 Sinking fund 454,189 84 Fund available for dividends 69,227 74

Director: F. L. de Villa.

AMERICAN BANK (BANCO AMERICANO).

Capital authorized $1,200,000 00

Manager: A. Beckford.

AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE BANK (BANCO AGRICOLA-HIPOTECARIO).

Capital authorized $12,000,000 00