Show DICTATOR E01EGA He Prohibits the Holding of Public Meetings A CRISIS HAS BEEN BEACHED The People of Rio Grande do Sol May Declare De-clare Their Independence Serious Biota In That Province Special to TUB HERALD Kxamtner Dispatch WASHINGTON Nov 9 Charles R Flint the New York merchant whose commercial connections with South America are wall known spent several hours yesterday with Minister Mendonca Afterwards he visited the state department officials Before leaving leav-ing for Now York last night he said to your correspondent Advices received through my firm in New York are borne out by of ficial cablegrams which Minister Mendonca received stating there is no ground for serious apprehension in Brazil The squab ble there is peculiar and will stand the closest watching for the influences at work to bring about a change of government are powerful as well as insidious One strong factor in the agitation now on foot is the old monarchial party which though deposed and humiliated still exists as a small fac tion in Brazil Numerically this faction is not large but it embraces some very shrewd men who will not fail to take advantage of every opportunity to strengthen them selves and to recruit their ranks from every possible source Another important factor to be considered is the tremendous foreign influence which is always ready to assist in overthrowing a government which has formed close trade relations with the United State The Imperialists in Brazil are clever enough to invoke their influence and to use it to the best advantage Negotiation Ne-gotiation of the reciprocity treaty between tho United States and Brazil worked great injury to the Interests of foreign merchants mer-chants who had long enjoyed the Brazilian market The United States not only takes twothirds of the coffee grown in Brazil but it also consumes twothirds of the rub her output We are therefore Brazils best customer and if the empire should bo restored tomorrow I am satisfied that the Brazilians interest alone would enable ua to negotiate a treaty on terms even more advantageous to the United States than these which govern our trade today |