The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23
WASHIN GT0N.
How to Extend Our Trade With
South America.
SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR MINISTER'S.
Important Changes in the Tariff
Recommended.
Mr.. BLAINE'S SPEECH DISSECTED.
Small Basis for a Sectional
Agitation.
APPLICANTS FOR THE BERLIN MISSION.
Mr.. BLAINE'S SPEECH DISSECTED.
Small Basis for a Sectional
Agitation.
APPLICANTS FOR THE BERLIN MISSION.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

INFORMATION AND SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR
REPRESENTATIVES, IN THAT SECTION.
Annexed to the recent special Message Of the Presi
dent on the commerce Of and with South American
States are number Of communications from consuls
and agents which present information of great inter
and value to American merchants. 1t is the gen.
era complaint of the writer's that the United States
have no steamer lines running to South American
ports. while the principal European nations have
surprisingly large feet Of steamers The facts stated
are important, and they would be even more
it not that Mr. Frach of Philadelphia, who appears
to have collected most of the testimony the
subject. has evidently done with the pur-
pose mainly of helping the subsidy
schemes. and his arguments therefore in the
ture of special plea for these schemes Neverthe-
less the facts he presents valuabe but they show
that we need above all. better and more moderate
scale OF customs duties to enable us to secure the
trade Of the South American countries and that to
continue to close our ports against their products
and merely establish steamer lines would be of little
no use. The South Americans. like all other ma
tions must sell in order to be able to buy and Amer
lean steamer lines will be useless and Improbable
until the gentlemen who now move for subsidies
allow the tariff to be modified and beralized to
permit South American products to enter markets
with reasonable profit to the producers.
LETTER MINISTER OSBORNE.
Mr.. Osborne, Minister at Buenos Ayres writes in
January Of the present year.
At present no steam vessels arrive at the port of
Buenos Ayres direct from any part of the United
States and vessels of that class leave this port
the River La Plata direct for any port i'll the United
States, except occasional vessel Of single line,
carrying the English fag and that at irregular pc
RODS and which returns to this port by way of Eu-
rope; hence this uncertain means of communication
can do little nothing in the way Of fostering
arging the trade between the River La Plata and the
Ont fbarh
unicaton Ia at present and has been for long time
maintained between the Argentine States and Europe
by some eleven different lines of steamships, Of
which Ave are British. four French. two German
snd Italian and these steamships carry passcn-
not only those whose destination Is Europe but
those who desire 20 to the United States and also
articles Of commerce for the latter which required
to be delivered rs promptly as possible on orders.
But he goes on to point out tina. heavy tariff
wool hos given our commerce with Buenos Ayres
TO more liberal countries. who sell what used
to export ththcr. dc says
Previous to civil war-1S61-and when the
dutes especially wool, the chief staple OF this
portion OF South Americs imposed by the United States
were nearly on an equality with those Of other com
mercisl nations, our commerce with this port
double what 1t Is at present The duties on Argen-
tine wool have diverted important trade from the
United States into the hands of the English, French
and Italians, who receive Argentine wool free of
duty. and who, with their fleets of steamers. main
tain almost daily communication with this country.
Since the LIST Of January last this date 1870
have arrived at the port of Buenos Ayres belonging
to the above named naionalities All these steamers
departed for their respective destinations with full
cargoes. The total exports of wool from the port of
Buenos Ayres from October, 1876 to October 1877.
Europe and only 1900 bales exported to the
United States.
And here is the result. in loss to manufacturers
and laborers Of this prohibition tariff
With the exception of lumber, kerosene. tobacco
and some agricultural implements. and few other
specaties, which strictly of American growth
manufacture. and cannot be obtained elsewhere,
little nothing is imported thence am informed
that from the United States thousands of tons Of
cheese. butter. beef and pork annually exported
to England and none to the River La Plata: never
theless all these articles received here from Eng
land, and, although OF American origin, sold
English products Moreover, American cotton goods
OF every description and deservcdy famed for their
excellent quality and low cost, are, notwithstanding
these advantages rarely or never in this market,
while Of English manufactures of similar styles.
large quantities are imported and meet with ready
and profitable sales So too, refined sugar and Caro-
lima rice were formerly among the principal imports
chief supplies Of sugar are drawn from France Ger
many and Holland while most Of the rice is received
from Italy.
STATEMENT OF MINISTER HnLLLARD.
Minister billiard notes from Rio Janeiro
II is remarkable fact that while the United States
take large proportion of the coffee Of Brazil the
great bulk Of the trade of this country is controlled
by England. We furnish the money which the PEG.
pie Of this country use in purchasing their supplies
from other countries, and much the larger proper
ton is imported from England. Some of our
England, sold there and then rcshippcd TO the ports
of Brazil in the steamships of Great Britain, where
they sold in the market at great advance upon
sthe original prices
Minister Osborne writes from Santiago, Child
The commerce of this country has been almost
Totally absorbed by Europeans, and tho people are
comparatively ignorant OF the advantages which they
would derive from direct trade with the United
States. To present the facts before them and have
them understand that very many Of the articles
which they consume arc manufactured in the United
States and transported 1850 miles to Europe, and
thence nearly ten thousand miles from there to this
country should il seems to me- be the work of our
government. The importers Of Chill arc nearly all
foreigners and confined principally to the English
and Germans They have their home connections,
and II hardly be expected. therefore, that they
should encourage the building up OF competing
commerce. American dealers in Chill arc exceedingly
scarce, and such trade have here IL absolutely
forced upon the European merchants by reason Of
the demand for goods. The attention OF the
public is being directed to the superiority Of our
manufactures and the desire for Improvement in
commercial relations III becoming quite generals but,
IL our business men would reap the fun benefit of
this, they must establish commercial houses here
and place their goods here in competition with tho
tmportations from Europe.
COMMERCE. COLOMBIA.
Minister Dichman writes from Bogota:-
In many respects tho comm of this country
offers a very inviting field to the American merchant
or manufacturer. Owing to the condition of the
climate a competition in the way Of manufactured
goods need never be npprchcndcd. The country re-
qures everything manufactured in the United States.
and can offer in exchange variety Of tropical pro-
auctions which need. American goods. notably dry
goods and hardware. have already gained quite foot
hold for themselves in the market OF Colombia, tho
superior excellence of the goods at the prices
~ the foreign article being readily conceded; while
the trade IN supplying the coast statcs-in fact the
entire Magdacna valley-with -four, soap,
vegetables and candles, has assumed ncon-
siderable dimensions. Among the chief difficulties
in the way OF commerce of the United
states are the well-estabshcd connections with Eu
rope and the habit of trading there also the want of
knowledge on the part of exporters selecting,
preparing and packing goods for this market The
people in this country used TO certain patterns,
aud quantities In piece goods In order TO place
the United States i'm position of in regard
10 the trade OF this country am now having pre-
pared ut the Treasury Department Of Colombia sta.
tistics Of imports and exports applying to certain
articles looking to proposition the part of the
Colombian government 10 be made to the govern
ment Of the United States to reduce materially the
duty American dry goods and beer. in exc kanpe
fox rcpsaon Of the duties in the United states on