New-York tribune., 1879-02-26
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE MEXICAN TRADE.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.

HOW AMERICANS MAY ACQUIRE CONTROL OF InE
TRADE or MExIco-PRAcTICAL SUGGESTIONS
FOR MASUFACTCRERs-LARGE HOUsEs NEEDED.
lPRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBrSE.I
MFXlCO, Feb s.-The American traders appointed
committees which will in due time report on tho
trade and industries Of Mexico Meantime il viii
be in order TO give some general conclusions. based
on information acquired during this prospecting
tour in the sister Republic
l. There is money 10 BE- made IN Hcric1. The actual
value Of the foreign products sold annually in this
country may be estimated safely at $4,000 OOO.
The purchase aud sale of these commodities are now
mainly in tho hands of tho German and French
merchants The British have lost their hold on the
Mexican trade aud are now represented only
by bank and one large house az this cap
ita' Em5arking in this trade, Americans
will have popular sentiment in their favor the in
preston being general that German merchants sim
ply make money here 70 spend It abroad thus de-
prvng the country Of n large share of Is material
resources. Being ueighborinG people, it Is natur-
ally assumed that Americans would feel more az
homo in this country, and that from the enter
prsing spirit Of the race the capital which they
may acquire here would be reiayested IN various
projects.
IT. said 70 Nr. Boxer, o large hardware mcr-
chant ian American manufacturer considers that
chcapy n, yoI can get them from Birmingham,
how woud You have HIM proceed
Let him." said he, send Us designs With
rrice..7
This answer admits Of general Application.
Chcapucss and style are the main requisites.
Nothing can prevent American m?rufactnrers
FROM gaining control Of the Mexican trade,
and deriving far profits thD.Tom, #
they Will only prepare goods adapted
therefor in price, quality and style. The Germans,
TO their credit, have irm Lol ou the trade, but
they arc not more secure than the British, vhom
they replaced. That Americans can comply with.
the ab)yc-uamed conditions in the supply Of hoid-
ware, dry goods and provisions, tlcTe can le no
doubt. Tie sales made by tie American traders
prove il concius,yely An, rican good, axe grad
ually finding their way into the French and German
stores OF ibis capital. and thence into The interior,
supcrsodIng by their chcapre,s and aGaprhi'Iy
products of European manufacture Il j. only
question Of perseverance and energy O. acquire full
control Of the national trade.
II. Uhaii 10 be done. Ifan American manufdc-
turcr has large stock on hand, he Will naturally
ask at this moment Of commercial revival. how am
! to sell some of these goods IN Mex.co' There are
several ways: o. He may communicate with the
agents Of Mexican firms in New-York who some
times buy off-haud or submit offers 20 their Pgn-
cipa- in tbs country. q He may send samples or
prce-lists direct 10 the merchants in Mexico. Who.
# they find that they can save money by purchasing
his goods are quite likely 20 do SO readily. But 10
Will be better srl for MIN TO come here himself or
send a tTus worthy representative VINO VIII learn
the current price, the popular style, the customs
duty and every other detail connected with the in
PRODUCTION of his goods TO this market. ms j.,
substantially, what the American traders nave
done. Some of them have LAID, during their bref
soiourn the basis OF a good trade, which they may
never have done by samples or cOrlespondenee.
III. Adrerse. In general, advertising at home
and abroad is essential TO success. lrnle who
gained n national reputation by advertising IN THE
TRIBUNE are thereby as well known in this country
a. they IN NewlOrk.
". EstgJiish large houses. The most efec-
tual way TO introduce American goods woUld DE 10
establish one or more large stores. which w0uld
keep general assortment Of American goods on
hand, and would " hold the fort Tor small pro-
ducers who can spare neither the time nor the
more extensive such houses may be, the greater and
more decisive must be their success. They should
secure the services Of experienced saIcsmen and be
resolved To hold their ground whatever difficulties
or opposition they may NJ first encounter.
'. Commercial Interests sh0dd BE- paramount.
H. order to crown American efforts with
success. il is essential that all national agcbcies
" Mexican claimant the " free I0ne. and the
" forced loan question: are TRIVIAL matters com
pared with the trade interests at stake. The NoXi-
can tartf Is perpl-Xiug and paradoycll BLt the
MeAlcaus ar not welded TO their tarft. wbIch -
maintained rather for revenue than for protc' ton.
luey are willing TO conclude ComntirISl Treaty.,
which would virtually SupcTscde IT, Whether that
treaty shall he bcn"fccnt and liberal depends IN a
great measure on the SpiIlt IN which the United
state, ncGJ.iaicS II.