The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-16
THE UNITED STATES LOSS.
The Reasons Why We Fail to Get the
Trade South American Countries.
Wonderful Growth of Their Industries and
Agricultural InterestsA Talk with
United States Minister Williams.

Last evening a journal reporter called upon
Hon. William Williams, United States minister
to Uruguay and Paraguay, who, with his wife, is
in the city for few days visiting Mr. and Mrs
E. P. Thompson, Mrs Thompson being their
daughter. Tie reporter indicated desire to hear
something about that far-away land.
'sWell what do you want to known inquired
Mr.. Williams Its a magnificent country.
fine climate, with glorious agricultural opportu-
mites and all that but it isn't the United States
In fact it's 900 miles away from here. I'll
give you some statistics The imports of that
country from the United States are about s., 0OO
900 annually, consisting principally Of agricultu
raj implements, hardware and lumber. might
add school teachers, as sometime ago number
of Indianapolis school teachers were imported
by the Argentine Republic. They were we'll re
ceived there, and get, am told, $50 a month
The exports from Uruguay to this country
amount annually to about $3500.000 and con-
sist chiefly of wool, hides, horns and bone dust
The population of Uruguay is 100000, Monte
video, the Capital having about 10000 people
1t is a rich, productive country. The revenues
now received annually are about twelve millions.
This is an increase Of two millions overlast year
The governmental expenses are about ten mill
ions annually The country is chiefly pampas
much like our prairies, and principally occupied
by estancieres, that is cattle and sheep ranches
The number of cattle slaughtered there annually
is from 700, 600 to 1000, 600. A large amount of
beef is cut and dried It is then packed in sacks
and shipped to Brazil and Spain. The hides and
horns are for the most part sent to New York.
teThe great factory of Liebigis extract of beef
is located at Frabentus in Uruguay. Three humid
red thousand cattle usually slaughtered IN
season for this factory. During the season two
steamers a week are loaded with the extract of
beef, tongues, dried blood, etc. and most of it
shipped to England from where it is distributed
all over Europe, through the armies and hospit-
ais. All the offal is manufactured. The hoofs
are made into glue, the tongues are canned and
the refuse is made into fertilizers.
s.Ten years ago the -four used in that country
was shipped from the United States to Rio jan
Giro, and then by steamer to Uruguay OF late
years Uruguay has engaged extensively in farm
ing, raising her own breadstuffs She now raises
the finest wheat You ever saw. During the past
year she raised sufficient cereal products FOR her
own consumption, and had sufficient overpro
duetion to export 100000 bushels Of wheat to
Europe. This amount, you see, was just that
much taken from the amount that the United
States would otherwise have furnished Uru-
quay now is also large grower Of maize
'sThe Mccormack and Deering companies this
summer through their agents there, sold to the
new republics 500 reapers and threshers You
see those countries are now entering into compe
tition with US in the European markets Eng
land, France, and Germany have regular
weekly line of steamers to the Rio Platte thus
securing to those countries the advantage of
great preponderance of the commerce of that
country. We have no American steamers enter
ing either Montevideo or the Argentine Repub-
lie. If Congress would grant reasonable sub
sidy to the American & Brazilian Steamship
Company now running steamers from New Y ork
to Rio Janeiro, to enable the company to place
a sufficient number of steamers upon the line, so
that steamers might leave New York and Buenos
Ayres touching at intermediate ports, once
week, my opinion is that our commerce with
those countries would be increased 81, 600 600
annually Merchants in South American cities
express desire to trade in New York in prefer
ence to London if they had the same facilities
for receiving their goods. Now they get goods
from London, France and Germany in from
twenty. three to twenty four days by steamship,
while it takes six months on an average by sail
ing vessel from New York England has large
repositories of her goods at Montevideo and in
Buenos Ayres from which she supplies all the
country as far up as Assumption, in Paraguay,
i, 100 miles up. These goods are usually sold on
six months time and if not paid for then an ex-
tension is given. upon payment OF interest
IF the manufacturers of the United States
in carpets, dry goods. agricultural implements
and many other classes of goods and machinery
would establish in one OF these South American
cities syndicate with a good supply of
Au10ElCitu SOOu6I giving 4lk6h 1dCllllle6
as to credit that England does.
our trade there could be greatly augmented.
l believe that the agent of the Atlas works, Of
this city, who sold during the past year a large
number Of stationary engines, would, no doubt,
have quadrupled the number sold had he given
the same terms that foreign competitors offered.
"As said, the country is opening up to agri-
culture and in a few years sufficient cereal
products will be grown there to supply the
European demand, thus shutting off our export
of wheat and other grains and leaving us no
foreign market. an event that is sure to come in
the near future. Farmers of the United States,
and especially Of the West must begin to depend
upon home markets for their surplus productions
Now this shows conclusively the duty of pro-
tecting American manufactures against the
pauper labor of Europe and building up home
Industries to enable farmers to find a market
here at their doors for their products. Unless
we diversity our interests and make a greater
home market our farmers will suffer. In pro-
teeting these industries the farmer himself will
be protected and encouraged. We must feed
mechanics here or other countries will feed
them in Europe
How long viii you be herelH inquired the re.
porter.
Il leave to-day. I shall make few speeches
in Ohio during the campaign, and as many as
forty in Indiana"