New-York tribune., 1885-01-09
SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.
WORK OF THE COMMISSION.

| hest TO develop trade with Mexico, Central ana
South America Is attracting much attention mere.
| The commercial advantages to follow In that
direction was one Of the reasons for hoding tne
Exposition at this place. 1t Is cotton centennial
20 commemorate the first expectation of cotton but
| as Louisiana was not part OF the Repuohc cell
| fury ago, and as cotton was then exported ir"hi
Ney-York, Charleston, Philadelphia anu QUIET
ports. IT seemingly would have been more appro-
pirate to have held the Exposition Mt one Oh those
| no,nts But the people of New-Orleans had the en-
terprise 20 take the lead in the movement and as IL
was generally recognized that the Exposition shouid
| be made of use in extending the commerce OF the
country, this city was fixed upon as the best place
| in which to hold 1t.
| There seems to be no difference Of opinion that
| one of the things necessary to restore prosperity
! throughout the nation is to find outlets for It's
| manufactures. During the census year ending
| 1880 only per cent Of the total annual manu-
actures went to foreign markets. or the total ex-
| ports Of the country 81 per cent went to Europe
| and adjacent countries on the east, and only 1O
| per cent to American countries on the south. Inc
weak spot in the commerce of the country Is In this
direction Europe Is well supplied with manufac-
lures and has a surplus of its own to export, and
| with its cheap labor the United States could not
| expect to compete In the European markets. This
country must look to the open unsupDlied and In
viting markets of Spanish and Portuguese America
| and the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean.
It.was thought that holding the Exposition ina con-
| yenient place for visitors from those countries,
especially of Mexico and the countries to the south.
would result In good. New-Orleans undoubtedly
offers the best facilities for that purpose on account
Of geographical proximity and race afinites There
| is a largo Spanish and French speaking population
| here, IN fact the Latin races predominant. On ac-
/ % piaainn fha Exp
| takes on additional interest. Tho merchants OF
the city have appointed committee. made up of
| members of the various Exchanges which Is at
| work preparing a report tho subject They
believe that New Orleans. situated at the mouth OF
| the Mississippi. Is natural gateway between In
| terna and foreign commerce to those neglected
| markets The III, 600 miles of navigabe waters OF
the Mississippi and It's tributaries ntersect twenty
one States an Territories and converge and terml-
| nate at the Gulf of Mexico opposite the doors OF
| Spanish America and the Isthmian nter-ooean
routes. The commission appointed by the President
is also a work here and altogether there promises
to be a food of light thrown on this subject If moro
| substantial results do not follow.
| THE co-oPrRATioN or MEXICO.
| Mexico and some Of the other countries have en-
tered heartily into this movement for closer rela
| tions of comfy and commerce. Cuba has sent
nothing here because the people OF that country
| do not govern Themselves, but are held as kind OF
| hostages for the payment OF Spanish exactons.
| The Mexican Government and the States of that
| Republic appropriated $250.000 for display here.
aud has taken a foremost place III tho Exposition.
| In addition to occupying the greatest space on the
| main floor, OF any foreign country. Mexico has
erected two handsome buildings on the ground. and
has sent here n company of soldiers and large and
very fine military band. Owing to difficulties at the
| fhe Mexic Il
beng opened but 1t Is TO consist Of 10000 speci-
| mems o. minerals aud 10000 plants and various
| other things. One object Is mountain made OF
silver weighing two and half tons and valued Mt
| sIIf 900 On the base q description s carved and
| on each side OF the base tho bust OF the rcvered
| Hidalgo Brazil sends displays Of coffee. etc. but
the exhibit is vet 80 incomplete that like Mexico It
| cannot be described. Honduras has good display
which indicates rapid development in that country.
There are various woods. of which mahogany pre-
dominates coffee rice, spices. cotton. sugar, gold
and silver ore barks for tanning and medicinal pur-
poses. and attractive features not yet on display
There is also fine educational exhibit from that
| Republic. British Honduras also has good dis
| play Costa Rica sends enough to show an interest
| i'm the matter siam. Japan and other foreign
countries on the Pacific have sent various products
| The European part of the foreign exhibit howeyc,
does not amount to much as yet But as the foreign
| part OF the Exposition Is movement toward IN
| creased foreign trado the absence oil fine displays
from Europe will not DO missed
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.
On the continent south of the United states are
| fifteen Spanish American Republics. four Euro
pean Colonies and tho Empire of Brazil.
They have population of 10000. 900 and
| in climate, resources. products supply and
demand they the reverse and complement OF the
limited States Offering great advantages for com
merclal exchanges. At present however the
United States supplies only seventh part of the
| OF
| being monopozed by England. Forty West India
| islands facng the Southern coast of the United
| States import annually &l16.000O00 worth Of
| goods of which this country supplies less than
| one third The same condition of trade Is shown
bv the statistics of the various foreign countries
| surrounding tho Pacific and facing the West coast
| of the United States Their annual imports OF
| merchandise amount TO nearly S60o,oOO0o0, OF
| which the United States supplies less than per
cent The arge proportion of the imports OF these
| south American and Pacific markets arc manufact.
| mes which the United states can supply. The
great question then is how TO reach those markets.
and TO overcome tho amentaDle balance OF trade
| ,hot exists AGAINST this country in those ports.
| R.fore the war destroyed the commerce OF the
conptrv bv driving il into the hands Of foreign gov
ernments the United States supplied Mexico
| Central and South America with 80 per cent OF
| their imports while now it supplies them with only
II per cent 1t is estimated that the imports into
those countries in 1886 will amount TO about
800 O0O, 900. A fair proportion Of that trade
| woud add 5000 100000 to the exports Of the
limited States which, while only little over per
| cent of the total manufactures OF the country,
would still go n considerable way toward keePlng
operatives employed and it is trade that VIII grow
| rapidIy Mexico, at the doors of tho Republic,
hnys her cottons, manufactures Of iron and steel.
hardware, linen and machinery largely from
| England France and Germany. The balance OF
exchange of merchandise against tho United
states is 90 per cent with the Argentine Republic,
80 per cent with Venezue "a, 7o per cent with
/ - with IlrIIQnaY and