St. Landry democrat., 1889-07-13
Governor Jarvis on Trade With Brazil.

Governor Jarvis, of North Carolina, as
United States Minister to Brazil, had unu
sual opportunities to form correct opinions
as to the means of promoting our trade
with that country. We quote from letter
addressed by him to the secretary of the
Spanish American Commercial Union, oil
New York. He says: 81 think | an
safe in saying that the people of Brazil buy
from US each year, less than one-sixtL
of the amount we buy from them
and that their failure to buy more is
no fault of theirs. They entertain fol
us the kindest feelings, and | believe
they really prefer to trade with us if they
could do so under conditions as favorable
as they obtain in Europe. Brazil is not q
manufacturing country to any very great
and profitable extent, and it is not likely
that it will ever be- While some of the
smaller industries may flourish and grow
the conditions are not favorable to build
ing up great manufacturing enterprises SC
as to make the country Independent OF
foreign goods. There is now large de
mand for foreign productions, and this de-
mand will be greatly increased by reason
of emancipation of the slaves and the pid
influx of immigration. This inviting and
profitable field of foreign commerce is oc-
cupied largely, | may say almost entirely,
by Europeans, and can assure you they
will not surrender it without a struggle
Up to this time no organized concerted
effort has been made to contest with them
for their trade, and the question may we'll
be asked, Can we succeed if we try? 1t
may be that my opinion on that important
inquiry may, by reason of my opportuni-
ties for information, have some weight
with your colleagues and with the public
generally. If so. you are at liberty to
make them public if you shall deem them
worthy of consideration. AS before sug-
gested, | have given much thought aud
attention to the possibility of increasing
our trade with Brazil, and to the best
means to be employed, and give it as my
deliberate opinion that it is possible great
1y to increase our exports to that country.
The proper means to be used to do this,
venture to suggest, may be formulated
into the three following propositions
First, the making and sending of goods
suitable to the trade second, establishing
sufficient shipping facilities to that coun-
try third, procuring proper American
banking facilities to do the business
There is much more Importance to be at
tached to the first proposition than would
be supposed by persons who have had no
opportunity to inform themselves on this
point. The people of Brazil, like other
people have their tastes, their notions,
their likes and dislikes; they fancy GER
tain kinds of goods, and, like most people,
they prefer to buy to suit their own fan.
some of these notions are not founded up
,r no Of, I
when they exist respect must be paid to
them if one expects to increase his business
with those possessing them. For instance,
Brazil has warm climate, and the people
there do not use as heavy clothing as is
on cotton goods, which is very high and
makes considerable part of the cost to
the consumer. is levied and collected on
the weight of the goods; hence, light
weight goods can be sold cheaper than the
heavier goods. The English understand
this, and they manufacture, out of our
cotton, goods specially suited to tropical
climates. Not only this, but the people of
Brazil have their own preference for colors
patterns and widths of goods, and the
the number of yards in piece. The En-
glish do not waste time in trying to per-
suade the Brazilians that these notions are
foolish, but they proceed as far as they can
to make marketable goods. What have
said of cotton fabrics is more or less true
of other classes of merchandise, and l be-
lieve applicable to all the Central and
South American countries. If am correct.
it is then appa-ent that the American
should understand the wants
Of his consumer. To do this he must have
the information collected and placed before
him, and the importance of doing this in
an intelligent and accurate way cannot be
"-Ame7ac07 Economist.