Wichita eagle., 1889-11-01
TRADE WITH COLOMBIA.

TRADE WITH COLOMBIA.
Minister Abbott Submits Some Valuable
Suggestions
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 3l.-United States
Minister Abbott, of Bogota, in report
just submitted to the state department,
makes some pertinent and valuable sug-
gestions concerning the extension Of
American trade in Columbia:
Thoughtful men," says he, team not
have failed to note the interest which the
merchants Of the United States are begin
ing to feel in the development of their
comm ercial relations with the countries of
South America. The continued aeita-
ton of the subject in the news
papers, the reports OF consular
officers, the approaching inter
national conference, the efforts of the
Spanish American Commercial union and
the necessity for foreign markets have
taught our manufacturers and merchants
that millions of consumers 1--we near their
coasts OF whose life. methods and necessI-
ties they almost entirely ignorant.
| AS to the means of securing trade in
| competition with European merchants,
Minister Abbott says the United States
| merchant must adopt his methods to the
peculiarlties of the people with whom he
would trade.
81 once asked merchant" he says. eff
| he would not prefer to buy American
merchants rendered such a thing impossi-
BILE. He once gave large order to New
York house, with particular directions as
| to packing. These directions were entirely
| disregarded. The goods came packed for
| shipment by rail in large heavy boxes.
The result was that the importer was
| obliged to pay customs duties on the
| weight of the boxes, as all such duties are
| on gross weights. When they arrived at
the head of river navigation it was found
| that the packages were too heavy to be
| transported 100 miles on mules, and he
was obliged to open and repack lp
suitable bundles, properly wrapped in
waterproof cloths, every box of the mer-
chandise. All this rendered the transac-
tion improbable, and the importer was
extremely irrated. especially as he had
sent full and explicit directions as to how
| the packing should be done. He has
never ordered American goods since. This
IS not on isolated case; have heard many
similar complaints. The point is vital,
and our merchants can never sell to these
people unless they learn how to pack for
these custom houses and for male trans
portatIon. The English, French and Ger
mans have learned how to pack, and do
pack according to the requirements of the
country.
again, these people demand cloths of
a certain length and width, and will buy
70 other. 1t is universal complaint that
our manufacturers refuse to conform to
these requirements. They have certain
cloths to sell, and the Colombian can buy
them or not, as he pleaseS. The result
is he does not buy, and he never will buy
until the manufacturer gives him what
he wants. The English French and Ger
man, on the other hand, ask the Colom-
him. 1t has been said that the Australian
market for axes was captured by the
Yankee because he made an ak that
would cut soggy wood. and the English
man wouldn't. If the Yankee wishes he
must at least be as complacent as his Eng
fish cousin.
again. such stray United States COM
merciai travellers as have been here with
samples insist that the Columbian must
buy the whole bale from which any given
sample is selected. AS every other sample
in the bale may be entirely unstable, the
native merchant refuses to purchase and
always will refuse to do so until he can
have the privilege of buying what he
wants and no more, privilege which the
English, French and German cheerfully
accord him.
Another barrier to the development of
American trade" the minister explains,
''iS the prevailing system of long credits |
in Columbia. The English. French and
Germans give at least six months interest
bearing credit from the date of the in
voice, while the three 6s' (six, twelve and
eighteen mOnths) credits are not unknown. |
While 1t may be possible to sell upon some |
what less credits, it is probably true that |
the system which prevails in the United |
States would be introduced in Columbia |
with great difficulty. These people have |
always expect them, and prob. |
ably will continue to do so. To |
their honor, however, it may be said that |
bankruptcy is scarcely ever known. But |
one failure has occurred in Madellin, the |
principal importing center, for nine years, |
and then so cents on the dollar was paid. |
In the matter of European and American |
prices, Colombians say that nearly every |
thing can be purchased cheaper in the |
other countries than in the United States, !
an idea that is never left to perish from |
the thought by the energetic European. IF |
this be true" concludes Minister Alb |
bott, then indeed the merchant of the |
United States is about to enter upon
an unequal race. The only way to ascer
tain is to come down and see. No |
one unacquainted with the mysteries of /
trade can give any reliable information.
1t would be pleasurebtO see representa-
tives of American houses In this capital, /
studying the many questions which must /
be understood before success can be hoped /
for Time will be required, These men
must learn the language. The quicker |
come the better for our hopes, for | fully !
believe that the growth of our trade will |
be extremely slow unless we have plenty |
L.. 81.