Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-06-01
TRADE WITH MEXICO.
Why European Merchants Monop-
ollie the Republics Commerce.

A1ClhA - AOcAA1A9 Vi hAOhh0ARl AhAC~Nsf
for the past five years. said Paul X.
Smithers to st. Louis Post-Dispateh
reporter, II have for the first time
come to ST. Louis for the purpose OF
making arrangements for purchasing
goods suitable for the Mexican trade,
especially in the line of boots and shoes.
From st. Louis go east, where | hope
to be able to secure proper cottons and
coarse linens for the same country.
II have been engaged in commerce
for number of years with Mexico, and
am continually astonished at the lack
of enterprise shown by our American
manufacturers in securing the trade of
this great country which lies at our
very doors, is our natural tributary,
and produces almost nothing OF itself
except raw materials. Yet we allow
the English and Germans to take by
far the greater portion Of the trade
away from us. and instead of excluding
them, they come very near shutting US
out The reason is not that the trans
atlantic goods are better than those
manufactured in this country. for the
contrary is the case, but that every
foreign manufacturing house has resi-
dent agent who not only attends to the
sales, but keeps his principals posted
on the exact kinds of fabrics required
by the people. Other things being
equal, American goods are accorded
the preference. An incontrovertible
proof of this is to be found in the fact
that American trademarks are most
extensively counterfeited by European
ma nufacturers. Some houses who will
not do this themselves, do not raise any
objection to its being done by the re-
tailers to whom they sell.
"a san instance of the extent to which
this is carried, know of large shoe
/ firm in Saltillo, which makes a prac-
tice of paying small amount for every
St. Louis shoe label which is brought
them. These they place on English
shoes and sell them much more readily
than they can those stamped with the
European brand.
"Where the foreigners beat US out OF
sight in models. Take boots and shoes
for instance. The Mexicans, at least
those Of the country districts outside
of the rich valley of Mexico, are a
barefoot race, but are just beginning 10
use shoes generally. They want an
article at once cheap and light, and
model that can be bought ready
made and some kind Of fit secured.
Our dealers need an excellent article,
but nearly all the low-priced shoes are
high in the ankles with heavy soles,
laced close up, and worst OF all are
made ON last that would not lit one
Mexican in hundred. In this country
those who buy cheap shoes require
them to be wide in proportion to theil
length, and the average sizes are al
large. The Mexicans are small
race, and with feet small in proportion
to their size. The consequence is tina
an American consignment contains
majority OF shoes that win suit nobod,
and are a dead loss to the purchaser
The English and Germans, on tn
other hand, have made a peculia
kind Of last, known as the Mexican last
which is used only for shoes intended
for the Spanish American trade. The!
are rather sandals than shoes, will
flimsy, light soles made Of poor ma
terial and leaving the ankle unconined
As shoes they are very poor but ar
far more TO the taste OF the Mexican
than the articles sent from this country
, and with forged American trade
mark are driving ours out Of the mar
) ket.
, Tho same fact Is observable /
, cotton goods. The Mexicans have
, strong eye for color but do not want
I bright, and especially want it in larg
masses and figures and not in sma
patterns. Nearly all the America
{ calicoes are printed in small flower {
!. vine patterns, the ground being eithe
a white or bright rod. The English an
8 French, taking pains to inform then
O selves of the national taste, make the
a prints of pale yellow or dull red,
/ solid masses, and for this reason the
8 products are preferred. A very sligl
{ change in our system Of manufactul
: in which some attention was paid
n national taste, would increase our trac
4 tenfold. This is very markedly I'll
: case with the coarser grades Of viii
d cotton which are extensively worn /
r the negroes, Indians and poorer class
o Of persons. Our manufactures are tC
Ia heavy and too closely woven, being u
n exact counterpart Of the goods sold
" the southern states Of America, viii
n the English goods are Of a much mo
Ia open texture, and are therefore great
"a preferred. They make goods especii
- ly for the Mexican trade, which thu
% attempt to sell in no other part OF b
,r world. while we, making our own ms
et ket the standard, try to sell goods sui
n able enough for that 10 people WI