The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-06-29
AN AMERICAN OATEOHIsM.
why we arc shut out From one
OF the G Greatest Markets In
the World.


Ii the men who make the" geography.
books" for our children were to tell
the truth about the great continent of
South America, they would set down
for their pupils few facts like these,
using their own inimitable interroga.
tive and responsive method:
q. What is the political and COM
mercial composition OF South America
A. South America is composed of q
number OF states and nations, under
varying forms of government, many of
them rich and some powerful. All the
civilized nations are engaged In agrioul.
ture, trade, stock-raising, and similar
employments.
Q. Are there any manufacturing
countries in South American
A. There are no manufacturing
countries in South America.
Q. What are the exports of South
America?
A. Hides, skins. wool, coffee, rub.
ber, dyestuffs. drugs, guano, and many
other articles.
Q. What are the imports OF South
America?
A. Machinery, tools, linen, cotton
and woolen cloth, furniture, medicines,
wines-in fact nearly all tnanufactur-
ed articles used In civilized life.
Q. 10 what countries does South
America send exporter
A. To England, Germany. Spain,
France, and to the United States.
q. Who is her principal customer
A. The United States.
Q. From whom does she purchase
her imports2
A. From the same countries.
Q. From whom does she purchase
the most2
A. From England.
Q. From what country does she
purchase the least?
A. From the United States?
Q. Why does not South America
deal more largely with the United
States2
A. Because there Is no regular com
munication by steamship.
Q. Why is there no regular commu
nication by steamship
A. Because II does not pay to run 9
steamship line that can carry cargoei
only one way.
q. Why could not steamship liuel
carry cargoes both ways between Soutt
America and the United States2
A. Because South America will no
buy the manufactures OF the United
States.
2. Are the South Americans i'll
disposed toward the United States2
A. No, they are friendly toward th'
United States. ..
@. Then why will they not buy th,
manufactures of the United States?
A. Because the prices are too high
.. Why are the prices too high?
A. Because the people of the United
States have to pay heavy tariff tax OIL
all raw materials which they import
and so cannot compete with countries
that get their raw materials free.
From such catechism the American
child might learn why his country 1
shut out from one of the greatest mar
kets of the world, and forbidden (,
win its share of the money that pours
year after year, into the Golfers of En-
gland, France aud Germany. And tn
further the catechism extended tn
more he would learn OF the imposition
which is practiced on the whole coun
try for the benfit Of q small number O
American handlers of raw material
who are able to exert influence owe
the senate of the United States. An,
what he would learn in the cas-
of South America would be equally sp
plicaUle to almost any other foreign
country with which we deal
We have spoken of South Americ,
because our dealings with that countr,
afford fragrant example OF our unbus
inesslike dealings with foreign nations
II has been notorious for years tha
England, Germany, Spain, and In q
small way, Portugal, have snstched
away from this country the Souti
American trade that fairly belongs to
us. Our exports to South Americs
are little lumber, some railroad en-.
gines aud street cars, a few agricultural
implements, a large assortment Of pat
ent medicines, and, for the rest, plenty
of bilge-water and free space between
decks. The South Americans, from
Brazil clear around to Chilli, have sold
their goods to rs and bought theil
goods of England, Germany, France
and other European nations. It II
senseless to assert that the lack of reg
ular communication has been the rea.
son of this extraordinary one.sidednesl
of International trade. We have com
municstion enough with South Ameri
ca to import all we want that the yes
sells which make the communication q,
back np:y Or half tull is owing to on