New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-08
TRADE WITH BRAZIL.
THE WAY TO COMPETE is TO COMPETE.
I,ow EUROPEANS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DE
yFLOPING TRADE-wHY AMERICANS HAVE
FAILED BUSINESS CONDITIONS IN
PARA 49, BANKING FACILITIES
NEEDED 49, OVERTRADING.
IL.


NEEDED 49, ovERTRADING.
rrRou STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUSEl
Para. Dee 9.-Amercans can furnish every
article OF food and manufacture which the h"'i'
population of the Amazon Valley IePui'
they are receiving more than three-hI'nS VI wv
rubber almost the only staple OF TINS NdS' i'-I0'
without obtaining fair exchange Ill ioo' P''
nets kerosene, hardware and cotton Soou'
the comparison be extended from fara 10 No ",i'
Brazil in general, the exhibit Is eve" "'''
the American export trade. Inc eAPo'' ~
yil from the United States nave '"'l'" '
So952 Oq4 in 1888 10 SSl2I,ss" Ill 100 "'''
CO. ans in 1883. while the imports from tha1
countrv have exceeded Sj3,Ooo,oOo. ""lro i"7
1.n1 cor,ributcs 40 per cent of the imports re-
;,'.1 80 Pio France II per cent, and Germany
o1.o ncr cent. the United States has the lonr'h
.,aoo On tho list contcnting itself with : or per
, At thc same time Americans receive 90
r conf of the products exported from that port
willie ENGLAND virtually balances its imports from
Rrayu bv furnishing - per cent of the exports 10
,bat conntrv. the United States purchases more
than onc-half of the surplus products ana con-
tributes comparatively insignificant traction oil
the manufactures and foreign supplies
Now the explanation of this anomaly, so dis
creditable to American enterprise, Is not 10 "e
tund in the tariff of the United States, as have
shown in previous letter Rubber, of which
there is an ineNhaustlblc supply III the Amazohlah
forests goes into the American market WITHOUT
tariff restriction. Coffee, the chief staple oil br"
zil. is subject to duty in England ana Is on the
free list in the United States. The tarlh as
eliminates heavily in favor of Brazil in inter
national exchange of merchandise Americans
are the best foreign customers for the Braziians,
1f,.1o A. Y
planation is not to he found solely. nor even
chiefly. in the lack of frequent steamship com
munications. although that is an important factor
IN tho nroblcm There is something behind that
The real explanation of the commercial supremacy
nf England. Germany and France in Brazil and
other South American countries lies IN the fac'
that those maritime nations have assiduously and
SYSTEMATICALLY cultivated trade relations IN TINS
quarter of the world. whereas Americans, al
least until recently, have neglected and ahan-
doncd the field The Europeans have deliberately
studied and explored the South American market
and adaptcd themselves To the actual require
,nents of climate people and order Of civilizations
Here at Para they have found out by experience
on the ground what the motley population OF the
Amazon want and the manufacturers at home
have produced such goods and wares as arc needed
and called for If the Portuguese merchants have
reasons of their own. they have been supplied with
the goods. even if extensive alterations in ma
chinery have been required in the Manchester
factories If these same shrcwd traders have
complained of prices and demanded cheaper cot
ton prints, the German manufacturers have sent
out goods Of quality which the poorest of their
home customers would be ashamed TO wear. Any
thing that is wanted by the haf-cvZcd races Of
the Amazon is furnished at the lowest possible
prices American merchants, while this fierce
competition for trade has been going on. have
sent out superior goods and samples without ref
prence TO the precise requirements and the crude
tastes of the natives. They have not made sys-
tematic efforts supply special lines Of the cheap
rst quality for the South American trade. With
their own home market overtaNlnG their
production. they have considered the REGIONS Of
the Orinoco. the Amazon and the Plata a.
TOO remote and insignificant 10 be seriously taken
into account The way to compete IS to com
pete The Europeans have pcrSistcntly and pa
tientlv worked for the trade of South America
and practically secured il. Americans can only
wrest it from them or obtain fair share Of IT
by patiently devoting themselves 10 the s.irr'nI
business Of competition with equal intelligence,
industry and vigilance
Tie largest line Of Brazilian imports is dry
goods. and tie trade is almost monopolizcd by
the Europeans. American calicoes ana drlllines
find their way into the country, bnt the great
bulk Of the cotton, woollen aud silk goods are
supplied by England, Germany and France. Inc
impgrtations of manufactured cotton from Eng
land alone amount 10 more tlan Sl1,0"""oo an
nuay. and there is "a steadily increas. NJ trade IN
linens and wooeus Tie success Of European
traders in supplying this market largely lies III
tbe Intelligence with which they have adapted
.,ylp lf p
tastes Of the people. They have introduced fab
rics and patterns which were demanded, manu-
featured special lines Of goods for the brazilian
trade They have also accommodated themselves
IA the thickness Of the Portuguese merchants ana
made the best possible terms with them without
abusing them 10 their faces as knaNcs ana sW'h-
oIcrs. Above all things. they have furnished
cheap and inferior goods, which, wmle allowing
an elastic margin Of profit for the native Iher-
chants are stlll within the means q purchasers.
This j. a country whrrc cloth fades quickly ana
is easily sojlcd and discoorcd, and wardrobcs have
10 be constantly replenished There is echeih
demand for the cheapest possible goods ana INV
Europeans supply il without attempting 10 ehl"i
ideas based upon experience ia thcir own hdIhc'S'
The same tendencies are illustrated in hardware,
which is an important line of imports here. Inc
Brazilians are oid-fashoned and do not take
kindly to new ideas and Yankee notions. me
locks on the doors. the fastenIngS ou me VIII
dOws the hinges on the gates, ana an thc lipI.
and steel fixtures tOtbc found IN me HOUSES "Ic
clumsy and antiqua1cd. This hardware comes
mainly from England and Germany, ana IS OF
the cheapest era Is. The Brazlans are not dIS,
satisfied with IT, and the Europeans are wen
pleased to supply it, The match trade, winch -
enormous in country where almost every man
woman and child smokes. has fallen largely INTO
German hands, because the manufact urcrs were
willing T. produce the cheapest goods Acs'
Lcers wines and spirits of inferior Qualities are
con, iron, EuroDc the same market by eN-
norters who are cOnVersant with the taste OF the
nrople and are anxious 10 furnish what Is wanted
II * This element Of adaptablity that Amer
loan merchants have lacked in their attempts 10
cytcnd Their trade with Brazil They have not
made Themselves familiar WIN the prac1ical re-
rmircucuts of the market and the pecuaritcs
Of The people They have insisted uPon, sendng