New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-20

J. are always willing 10 change their looms. To
modify their machinery and TO furnlSh eoous -, 81
patterns, qualities and widths corresponding ~
the demands OF their customers mere. soI ins
American manufacturers will not put thehs'iarr'rs
Ont TO adapt their goods to ms srthin that is
asked for, and in the precise form IN WITH - 10
wanted Illustration: Money IS deprecated IN
intrinsic value here by articles III coinage anu anu
loses a fraction Of its purchasing power. Inc
natives do not understand thus win lhcn PSI
is n peso even with less silver IN H. Inc Ger
man or English manufacturer is asked 10 cIcapcIn
his goods in some way, 50 that 'h' c,n H.
customers here may be induced 10 peIeNe mn
they are buying on the same terms as ptloic.
He takes out one two threads TO the men, or
slightly reduces the width Of his faDrlcs; ana Me
prices remain as before. the cheapenihg OF .le
goods compromising for the dcpreciall0n oi ,S Sr
currency. American manufacturers Will nelUl,cl
change their looms nor adapt their goods to the
new conditions: and their competitors take traue
q American merchants will not learn how 10
pack and deliver goods for this market ney
use long boxes and cases instead OF FURNISHING
small packages and bales, which can be put on
mules back and carried over a mountain road.
In countries where there are no wharves on the
coast and where merchandise has 70 he Trans
fcTrcd 10 lighters in unprotected, surfocaten ROAD
steads, and where, moreover, there are no roads
except mule-paths goods must ne packed III
small quantities so as TO he easily handed anu
transported. Merchandise comes out from Eng
land and Germany packed with reference to the
market: from the United States in condition
that involves brcakosc damage ana repa "a, ing
chants in filing orders for general trade llustra-
ton: An American dealer will send out line
of prints in different colors egt IN h the tra same
TO vary the pattern well as the colors toise,
quontly n native merchant who orders small
consignment and seeks 10 sell the goods IN
village shop has only the uniform pattern to show
10 his customers German merchant Will seno
small rolls Of various patterns as well as coors.
The village trader has IN such consignment
variety in his small stock, and can dispose Of
the goods TO advantage. ,
2. American dealers In the foreign trade lnck
that practical training with which their Engllsn
and German competitors are we'll equipped.
German merchant is taught The routine OF COM
mercia business in Hamburg house, and is
perienced lie learns Spanish, adapts himself
TO new conditions, identifies his interests with
those Of his customers. and perscveres IN extend
ing his trade. II long credits are essential no
conforms 70 the customs Of the country. He
takes advantage of every expedicnt for pressing
his goods upon the market He is al better msT-
chant and has more practical skill than his
American competitor whose business training
has been inferior and superficial, and whose
methods Of forcing goods upon foreign market
are lacking both in thoroughness and intelligence.
RAILWAY POLICY.
The Consul-G enerai's functions at Panama have
been largely diplomatic since the canal has he
come the controlling international Issue at the
| Isthmus. Recently his attention has been en-
crossed with questions relating 10 the seizure of
American sailing vessels on the San Bias coast.
The subject is an interesting one from lis prac-
teal bearings the mooted question of con-
Meeting the railway systems OF the northern and
southern continents. Jhc Isthniis is Inhabited
in large part DS Indian tribes, over whom the
Colombian Government exercises little. II any,
control Or the west coast oil the Gull of Daricn
American sailing vessels have for many years
conducted trade with THESE Indian settlements.
The Colombian Government suddenly sent q rev
enue cutter 10 the coast and seized one or two
of these vessels. In justification OF this act II
eta viii enforced q
long period by which foreign vessels were required
10 pay duty on merchandise at Colombian port
before disposing of il among the Indian settle
ments. The right of the Government 10 enforce
custSns regulations could not be cortroverted,
but Il was manfestY unjust 10 make the seizures
without formally giving notice that statutes which
had been inoperative for many years were 10 he
carried into execution. Tie controversy has Vir-
tually been settled by the release of the vessels
and the regulation of what has been an Illicit
traffic by the customs authorizes.
NJ Adamson referred TO the san Bias question
in conversation with me as an illustration OF the
ignorance prevailing In The North respecting the
internal and physical conditions of South America
lie said that there WIS current idea that roli,
America and the Isthmus 10 Pogota. Those who
advocated such scheme knew nothing about the
countries in question. On each Size OF the ran
anna Railway there were mountainous districts
inhabited mainly by wild Indians, whom the
Colombian authorities made no serious effort TO
restrain and govern. II was through such law
Ing out their maps the Three Americas line. ANY
one who bad any real Jsnowled,e Of the physical
conditions of Central America and Colombia and
also Of the character Of the population along the
proposed routes must condemn these schemes as
chincrcal. He did not believe that the Three
Americas railway was either pracncable or nee
rssary Indeed, he frankly confessed mat ne
| lacked the patience required for discussing the
question. l., Gut, .r,oric, arc in
| accord with Mr.. Adamson's conclusions. In Mon
| tevideo and Bucnos Ayres was told by enthusl-
| asts on this question that the greater part Of
ao ITy ssS'sS a %es apeqaH Would
have only 800 miles Of road 20 construct. But
I have failed TO find any link in ms grand
| continental system. There are many railways In
| operation and under construction. but with few
| exceptions these are east and west lines mat
is to say, they are lateral feeders for north;
and south line, but not links In the continental
| system In Central America there are railways
| from the coast inland. some Of which VII
| undoubtedly he extended from Sea 70 sea; puI
the proposed trunk line Will have 70 be bult an
| The way from Mevlco to the Colombian Andes
| AT Antigua Thence it VI III have 10 he extended
to the Argentine. w Colombia there are very
| few RAILWAYS not one Of which can be utilized
| for trunk system. In Ecuador there may be IN
| time a railway between Guaya1ul ana Qnlt3,
but IL will be among the mountains hundreds
| route In Peru there Is series Of lateral rall-
WAYS, two Of which cross the Cordilleras, bnt
| there Is no line which would he link IN me
| north-and-south chain. The Chians have carried
| n railway from Antofagasta over the Andes into
| Bolivia but that would be only n lateral feeder
| a
| and VALPARAISO will be brought into railway com
| mnnication within three years by the completion
Of the line through the tsnaIlata, but that sys-
1 tenn too follows the parallels rather than the
| meridians There is a railway which has been
carf1rc, north from Cordova 10 the BOLIVIAN from
tier but il is % n narrow gauge. and moreover,
| cannot naturally be connected with the proposed
| line AS for the coffee railways Of Brazil, these
lie along the coast. ard arc outside the range OF
the continental scheme.
Not only are the links ell missing. but the sec
| tions through which the railway projectors carry
their line are either Inhabited by Indians or arc
| forest and Wilderness without population. The
necessity of avoiding the COrdilleras on one side
| and on the other rivers which cannot be brldced
diverts the proposed line from the centres Of popn
lation and industry TO uncXpored ana nnlnhabltci
regions like the Gran Chaco and tho Montana Of
| the hea0Mafcrs Of the Amazon. Such Hallway