New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06


from being stale l have talked with many OF
them, and have heard frequent expressions "a
inclination and disgust over the lhacu"n any
apathy Of Congress and the Government one ol
tie most enterprsing American firms conducting
business in the Plate countries ana en- lne WcsV
cOas, is that Of Stevens, COrwln ~ 20, VI ~ "
iorH -Four years ago tnls mouse uG' uoVn
introduction of various lines Oi American inHnu
features in Uruguay, the Argentine Itepuphc,
Chilli Peru and Ecuador. Great opslacl's "T!e
encountered at the outset, ana u was ol'lS ~
reason of infeXiblc purpose ana perseverance,
that Success was finally cOnQuered Inc MN ho"
handles the goods OF hity-seNcn American manu-
facturins houses, and has built up a traue Oh
nearly 81 900 900 a year The gOOdS solu are
nor sionles but manufactured articles, including
hardware agricultural implements, machinery,
glassware oils, cotton duck, ana many o'her
lines The house has branches at Bncn ANrcs,
Nonteyideo Valparaiso Lima and GuaXaquiL
where samples of the goods manufactured ia lhe
United States are displayed Extensive i0urh'NS
in the interior of the Argentine kepuplc ana
the west coast countries have been made. ana
The business Of the house has been enlarged by
what would be described in the States as per-
sstcnt drumming.
Mr.. stevens. whom have met at the English
Climb cave me an interesting account oi DIS
laborious struggle in obtaining ioothoiI l"r
American goods in these countries Merchants
who were at first suspicious of ms wares ana
Indifferent to opcning connections with the New
York market are now regular customers WhUSc
orders are steadily increasing. In hardware ne
found il difficult 10 compete Win HcTh'l ~
French Goods which were lOw-priccd and IN
fcrior but Enoish goods he could match IA
qualities and prices. The only ADVANTAGE "Ilcn
English manufacturers had over AMER ans ~.
nearly all the lines of which he carried samples
Law in cheaper frciehts. American shipments 10
Montevdco Buenos Ayrcs have 10 ne n'.u '' ~
way of Europe, unless SAILING NesS'i h'i,p''i'
10 be leaving port when orders are receive, E
Nearly all Mr.. Stevenss goods come throuIn
Bremen and have TO cross the ATTAINING tNi'c.
The frcights are higher than those on Iuic, Cum.
goods and much more time Is required loi "''''5
orders. - r hue;
What would he the effect upon Your Dust
moss asked If q direct American line were
established Letwecn New-lorh ana 'he i'''i
Plate ," ,r,ld toll
1T would he doubled in year. II c"ulu %I .
nv customers that the orders woniH go up ~
direct mail and the goods he nrouShl GU. "N '.,
first steamer. ! would be able 10 sell TWO Gusts
whore | now sell one. SIN or seven nloh'iis any
now required 10 bring goods from the nv,
States by sailing vessel to this market WIZ
merchants can get what they wan rom Eu'oiN .',
norris in ten or twelve weeks. ne est"oiiSi'l.''',
of direct mail and transportation conimuhi'a 'O''
with New-Nork would remove the cIliel OF 'o
to the development Of American 'raue' mars
no hesitation in saying that my Own Justin ID
would he doubled in twelve months.
Mr. Stevens has made nearly an ms sa'' .. "l
four months time from the Shipment 81 thc Eoo''o
but has ordered them via Bremen ana paid hl-n'r
freirhts The German and French merchants CIV =
long credits. but il is hardly a safe method oil
conducting business in Spansh-Aneilcah count =
Tho rrrVailing credit system docs NOT stai' III
tLe Va of The development of American TRACE
;no , TTes " conn,res The one insurmouniabic
obstacle is the lack of transportation iacihlie':
. Orders are sent out 10y European steamers ana
the goods come in the same way Wllh i'' "'
fTcights than those on German, french or EhHl'S"
manufactures. . .,
William d Evans. who came 70 MonteVdco
from America in 1917. and las been s.ngnallN
successful in business is Outspokcn IN ms nc
nunciation Of tie incredible iollN oi Americans
in abandoning this part OF ths Worid u" iDi'lE"
commerce WHY can remember. he told me.
"Whcn a large share Of the commerce" OF l"'-'
countries was under our flag. There were resular
lines of sailing packets and clipper shps between
MnnteVideo and various ports OF the nltcd states:
These vessels went TO Baltimore. Boston ana
Portland and carried on larger trade than thcrc
is to-day under the American ndg Iucic WIS
more American commerce with the Ilaie netW''l
1850 and $50 than there is to-day. uOtwithstand-
ing the wonderful progress Of these countries.
For a long time European steamers would ho' 20
beyond Rio, bat the Royal Mail. aided by mali
subsidy. finally sent n steamer T. MonlrNidco ana
Bupnos AvrcS Iampcrt n Holt. the facihc. ava
other English lines followed. and now there are
steamships carrying every nag except Ire
American | cannot understand what motive Tie
American Government can have in discourieln-
the establishment Of steamship coulmunicai ipAs
with these ports. Every little European maritime
State has its steamers competing for the trade Of
these count ies Americans do nothing. They
seem 10 care nothing about improving their COM
nercial relations with the most prosir Gus ma
tons in South America For thirty years
| have been hearing Idle reports about the csab-
lishment Of an American line. but ! have seen
nothing done When ! 500 the steamers coming
into the haibOr / Will believe n. but not until
then can | put any faith IN the revival Of Amer
lean energy. Americans in the whole matter
have been incredibly stupid
Mr.. Evans for many years shpcAandlcr
hut is now coal merchant lie gave me de
tailed information respecting the importation Of
coal for use by tn numerous lines OF steamships
as well ~ for manufacturing establishments here.
All contracts call for IarGil coal IL is the only
fuel used. II is sold here for Sli ton the
occ7n freight bcing g. 20. with :. 30 for
liehtcrasc and delivery. and tarin OF sixty cclts
ADDED. Steamships can avail thems Ives oil the
pac privilege of havi ng coal deli cred on board
without a ira SER Oh land. aad thereby con- csc j.,
tie duty OF sixty cents. The OCEAN lrci-ilfs and
Ighfcrage bring up the cost OF coal to ~ll 10
NOlteyidcO AID ST. at Rio There are DO coat
mine. on the east coast of South America. aul fuel
for ID" STEAMSHIP is has 10 be imported in enormous
quantities. The hieh cost Of coal viii be- one Of
the obstacles - TN success Of any American line
OF St amcrs. and IS one of the strongest reasons
for Government aid H. the form OF mail subsidy.
The United sites and Brazil Mail Line Goals nclt-
ily at Newport News and 81. Thomas. rs -
avoid far as possible thc hlgh rates charged at
Rio. Coal here cDS'S ~ more than ~ does nj
Rio, and strike in the Welsh col.'rics or rise in
ocean ircighis would send the price mp 10 - e..
With coal delivered a sailing vessel a. New
port News al Is, than s. ton. IT. would not
seem 10 be mpractIcablc 10 supply II in RIO and
NOnfeVdcO af lower rates than now asked
for Cardiff coal. Mr. Evans did not offer much
eucouras cement to this idea. apparently consider
Ing the prejudice IN favor OF English coal too
strong to ie removed by American competition.
one If the natural consequences OF the establish
n.cnt OF lire OF American steamships 10 this
port and BuenOs Ayrcs would b. attempt 10
reduce The expense of ccaling the vessels. and
this might lead to the importation of American
. coal for manufacturing purposes as well as for
steamship supplies.
Concernin. the probability "a increasing
American trade with the Plate countries by means
of direct steamship communications Mr. Evans
was most emphatic in statement and most san
guine in expectation. He remarked that he had
testified before the Central and South American
and had Tff4If al
vOcated the opening Of this market 10 American
manufactures. He had never seen any reason for
uOdi /lDg his views rs then expressed. There
was a Great market here for American wares
! Thirty years ago the shops Of MontevidcO were
| filled with Yankee notions. Now everything comes
! from Europe by the numerous lines Of steamships
! ~ There * 4, m loYp