St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-04
TALK SPANISH OR QUIT.
A Suggestion to American Com
mercial Travellers.

hCTCidl AFSatClcES.
WASHINGTON, May S.-The bureau of
the American republics furnishes the
following extract from a private letter
from an old merchant in Honduras.
which contains suggestions to exporters
in this country: There exists another
reason that could be we'll added to
those you give for the failure of the
merchants of the United States to cap
ture the Latin-American trade-that
they do not send out reliable agents
who can speak the language, and are
well acquainted with the habits. tastes
and wants of the people. English and
German houses avail themselves of the
services OF such men, and the conse-
quence is they get business. AS an
instance of this, few months since a
commercial traveller came to this CITY,
he represented several manufacturers
and shipping houses, three German and
two English. He Staid in the city two
weeks and sold $4,000 worth of goods.
He had been about twelve months Oh
his journey through Venezuela, United
States of Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicara-
qua and Honduras, and inthat time he
sold more than S1,000,0OO worth of
goods, as he proved to me by his
order books. He was going from
here to Salvador, Guatemala and
Mexico, and said he expected by
the time he reached the end OF his route
to have sold 100000 more. The great
requisites for such man are ability to
speak and write the Spanish language,
knowledge of the tastes, wants. man
nerS and customs of the people, knowl-
edge of the patterns. styles, classes and
value of the goods suited to the various
markets. These are very variable: often
III the same country a particular pattern
or class OF goods that is preferred in one
district is unstable in another: above
all, he must have thorough knowledge
of the style of packing required for
different countries, as it varies
with the facilities for transporta-
ton; and what the people have
been accustomed to; even the colors and
styles or labels ON some goods have
great influence Oh the sale. | have
never heard of an American CONNER
duras, and many that l have met in
Mexico, Central and South America
We're utterly untitled for their position
by imperfect knowledge of the language,
manners and customs of the people and
principles of business existing in these
countries and a complete ignorance of
the style of goods most Salable. | think
it would be most valuable and useful
addition to your bureau if you
could establish sample room,
or, as it might be more
properly termed, a commercial
museum of display: First, samples, pat
terms, specimens and photographs of all
manufactured articles and goods most
salable in all the different countries and
districts, with statistics of the average
amount of each imported and consumed,
the prices obtained, and the sources
from which present supplies are pro-
cured. manner of packing, and any sug-
gestions that could be offered as to the
best means of diverting to or obtaining
for the United States the trade; second.
samples, specimens. etc., of the prod
ucts of the various countries and dis
tricts. paying particular attention to
new or rare products at present little
known in the United States, prices at
place of production, facilities for ex-
porting, etc."