The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-27
LATIN AMERICA.
Object Lesson for Our Merchants
AT the Worlds Fair.
Unique and Valuable Exhibits win B,
Made Next Year z.
ny the Iius4au 81 Aasericaw Republics
Peculiar Demands % Trade with These
countries Dur Proportion Of Trade
With konth America small

With konth Amcrica small.
CINCINNATI. Dec. %. One OF the most
unique and valuable commercial OK
hibits which viii be madcnt the Worlds
fair next ycnr. says the Washington
correspondent Of the Times-Star, il
being prepared for exhibition at the
bureau OF American republics here,
under the direction OF w. r. Tisdel,
the special. commissioner of the Worlds
fair 70 the South American republics
This exhibit, which Will he q
special feature of tho South
American display. consists almost
entirely OF goods manufactured In
England, France, Germany and other
foreign countries II seems at first a
rather curiou notion. but Its value Il
easily understood when Its full mean
ing Is known. Mr.. risdei proposes TO
give the merchants and manufacturers
OF the United States an object lesson In
manufacturing md shipping goods for
the South American trade. The pro-
portion II thnt trade which the United
states controls il disgracefuliy small
when the proximity Of the South Amer
lean countries and the simplicity of
their wants Is considered. And the
smallness Of this proportion, as Mr..
Tisdcl will show, Is due more To tho OBJ
tuscness Of the American manufacturer
than to any desire of the south Amer
lean to trade in Europe or to tho fact
that the banking OF South American
countries l. done in England.
Mr. Tisdel outlined his plan TO the
bureau of American republics ii Sep.
tem'a1f of 80 rndr A.
ifl6ent 81 special representative
to travel through South Americas and
carry It out. The plan was adopted and
MIR. Tisdel was made the special agent
He returned recently from the last Of
his journeys, having visited every one
OF the south American countries, and
obtained from each material for the dis
play at Chicago had q long CONVERSE
ton with Mr.. Tislel on the subject ofthe
South American trade few days ago,
and he epitomizcd for me the disadvan-
tages. often self-imposed, under which
American manufacturers labor In the
markets of South America. The con-
suls Of the United States have touched
on the subject recently in their letters
to The state department published in
the monthly consular reports Each Of
them treats OF only one branch Of the
subject. however Mr.. Tisdei Is COM
petcnt to discuss the whole of It from
personal observation extending over
many years
"What we have obtained for the fair, !"
he said, lis specimen pieces and pack
ages Of articles just as they arrive from
abroad in the markets of South Amer
lea and afterward as they are prepared
for sale and apportionment We have
also samples Of merchandise known
as trade goods for barter on the
great rivers and in the interior Of each
country together with specimens Of
| tho 9native commodities which they
win purchase. For the first time in
the history Of the country merchants
and manufacturers will have an OPP
portunity to see before them and per-
sonally examine the kind Of goods. the
make and finish, the package and man.
ner Of packing and the size and weight
of package suitable for inland wagon
and mule carriage. In this manner
only can they know the wants Of the
special country to be supplied. This
exhibition should increase our trade
with these countries a hundred
fold. Our people have stood In their
own light for a long time. They
must learn now that II they want the
trade. Of South America they must
cater to 1t Such little things deter
mine the drift Of business with the
people Of the Latin Americas. Here Is
an example: II you want 70 sell thread
| in South America you must have It
wound Oh spools Of yellow or black.
An Indian or native interior woman
can not be induced to buy thread wound
ON white spool The spools, too, must
be lighter than those which are used
for the trade Of the United States,
| for weight and bulk count for q
great deal where goods must be carried
far inland by the primitive mode Of
Transportation which alone Is known to
most Of these southern people. The
American spool weighs twice as much
as much as the European spool. The
American makes mistake In the way
he puts mp his packages for shipment.
Everything imported pays duty by
weight in South American custom
houses. When the merchant or manu-
facturcr Of the United States, therefore,
packs his goods las he usually doesl in
heavy boxes filed with great spikes,
the receiver OF, the merchandise must
pay duty on this dead weight, which Is
sometimes as great as the weight Of the
goods imported
Many Of the goods which, are import
ed into South America we do not make,
but we can easily make most Of them.
Many OF them we do make. But the
manufacturer Of the United States usu-
ally thinks more Of getting rid Of the
surplus stock Of some article than Of
pleasing his southern customers. When
the south American importer calls on
A.m for samples he more than likely