The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-31
Telephone No. &C.
OUR FOREIGN TRADE.


The last batch Of consular reports sent
to the state department contains, as the
San Francisco Call shows, more than the
average number of valuable suggestions
concerning the extension of American
trade. One Of the most interesting dis
closures is made by Consul Kemmler at
Horgen, Switzerland. He says: per
sonal solicitation by members Of firms or
their authorized agents is more likely to
result in establishing permanent connec-
tions and eifecting substantial and salts
fsctory transactions than any other
method that might be employed" Cur
iously enough similar opinion comes
from many other American consuls sta
toned in various parts Of Europe. Ger
many Is ahead Of US In this respect, for
by the employment of skillful statesmen
she is crowding England in South Amer
lea, China and Japan, while America is
practically out Of the fight, making hard
ly any effort apart from the excellence
OF her products.
II seems strange that the United States
which enjoys domestic trade almost
wholly dependent upon the labors of com
mercial Travellers has never thought to
Iush these wonderfully shrewd and active
men into foreign countries. In every
thing else American manufacturers dis.
pay commendablo understanding of the
factors which contribute to the success
OF foreign trade. They are particularly
apt in adapting their wares to the needs
and tastes of the various foreign coun-
tries which they supply, and they have
developed the salesman into an instru-
mentality of indispensable usefulness.
Why not send him abroad?
Chicago has demonstrated the superior
ity OF It's commercial sense over that OF
New York by capturing the trade OF
Mexico, which California should have Sc
cured, and California has demonstrated
the wisdom of pushing out a market in
the great success which has rewarded its
efforts in the Eastern States. For ali
practical trade purposes Chicago and New
York are foreign countries to California,
for the span OF the continent is more
formidable barrier between California and
the East than Is the Atlantic ocean be-
tween New York and Europe. California
is the peculiar center of world of It's
own. 1t is accessible by regular lines OF
transportation to nearly every country
in the world, and is far distant from
all Of them, including the one Of which
1t is al part. Its products. however, are
aus peculiar as its geographical position,
and the competition which 1t would en-
counter In a struggle for an extension
OF its consuming area Is exceedingly
small In comparison with that which
must exist between the Eastern States
and Europe. The rewards of efforts to
secure such extension would be corre-
spondingly great.
There appears to he no better opening
for sharp shrewd and energetic Ameri-
can salesmen that is afforded by the
opportunity of building Up a foreign de-
mand for such Oregon products as
win bear long periods of time consumed
In transportation. 1t would be difficult
to imagine these indefatlgapIe and cour-
ageous gentleman dlsmayed by any Of
the difficulties which the encounterlng
OF strange conditions might create
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