The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-22
SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE
CONDITIONS IN THESE TROPICAL
COUNTRIES misunderstood.
Various Reasons for Existing Conn
mercinI RELATIONSHIP Prejudice
Against This Country.
New York Mail and Express.


ing in the countries of Latin America will
be one of the topics discussed at the coming
congress of South American merchants and
II will bring out some rather peculiar beliefs
entertained in some quarters by business
men anxious to enter into closer CONNER
cial relations with their southern neighbors
and puzzled to know why they are unable
to obtain foothold like that held by Eng
fish, German, Dutch and French COMPETE
tors. AS already indicated by the Mail and
Express, the question of long and short
terms of credit will be one of the most inn
portant subjects that will come up for con-
sideration, as we'll as the inferior methods
of packing goods by American merchants
compared with their European rivals, but
after these are disposed of some wholesome
hints will be given on the futility of at
tempting to induce people of a tropical zone
to conform to the standard of custom in
northern latitude.
Many years of experience have taught the
German and French traders-the Germans
especially-the wisdom of catering to the
tastes and demands of these people just as
they exist without seeking to educate
them up to the ideal of the seller This is
not to be understood to mean that the in
PRODUCTION of new ideas is impossible but
that the ideas must harmonic with the So
cial, political and climatic conditions of the
country in which they are presented The
delegates will explain that IL is regarded
American idosyncrasy to go in pre-
cipitately without due investigation of the
needs of the territory where it is proposed
to sell goods. No European firm ever made
the mistake Of the Chicago promoters of
rope fire escape who sent consignment of
their life-saving devices to Venezuela,
where the most pretentious dwelling is
never more than two stories in height and
where there are no fire departments be-
cause fires are unknown. The Chicago sky
scraping standard could not be made to tit
the Venezuelan style of architecture and
the apparatus intended for a heroic purpose
found a more humble but practical use
after being cut up into halters for coffee
carrying donkeys.
BUTTER FOR VENEZUELA.
Another illustration, pointing the same
moral, is apropos: Two young men from
northern New York went to Venezuela sew
eral years ago to look about for opportuni-
ties. After a couple of weeks in Caracas
they reached the conclusion that what the
people of that city wanted was butter
good, luscious. yellow butter, such as the
young themselves had been accus-
toned to all their lives up in Clinton coun-
ty They pitied the Venezuelans who knew
only the taste of the canned fresh butter
from Copenhagen which had been in vogue
for more than u generation, and straight
way they set about laying the foundation
for what they believed to De a certain for
tune TO President Crespo, the New York.
ers, through an interpreter, explained their
ambitions, and the President excited their
gratitude by Offering them a proportion OF
the milk from his own herd of cows for
one month, in which time IL was expected
to have the enterprise well under way
Their churns came in free of duty and the
butter makers set TO work.
XpuS a
from an American standpoint. 1t was real
ly delicious butter-to an American palate
but the VeneZuelans would have none OF It,
TIC the intense establishment of the young
men the samples they sent out daily tor
week to all the best families IN the town
and the hotels were returned with the polite
explanation that the canned butter was
preferable and could not possibly be ex-
changed for the freshly churned article
which had been made after the most APP
proved New York methods. The project
was abandoned without five POUNDS having
change fixed custom was shown in the at,
tempt to establish depot where milk could
be artificially cooled before being SOLD NOT
one centavo would the people speno lhat
way. The COW must be driven from door
to door and MIXED then and there as their
fathers and grandfathers had gone 4tIoa re
so 900 inhabitants not one native Wouid puy
milk unless it was produced before MS OF
her eyes, and the milk shop closed It's
doors. -, 4r;a
on both sides of the isthmus. TO cut up
beef cattle accordingsto the manner ne hto
been taught in the United States, and to
sell as he had sold here the Iat Win lne
lean but neither the Central Aiierlcails
nor the South Americans could be per-
suaded to his way of thinking Ihey want
ed the animals dssected according 70 the
old Spanish method and all the rat re-
moved. The Yankee refused to adapt him.
self to what he considered an entrSly I'M
proper and unscientihc method anu sa he
up the business. 1t was an american VIM
wasted time and money trying TO lnirouueee
a breakfast cereal in Nicaragua ana COSTA
az in ali fropical and subtropical countries,
break their fast early in the morning with
a cup of black coffee and bit OF cheese
MUST KNOW THE MARKET.
'It is simply a question of knowing the
market" said gentleman who has trav-
eled for years as a salesman in South
America for big coffee machinery firm IN
this city, and who is deeply Interested In
the improved trade relations that ne reefs
certain will follow the congress, land as
soon as we know is as we'll as the English
and Germans we are bound to get the Dulk
of the business. AS it is, we are ahead
of the Europeans in machinery. American
stationary engines coffee hullers ana
cleaners have the preference, and in nearly
all electrical devices we are ahead, put YOU
cannot force them to adopt soIneth5ln l;t tem
off hand They still pillow the land with q, q
crooked stick in the Orlnoca Coulti y. ~
is only within the last six months that the
first steam sawmill was put IN operation
in that richly timbered territory. II Is run
together with q logging outIlt, by party
of ohio men, who have secured q GohCes-.
sion to cut and saw the nara WOODS thaI
ei .%rhe Spanish Americans do not take un7
1,;,5itr ~ tha hasty and sometimes not well
Considered attempts of Americans to estao-
fish a trade with them. Ihey prefer 10
deal with us if they can DO IL on as aoVan-
ta@eous terms as they do with European
MAJ 60 few Americans who come down 10
90 business speak Spanish. l think 1t Is
prohabie that this will be brought out dur
10 the interchange of views in the con-
gress From Mexico down through central
America and across the isthmus in all the
countries of South America comparatitteiy
little English is spoken. You near IL IN
the larger towns but in the rural dlstrlcts,
an the plantations where my business Calls
me il is all Spanish. ,.
'"The proposition to establish sample
warehouses; where American goods VIII De
admitted free of duty until sold is an eX-
cellent idea and will, / think, do much 70
increase our trade. 1t has never peen A.
tempted by any other country. NaluIdlly
there will be a great many staples dlsplayeu
that will never find market, ana tnat
will be q beneficial experience LOT lnose
who are unfamiliar with what the cllHiSttlc
and other conditions demanded. Inc SoI-
gress will do much to stralghteh our tnese
little misunderstanding ana clear Jhe WY
for what promises to be the ueFeIop pr4e..S
Of a new and profitable Held Tor American
enterprises and American products.
Debs's "AItruists."
Boston Transcript.