The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-08
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TROUBLE.

The Treasury Bureau of Statistics in
Washington has just given out an inter-
esting statement in connection with our
trade with the countries lying south of
the United States 1t appears from this
that 10 Mexico the United States sup
plies ~ per cent. of the total imports for
consumption: to the Central American
states Be- per cent: to Columbia 80 per
cent. TO Venezuela 81 per cent; TO the
West Indies 20 per cent; to British
Guiana % per cent; to Dutch Guiana %
per cent. and to French Guiana per
cent.
OF the total imports Of all South Ameri-
ca. s. per cent. is taken by the countries
bordering upon the two oceans, and but
12 per cent by those bordering upon the
Carihbean Brazil imported in 1897 goods
TO the value Of over Sloj ,OO0,OoO. Of which
the United States supplied about Y per
cent: Uruguay and Paraguay S22 0oO,o0O,
OF which our share was less than per
cent. and Argentina. s95.OO0.000. OF which
less than per cent was from the United
States. a tour Of the Pacific coast shows
importations into Chile OF $4,000 GOO.
Peru. Ss.5o0O00: Bolivia, sll6o0OOO, and
Ecuador 100000. the production from
the United States averaging about 10 per
cent Thus the northern coast of South
America. fronting on the Caribbean sea.
imports goods to the value of $360o0ooO,
of which we supply an avearge Of 25 per
ha
Atlantic. SOD 10000. and the Pacific
coast. 81 100000. Of which our proportion
is In each case about ~ per cent.
II further appears that while our ex-
ports to Mexico have grown rapidly since
the opening Of railway connection and
nave experienced moderate develop
ment in the case OF the countries Dor
dering on the Caribbean Sea, the total
sales 10 the countries south Of us have
not grown with the rapidly which have
characterized those to the world at large.
As far back as 1868 our sales to those
countries were 20 per cent. Of our total
exports. while i'm 1878 and 1855 they were
about 10 per cent, and in 1898 only per
cent Of the whole
Tnere is some encouragement in these
figures, but they show that we are not
by any means living mp TO our opportuni-
ties in this direction The manufacturers
of the United States are now able to
compete. and are competing. in the
markets Of the world. and IL has been
demonstrated that We can make and sell
better goods at a lower price than any
other nation on earth Goods of Amorl-
can manufacture are sent 20 the Euro
pean countries and ro-shipped, under a
different name, from those countries to
tho people Of South America. This state
of things is anomalous and should not
exist for long. We need. first of all, to
be- more liberal towards the South Amcri-
can countries I'm opening our markets
To- their products. and We need I'm the
next place "A better carrying trade and
better banking facilities fin the Southern
Republics.
'rhcre is no sufficient reason why VIC
should not capture the lions share of
the South American trade. There is no
difficulty in the matter of manufacture.
We can make the goods and can beat
every European competitor. all things else
being equal in the South American ter
ritory. Give us an open market and the
facilities for doing business and the rest
IS easy.