The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-30
MONDAY, OCTOBER 80, 1899.
OUR SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.

Except at times when the countries
of South America are at war with one
another, very little is heard or known
of what is transpiring in what is to us
an almost unknown continent. The
general condition of the people and
their country, the productions Of the
soil and the commerce with the nations
of the world are literally unheard Of
Brazil is the most important of the
several countries and yet aside from
the fact that it furnishes the worlds
supply for coffee, and that it is rich in
Mines hardly anything is known of it
in this country.
Eugene Seeger, consul general, sta
toned at Rio de Janeiro, in a conmun-
ication to the department of state,
throws some light upon points in the
daily life and customs of the people
of Brazil that will be of interest to
people here. During the past year
he has made a tour of the
country. This visit was extended not
only to the coast of the south of Bra
mics of interest accessible by boat,
horseback, aer- by means of those little
springless vehicles drawn by four
horses or mules. which are so charac-
teristic of overland travelling in South
America.
In speaking of the character of Bra
I'll and the Brazilians, he says that the
inhabitants differ radically according
to the ATTITUDES in which they live and
the race mixtures of which they are a
product. Speaking of the introduction
of negroes from Africa, he thinks that
this introduction may have for the time
benefited the Portuguese pioneers, but
has certainly not added to the ethical
improvement of the Latin races strug-
Cling for existence on Brazilian soil
1t is of the commercial advantages,
however, that Consul Seeger speaks
with the most direct emphasis will
the people of the United States, who
have lately so vigorously asserted
themselves as one of the leading in
dustrial commercial powers of the
tition with the Europeans in an Ameri-
can field of such exceptional promise?'
he asks. "Of course" he adds, we
cannot send colonists; but we can send
ships with merchandise and improved
machinery: we can send capital with
engineers and electricians; we can build
railroads, bridges and factories: we
can organize new industries and i'm
prove the old ones, and we can show
an Industrious, Woodworking and sym
pathetic people how to fight the battle
of life with improved weapons"
This declaration has the true Ameri-
can ring to it and the questions Con-
sui seeger propounds ought to reach a
responsive chord right here in Worces-
ter, the industrial center Of New Eng
land Many Worcester manufacturers
are coveting the German and English
markets, but seem to neglect to take
into account that there is a new and
promising market for their goods in
the sister republics to the south Ger
man capital is largely invested there,
and within the past ten years no less
than thirty-one steamers for the South
American service have been built by
the Hamburg South American Steam
ship Company.
If we are not willing to let our leg
itimate trade with South America, and
particularly with the promising south
ern states of Brazil, go by default, we
shall have to bestir ourselves to make
up for lost time and enter into ration
al, vigorous, and systematic competi-
ton. In order to do this successfully,
it will be necessary to create a regu-
lar American steamer service between
the United States and the principal
South American ports. In these times
of increased prosperity, the attention
of business men, and especially manu-
facturers, should be directed to the
opening of new markets for the pro-
ducts Of our shops and mills
South America seems to offer Just
such market.
DDECTnENT MoYrNr