The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-08

Inc south American buyer has al
ways wanted a generous margin of
time in which tosksettle for his pur-
chases. He ua1iysSdemands eight, 10
of II months SIXTY to so days have
not suited him at all. The exporter
has been badly llampered as a result;
he has had to@buys on short credit
himself and heshass been out his money
for a long period: Necessarily, this
has limited his oper atoms.
Now, however,sthe manufacturer has
awakened to the importance of the
trade with our sister republics, and he
will pull hsthes exporter, who will be
able to enters the field against the
English and German houses, which
have always given their South Ameri-
can customers the long credit they
have come to expect.
In speaking of the trade between this
country and Venezuela, A. E. Delfno,
consul general for Venezuela, said re-
Gently: THE establishment of the
sample warehouse in Caracas-it has
been in existence not quite one year
has already given marked impetus to
the trade with the United States. The
increase for the month of November,
1898, was 40 per cent. over the corre-
spending period in 1897, and it has ne
| cessitated the putting on of two addi-
tional steamers to accommodate the
augmented traffic.
The sample warehouse was a long
| step in the right direction. 1t gives the
buyer in Venezuela an opportunity to
study goods of American make-about
everything one can think of. from arti-'
| fetal limbs to confectionery, is on eX-
hibition. The staples of the trade are
| flour, lard, coal, Oil, machinery, hard
ware, farm implements and cotton
| goods. I think coal might be profta-
bly, exported. UP to the present time
the Welsh miners have had the mar
| ket and have gotten from $11.20 to
$3.50 per ton for their product.
The Welsh coal has been preferred,
because it is put up in small bricks,
I which makes it easy to handle on the
| engines in use on our railroads.
"These engines have no tenders, but
| cary their fuel on a small platform,
| from which ordinary lump coal would
roll.
There is unquestionably an opening
| for coal from the United States. and the
same is probably true of other South
| American countries but the needs CT
the market will have to be met
Z. r. Santor, an extensive exporter
| of dry goods between this country,
Ecuador and Bolivia, said:
| The English and German houses
are in the lead, because they have
striven hardest to please.
1.-THE exporter has found it difficult
! to get the sort of goods he wanted.
ITO make them has required special
! machinery in many instances and the
manufacturer has been unwilling to go
| to the extra expense.
| Another obstacle has been the
J freight rates to points on the west
coast BY the Strait of Magellan the
rate is about SIS per ton on all mer-
| chandise, and there are no regular
lines of steamers.
'This has been a serious matter to
| the exporter for his English or Ger
man competitor can employ any one
| of four lines, and he has a rate of from
| So to SO per ton.
1.-THE trade would certainly support a
! line of steamers even at the present
| time, and with a little encouragement
| it's volume would soon be doubled
| There would be a great market for
| American shoes if the manufacturers
would take the trouble to make last
that will fit the Spanish-American foot,
which is distinctly characteristic
| E. Wulf, consul general for Bolivia,
| had this to say:
| "A firm in the United States controls
| the entire South American market Tor
edged goods, which would seem to in
dictate that the manufacturers here
might have larger share of the trade
| if they would study the situation.
|
| field if one is to compete with the Ger
| man and English exporters, who main
| tain their representatives in all the
| important centers.
| 'These agents are men who speak
| the language fluently and who possess
| that intimate knowledge of the people
which only long residence in their
| midst can give.
| Another need of the American ex-
| porter is better rates and regular lines
| of steamers The rates he is now COM
PEELED to pay are practically prohio-
| tory.
"He should also bear well in mind
| the peculiarities of the trade.
| LAS often as not goods to arrive at
| any interior point must be packed Tor
| mule transport, and the loads must be
| equal.
| Merchandise packed in variety of
! shapes and weights will very likely be
| kept waiting until each package or box
can be paired with another of similar
weight and bulk. The question of goods
arriving in the dry or rainy season
also makes a difference as to the meth
| cd of packing, and consequent ecoh-
omy in handling"
/ At the Brazilian consulate the report
err was told that since october there
has been big increase in the volume
| of business done with the Onlted
| States. As rule there are but two
| old and slow steamers a month that
touch at Rio from the United States.
while all business is transacted through
more or less expensive commission
men.
The lack of an international banking
system is also a great drawback. At
| present no bank in the United. States
has an agency in South America. All
the banking business is done with Eng
| lish money and through London houses.
| While it can scarcely be said that these
| English concerns discriminate in favor
| of their own countrymen, still it is GER
tain that if an American bank had its
| agests in the South American capitals
| it would greatly facilitate commercial
| intercourse between the two contln-
ents. At the Uruguayan consulate the
| information was received that the year
| inst passed had witnessed the largest
| i1,,r,tart a TOY, Of apricultllral imnlemeIltS