Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-14
HOW KANSAS CITY CAN GET TRADE
IN MEXICO.
KEEP BUSINESS AGENT THERE
VALUABLE POINTERS BY {. b. CLEVE.
LAND, OF CITY OF MEXICO.
He Has Been in Mexico for Twelve
Years and Knows What He Is
Talking AbOut-WOuId Will
inEly Assist BUSH
ness Men.

"lf one Kansas City firm can build up
a big business In Mexico, there are dozens
on dozens of others here that can do the
same thing" said c. L. Cleveland, of the
CITY CT Mexico. TO i reporter for The Jour-
nal yesterday. Il know several manufac-
turers here who have gone about 1t right
and are successfully competing with the
old firms of st. Louis. Cincinnati and
other cities which nave had everything
their own way with Mexican trade for
years. There is no secret or mystic pro-
cess about it, and it does not require u
heavy investment, as many presume. 1
will tell YOU how it can be done"
Mr.. Cleveland. who is stopping at the
Midland. has been in Mexico for twelve
years, as. agent for various steamship
lines. A native of st. Louis. and connected
with a Mobile line during the years in
which st. Louis and Cincinnati We're
building up the Mexican trade which they
have almost monopoliZed. he is able to
give Kansas City merchants advice.
"A firm with any product that has a
general consumption in this country which
is not made better or more cheaply in Mex
leo can hardly fail to establish a good
business in that country if it starts in
right. To be more definite. there is no
field like Mexico for manufacturers of ag-
ricultural implements, machinery of al
most every description. for packing boxes,
for clay and stucco products, for prepared
food products, for bottles and other glass
products. TIL variety is almost without
limit. L hear inquiries and know of oppor-
tunitieS to place manufactured goods every
week which might as well come from Kan
sas City as not. The only reason they
don't is that travelling men and commits
sion agents are not on the sround TO get
the business.
Get n Representative.
1.-The first thing is to get a representative,
with ar office in Mexico city, who can
cover the large cities regularly and syste-
matically. One Kansas City man who has
built up a big business in an incredibly
short time is H. G. Dickey, of the Dickey
Clay Company. He makes regular trips Of
several months duration. and has become
acquainted. Business can only be secured
on an established acquaintance. The Hex
lean people will not buy on bids or rush
solicitation. They must be acquainted with
the representative in Il personal way and
feel at home with him. They are not hard
to get on good terms with. but their tenn
permanent prevents them from making con-
tracts in a hurry. The firm that has the
confidence of a Mexican and secures the
order is not the one that gets around once
while the deal Is being considered. no mat
ter how good d showing is made. A big
deal is usually on foot for months and 1t
is useless for anyone, even a representa-
tive who has done business with the same
people for years, to try to rush it through.
II know one agent for several of the
largest concerns in this country who has
on hand a hundred deals in all parts of
Mexico. many of which will not be closed
for u year or perhaps two years. Yet he
does a business that nets him IL princely
income. because he is on hand all the time
and knows when they are maturing.
English spoken Everywhere.
at is not necessary to have an agent
who speaks Spanish, as is generally believ-
ed in this country. All the large Mexican
firms have English correspondents to-day
| idly among the better classes. 1t is being
| taught their children and instead of Il pref
udice against it they are anxious to learn
our language. There Is no trouble. how
ever. to get good representatives iii Mexico
who speak Spanish. American business
men have been swindled so often by Amer
lean agents who are residents of Mexico
that the opinion is prevalent among many
in this country that responsible represen-
tatives cannot be found there. 1t is their
own fault If they are taken in by any Of a
numerous class of professional SwindlerS
who nave infested that country. Another
mistake often MADE is to place business in
the hands of certain old commission houses.
| which turn trade that legitimately belongs
to the United States to European firms
from which they have imported for years.
Il can show any business man of Kan
sas City how to start and start right: I
would take pleasure in doing so. 1t is in
| line with my business as shipping agent
for a line with direct connection with this
city. My interests are now with the people
of Kansas City. While with the Mobile
line of steamers 7 started Cincinnati and
which are now among the most prosperous
| in that cOuUtry.'