The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-14
COMMERCE. WITH SOUTH
ArlERICAN COUNTRIES.
Reasons Why the United States Does
Not Enjoy a Larger Share of Ii.
Interesting Figures.

In her chief articles ot expnrt--coffeo ana
ruhber-while from Argentina and Chile
our purchases of wool and hides are also
heaVyi and for the tropical products OF
other countries OF South America
spices, fruits, dyewoods. cabinet woods.
textiles and chemicals--the United States
ohers a constant and rapidly increasing
market.
From tho countries OF South America
the United states In 1901 purchased goods
Naiued az SllO329,6 COZ, while her sales 10
them IN that year were but Sf4 TO SSs. lees
than one-half OF her purchases from
them.
~ study of the map OF the world seems
'o oHer partial explanation OF the ano-
malous conditions with reference To the
trade or all the countries lying south OF
the easternmost point Of South America.
Inc commerce Of the world reaching Rra-
I'll tsouth OF the Amazon), Uruguay Par
aguay, and Argentina. on the Atlantic
coast; and Chile, Peru. Ecuador. and the
interior state of Bolivia, on the west
must reach them by water. and their
sales 10 other parts of the world also go
by water IL will be seen that the mar
kets OF Europe are practically as near to
all South America fronting on the At
lantic and Pacific as are those OF the
United States
THE SHORTER DISTANCE.
An examination of the map and OF the
distances actually Travelled by the great
steamships following the usual course Of
commerce sustains this assertion. The
easternmost point OF South America ex-
tends $500 miles farther east than New
YORK, ana the sailing distance from that
point TO New York is actually less greater
than TO the cities OF southern Eu-
rope, ana but slightly less than
TO the commercial cities of England and
Germany, our greatest commercial rivals.
This fact alone places the United States
upon an equal footing with Europe in the
matter or distance; but I'm view OF the
iact that nearly all OF the steamship lines
entering South American ports are con-
trolled by European capital and European
interests. IL is not surprising that a largo
snare OF the commerce u these
countries should be diverted tn
Europe. Naturally considerable
share of the exports go direct 10 Europe.
and TO that extent IL would be quite
reasonable TO expect that their purchases
would be from that part of the world
The fact that exports from the United
states To Europe greatly exceed her inn
ports from Europe makes IL practicable
for the vessels which bring the rubber.
coffee, hides, and wool of South America
To the United States to readily load at
our ports with grain or provisions for Eli-
rope, and there load again with goods for
the South American markets, thus maxi
ing the tour of the triangle OF which the
line from New York TO Liverpool forms
the base, and the ports of Brazil and
Argentina the apex.
THAT this should occur under ordinary
conditions would not he surprising and
that IL should occur with lines Of steam-
ships controlled almost exclusively I'm the
interests OF European capital and Euro
pean trade Is to be expected. Added TO
this is the lack OF banking and business
facilities for direct intercommunication
with the United States, neglect of Ameri-
can merchants to closely study the trade
methods and requirements OF the coun-
tries i'm question, the absence OF direct So
licitation OF trade In the language OF the
country where business is sought all OF
which are valuable aids in increasing the
commercial relationship and especially In
increasing our sales TO the countries I'm
question"