The Washington times., 1901-10-14
SOUTH AMERICAS TRADE.
Some Causes of the Strength of
EurOpe's Rivalry.
Why the United States mt Present
Enjoys Only IA Small Part of the
Commerce With the More Distant
Nntiuus - Statistics of Interest.


, The recent departure from Washington
of the special train carrying the United
States delegation and numerous other
delegates to the approaching Pan-Ameri-
can Conference to be held in the City of
Mexico lends especial interest to some
figures regarding the commerce of the
United States with the territory at the
south, which the Treasury Bureau of
Statistics has compiled for the convent
ence of the United States members of
that congress. The Importance of devel-
opment of our commerce in this particu-
lar direction is pointed out by this publi-
cation, which shows that our exports
have shown less growth to the countries
of Central and South America than to
any other parts of the world.
THE commerce of the United States
with the American countries lying south
of her borders the opening pages of
this discussion state, has long been an
object of solicitude to her statesmen,
economists, and business men. With the
English-speaking people of American
territory lying upon the north her COM
mercial relations have rapidly grown and
proven mutually satisfactory. With
those of another language, occupying the
contiguous territory to the south, the
growth has been slower and less salts
factory. and as the distance increases the
growth decreases. To British North
America the United States supplies 81
per cent of the total imports for con-
sumption; to Mexico. equally adjacent,
Dut speaking another language than her
own, 40 per cent; to the Central American
States. next removed by distance, though
re baH Itrvx haf
tapped by railways, So per cent; TO Co
lombia, trife farther removed, but
equally accessible by direct water COM
munication, SO per cent; to Venezuela.
equally accessible 27 per cent; to the
West Indies. which lie in close proximity,
but which have been up to the present
time controlled by commercial nations
whose policy in many cases has been to
retain their commerce for their own peo-
pie, 20 per cent; to the Guianas, also
readily reached by water. % per cent of
the imports of British Guiana II per cent
Of those of Dutch Guiana, and but less
than per cent of those of French
Guiana.
up to this point the. study of the
growth of commerce between the United
States and other American countries is
fairly satisfactory. Beginning with So per
cent of the import trade of Canada, 40 per
cent of that of Mexico, and ranging on
downward along the Gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean Sea. fairly satisfactory share
of the commerce of these countries is en-
joyed by the people of the United States;
though 1t will be conceded that our peo-
pie have a right to expect larger share |
of the commerce of the countries lying
so near at hand, especially in view of the
fact that our purchases from them are |
much larger than our sales to them |
Even this somewhat unsatisfactory con- |
dition of trade with the countries border |
ing upon the Gulf Of Mexico and the !
Caribbean Sea is, however gratifying |
" hen compared with the traffic relations |
Of the United States with the countries /
Of South America bordering upon the At
lantic and Pacific Oceans. OF the total |
imports of all South America, 81 per cent
Is taken by the countries bordering upon
the two oceans. and but 13 per cent by |
those upon the Caribbean. On the east
arn coast of South America We find Brazil
importing in 1899 goods to the value of
over S1O5 coo 00D of which the United !
States supplied about 10 per cent; Jru-
quay and Paraguay s26O00,O00, of which
lur share was less than Z per cent; and
ler cent was from the United States;
while tour of the Pacific Coast shows
IMPORTS in to Chile of SsS.0oo.O co., Peru,
$500 600. Bolivia S1lG00.O00. and Ecua-
or 7.cOo0oO. the proportion from the
Jnited States averaging about 10 per cent. s
thus the northern coast of South Amer
ca fronting on the Caribbean Sea- i'm
'orts goods to the value of $26, ,0oc. eco of
which we supply an average of 20 per
ent; the eastern coast. fronting upon the
Itlantic, S2i5,0o0.00o; and the Pacific Coast.
60. 900 600; OF which our proportion is in
ach case about 10 per cent
Nor can 1t be urged that this condi- | ,
m Is Temporary one. While exports |
I'M the United States to Mexico have
rown rapidly. especially since the open