The Washington times., 1901-10-14

| Ing of railway communication and have
| experienced moderate development in
| the case of the countries bordering upon
the Caribbean, the total sales to the south
| of us have not grown with the rapidity
which has characterized those to the
world at large. In 1865 our sales to the
countries lying south of us were 20 per cent
of our total exports; in 1878 little less
than 20 per cent; in 1888 a fraction above
10 per cent; in 1898 but per cent, and in
1901 about per cent of our total exports.
An examination of our list of pur-
chases from Central and South America
seems to increase the anomaly presented
by their small purchases from us. OF
Brazil we are by far the largest CO.
toner in her chief articles of export
coffee and rubber-while from Argentina
and Chile our purchases of wool and
hides are also heavy; and for the trop-
fcal products of other countries of South
America-sugar. spices, fruits, dyewoods.
cabinet woods, textiles and chemicals
the United States offers a constant and
rapidly increasing market. From the coun-
tries of South America the United States
in 1901 purchased goods valued at SllO,S29,
667, while her sales to them in that year
were but S44.T0.SSS. less than one-haf
of her purchases from them.
"A study of the map of the world seems
to offer a partial explanation OF the an
omalous conditions with reference to the
trade of ali the countries lying south OF
the easternmost point of South America.
The commerce of the world reaching
Brazil tsouth of the AmaZonl, Uruguay,
L
Coast and Chile. Peru. Ecuador and the
interior State Of Bolivia on the west,
must reach them by water, and their sales
to other parts of the world also go by
water 1t will be seen that the markets
of Europe are practically as near to all
South America, fronting on the Atlantic
and Pacific, as are those of the United
States. 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
extends $500 miles farther east than New
York. and the sailing distance from that
point to New York is actually greater
than to the cities of southern Europe, and
but slightly less than to the commercial
cities of England and Germany. our great
est commercial rivals. This fact alone
places the United States upon an equal
footing with Europe in the matter of dis
tance; but in view of the fact that nearly
all of the steamship lines entering South
American ports are controlled by Eu-
ropean capital and European interests, 1t
is not SURF rising that a large share of the
commerce of those countries should be
diverted to Europe. Naturally Il consid-
cradle share of their exports so direct to
Europe. and to that extent IL would be
quite reasonable to expect that their pur
chase would be from that part of the
world
THE fact that exports from the United
States to Europe greatly exceed her i'm
ports from Europe makes it 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 Eu- |
rope. and there load again with goods for |
the South American markets. thus making |
the tour of the triangle of which the |
line from New York to Liverpool forms ]
the base. and the ports of Brazil and Ar /
gentina the apex. That this should oc
cur under ordinary conditions would not !
be surprising. and that it should occur
with lines of steamships controlled almost |
exclusively in the interests of European
capital and European trade is to be eX-
pected. Added TO this is the lack of bank
ton with the United States
neglect of American merchants to closely
study the trade methods and requirements
Of the countries in question. the absence
Of direct solicitation of trade in the Ian
guage 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 in question"