Evening star., 1901-12-21
Europeans Getting the Cream of South
American Trade.
Find OUT WHAT TEE PEOPLE WANT
And Give It to Them in a Way
They Like.
GERM ANS AS traders S
copyrIght. 1901. by William p Wilson,

Copyright, 1901, by William P. Wilson.)
Written for The Evening Star BY DR.. William p.
Wilson, Director Phiiadelphia Commercial Mu,
seums and Commercial Delegate Of the United
States to the Pan-Ameriean Congress In Mexico.
The average American who has pictured
the United States in control of the world 8
commerce and waiting only for inteplanet
communication in order to monopolize the
exports to Mars, will probably suffer
shock when brought face to face with the
fact that in our own continent the coun-
tries from over the seas are surpassing us
in trade relations. North American enter
prise fails In South American countries,
and, though We have hedged that hemis-
phere around with political barriers which
no foreign country has dared to assail.
there Is scarcely European power of i'm
portance which has not established closer
commercial affinity with the South Ameri-
can republics than has the United States.
The UEited States lacks in commerce
with South America what European coun-
tries lack in politics. The link between
South American trade and the industries OF
the world Is to be found in direct banking
facilities. If a German manufacturer sells
a purchaser in Buenos Ayres bill Of
goods. he does not extend credit for the
bill. and yet the purchaser secures the
credit. The German manufacturer In Ber-
lin merely takes his invoice across the
street to any one of half a dozen South
American banks. guarantees the transac-
ton and receives his cash. The banks
finance the operation at either end, ana
earn legitimate profit. Throughout the
entire continent Of South America thare are
to be found English, German, French, Ital-
ian, Spanish and Portuguese banks-and
not one American concern.
Big Handicap.
Our manufacturers are, therefore, handi-
capped from the start. They must either
break their rule Of receiving cash before
the goods leave this country or compel the
purchaser in South America to break his
rule of having his goods in hand before he
makes payment. The chances of errors
are too great on either side, and the result
is no business at all. Whatever trade does
exist has been built up by those few firms
that were in position to finance their own
operations, and the results are shown in the
figures which have been gone over so fire.
quentlv in connection with the Pan-Amer-
lean congress at Mexico. Last year the
United States made purchases from South
America amounting to $102, ,I06 633OO; 1t
sold only $41 247 $4,000 There are no in
dependent lines of steamers plying regular
ly between the ports of the republics Of the
two continents and we must await the con-
struction of the canaf-Ncaraguan or 18TH
mian-to make the favorable change. az.
The American, hampered by the lack or
banks, by the lack of knowledge of the
language, and, above all, by the lack OF
previous inquiry, jumps into Buenos Ayres
as he would into Des Moines and expects
his good luck and his good nature to carry
him through in round of joyous pleasure.
He becomes stranded. after a little while;
drifts to the consulate: receives some help,
and speeds home again with no word In
his mouth too vigorous for denunciation OF
South America, it's works and Its ways.
There was one man from Indiana who de-
cided-in Indiana-that Uruguay was suf-
fering for the lack of Coriss engines. He
showed some photographs in his pocket
and sped by rail and steamer to Monte
video. When he reached the city he
walked into the leading store and re-
marked: .-
Foolish Proposition.
Now, gentlemen. what part OF this
country needs Corliss engines?'
At the outset they were only half GER
tain that he was crazy. Before the day
was over they were sure. So, one after an
other, they took him out into the main
street and told him to go and explore Uru-
quay, and to discover that the entire coun-
try did nothing but raise cattle and rev.
olutons.
A Michigan builder of ranges and fur
naces, stirred by the impulse to capture
South American trade, sent his son to
Bahai, in Brazil, with couple Of hot air
furnaces and several huge kitchen ranges
When the young man landed, the Brazil
ians inquired solicitously into the nature
Of the dark and awful mysteries he put
ashore.
Hot air furnaces" said he.
Another Yankee lunatic,". reflected the
Brazilians. Then with gentle irony, They
are not wanted here; you had better go to
Pernambuco 1t is nearer"
The visitor did not stop to inquire what
Pernambuco was nearer to; he had the fur
naces and the ranges promptly transferred
to waiting steamer and was off for an
other voyage. The weather seemed a good
deal warmer at Pernambuco that at Bahia.
He discussed it with fresh Brazilians, while
the furnaces and ranges were being trans
ferred to a lighter.
'"They told me-" he remarked, "up in
Bahia that Pernambuco was nearer to
something or other. Say, what is it nearer
top
THE equator was the reply.
That young man is home in Michigan.
The furnaces and ranges are among the
PernambucO reefs.
The German1 Method.
The German salesman. within day after
he embarks on the steamer at Panama
knows every passenger on board. and has
not missed glass of beer with one Of them
Within two weeks after he has landed in
any South American country he speaks the
language. There never was a German yet
who did not escape from the German Ian
not enter business house unless he makes
it a rule to invite the clerks to lunch, and
to entertain the proprietor at formal oln-
ner. While the Englishman Is at the Eng
lish Club. spending his money with the
English mddlcmen, the German is the
guest and intimate friend of the South
American merchant, who has the money to
buy the material both are trying to SELL
The German statesmen accomplish miracles
where the English succeed only in drink
ing brandy and soda.
1t has not been so long ago that a young
German named Gisbert Dauber arrived in
Caracas and began to cut a swath so wide
in the society of Venezuela that even
Crespo, who was then in office decided that
he was proper guest for official recep-
tions. Gisbert Dauber did nothing but wear
good clothes and spend very good money
He never attempted to sell anything; he
never asked any one for favor; he merely
spent his money lavishly, and was agree
able to the official society of Caracas. He
devoted himself to the ladies to whom
Crespo and the chief justice of the supreme
court were known to be especially atten-
tive.
Some years earlier it happened that
Belgian firm had sold Crespo $780, coo worth
of rifles and ammunition on a government