The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-20
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 20. 1901.
TRADE WITH sou II AMERICA.

1t is remarkable fact that While
our foreign trade with Europe and Asia
has increased at a phenomenal rate, we
have done very little in the way of intro
ducing our goods into the South American
republics.
These people. who ought TO be numbered
among Our largest customers, buy most
of their supplies from European mcr-
chants and there is no doubt that many
goods which are sold to the South Amer
leans by The Europeans are manufac-
tIred in the United States, shipped to
Europe and reshipped under foreign
brand TO the South Americans. And so
indirectly we are selling more goods 70
the South -smericans than would appear
by the records. But there is no sufficient
reason why We should not do business
with them direct, nor why we should not
largely increase our trade in that direc-
ton.
y correspondent of Leslie's Weekly,
writing from Buenos Ayers on this sub
5ect, asks if our :nanufa cturers and ,r,er-
chants III The United States are all
asleep. 1T would seem so.' he replies,
for all through Central and South
america, Germany and England are
gathering the piu1ns of the commercial
orchard France is doing a very cair
amount of business. and slow old Spain
has not been blind to the opportunities
offered by the exploitation OF the Span
ish-Anaerican countries" But Americans
are doing little. lie says that While IN
Guatemala recently he found that one OF
the native sugar kings had just ordered
about 100000 worth of sugar-Inill ma
chinery from a German manufacturer.
and as we make as good sugar-rlils ma
chinery in the United States as can be
70, nd in the world at lower prices and
with the advantage Of transportation in
or favor, he pertinently enquiries why
this order was not placed in the United
States. lie says that tie trouble with
the American manufacturers is that
while they often seek trade down there
they do not take the trouble to cater to
1t. He tells an interesting story of how
he CHANGED to meet an American drum
mer ana a German drummer in one Of
the NicaraEuan ports, and how the Ger
man drummer sold large. bills of cotton
goods, while the American drummer got
nothing but polite promises Tie fault,
he adds, was with the manufacturer.
american manufacturers ne explains,
prefer to put UP cotton-print goods
with pieces all OF a given pattern in the
sam
English firms will take the trouble to
SEND Well assorted case lots. In the
case OF a small dealer in the interior OF
Nicaragua. Guatemala er Bolivar, he
can sell but case or Two of these goods
an year. in that case or Two he must
have wide assortment OF goods. or he
canao: sell. and therefore cannot buy
II might also he said in this connection
that in some instances these goods have
to be packed over the mountains or
mules, and in order TO handle them it is
necessary that they be put in packages
OF proper size and shape. This may seem
trifiing, bui il is these tribes which,
make success, and success is no trifie,
as has been Well stated. American man
nfac,arers should take the trouble 10
ascertain jast what the South American
trade demands and then make their
goods Tor thar trade accordingly.
Another reason pointed out by the cor
respondent is that the United States
manufacturers Will not revise their no.
lions OF credit. Thirty days seems a
long time TO wait. says he. and sixty
days is the best that our big houses VIII
do FOR that part of the world But All
thai part OF South America is dependent
on csors or the profits from herds. and
planters run through the season on credit,
paying up whe:a the years money comes
In. For that reason the store-keepers
are obliged to wait for the prosperous
season to come around. Then they col-.
lecf their credits ans pay their debts.
He says, in conclusion. that an American
: t,o,ssa ryI1icf, has the capital necessary to