The sun., 1901-10-14
A COMMERCE CONGRESS-
Interesting Features Relative to Com
ing Conference In Mexico.
THE EXTENT OF OUR TRADE.
fhe Treasury Bureau Has Compiled
Some Striking Statistics Showing
Condition of Pan-American
Trnfiic-A Timely Topic.

Washington. Oct. 13.-The recent de-
parture from Washington of the spe-
cial train carrying the United States
and numerous other delegates to the
approaching pan-American conference
to be held at the City of Mexico lends
especial interest to some figures on the
commerce of the United States with
the territory of the south which the
treasury bureau of statistics has com
piled for the convenience of the United
States men bers of that congress. The
Importance of development of our COM
merce in this particular direction is
pointed out " this publication, 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,' says the opening
page of this discussion, 'has long been
IN object of solicitude to her states
men, economists and business men.
With the English speaking people of
american territory lying upon the
4 north her commercial relations have
| rapidly gre wn and proved mutually
/ satisfactory With those of another
4 language o 'upying the contiguous ter
ritory at II south the growth has been
Y slower and less satisfactory and as the
distance increases the growth de-
I crpascS.
Extent of Our Trade.
4 ITO British North America the Unit
\ cd States supplies - per cent Of the to-
tai imports for consumption; to Mexico,
equally adjacent, but speaking another
language than our own, 10 per cent; o
| the Central American states. next re-
moved by distance, though readily
reached by water and now being tap
ped by railways. 81 per cent; TO Colom-
hia. a triilc farthcr removed. but equal
ly acceSsibl, by direct water communi-
cation. 33 per cent; to Venezuela, equal
Is accessible, - per cent; to the West
Indies, which lie in close proximity,
hut which have been up to the present
time controlled by commercial nations
whose policy IN many cases has been
10 retain their commerce for their own
people, 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
hut less than 6 per cent Of those Of
French Guiana.
Up TO this point the study Of the
growth of commerce between the Unit
Cd States and other American countries
il fairly satisfactory beginning with
- per cent of the import trade of Can
ada, 40 per cent of that OF Mexico and
ranging on downward along the gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean sea, fairly
satisfactory share Of tile commerce of
those countries Is enjoyed by the peo-
pie of the United States, though it will
be conceded that her people have a
right 10 expect a larger share of the
commerce of the countries lying so near
at hand, especially in view of the fact
taat our purchases from them are
atich larger than our sales To them.
SMALL south American Purchases.
".Nn examination Of our list of pur-
rhnses from Central and South Amcri-
~ seems to increase tllc anomaly pro
2ntcd by their small purchases from
rs OF i'ranil we are by far the lar
!eSt customer in her chief articles of
export coffee ANA rubber while from
SrG'ntiha and chile our purchases of
WOO! and hides arr also heavy. and for
iin tropical products Of other coun-
les Of South America sugar spices.
fruits, dNewoods, cabinet woods, tex
- w. Il ~ ...,I 81.
o4ers constant and rapidly increas-
GG market FrGG the countries Of
dHtl America the United States in
i33l purchased goods valued III $40.
.&l.G6T, while her sales to them in
,hat year were hut 81. T7O. SIS. less
tAan onc-half Of her purchases from
them.
'.I study Of the map Of the world
seems to offer a partial explanation OF
TIE existing conditions With reference
- the trade Of all the countries lying
south Of the castrlnmoSt point oi
south America. The commerce of the
world reaching Brazil (south of til,
.NmaZonl. Uruguay. Paraguay ana Ar
g4ntna. on the Atlantic coast. and
nile, Peru, Ecuador and tile interior
STATE Of Bolivia, on the west, mus
leach them hy water, and their sales tx
ether parts Of the world also 20 by wa
t"r. It will be seen that the markets
oi Europe arc practically as near to al
south America fronting on the .Ntlanti,
and Pacific as are those Of the unitpt
States"
Trying TO Reach BrIgands.