Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-17

sells a few goods and goes on. He does not
try to do 1t all. The Englishman Is pha-
osophical says this is American territory.
and recognizes the fact that the question Of
distance alone from the base OF manu1ac-
ture will eventually give the markets to me
United States. The German will admit
nothing of the sort. A large per cent of the
American goods bought are sold by English
commission houses. which fact probably
adds to the cost.
I'VE sell American makes when they are
called for" said one Of their representa-
tives. I'VE do not push them. We under
stand the trade, the long credits, and take
what your business men would call big
risks. They are not risks. more than ordi-
nary, but you do not know how to handle
the matter Of credit. We know by long ex-
perience. An American house sends man
down here with Instructions. The instruc-
lions are given by a member Of the firm
who was never in the country. They do
not meet the requirements Of the people
and sales are feAv. probably made only to a
few who pay cAgh because they have no
will never learn anything that way"
How Americans Lose Trade.
This statement was verified by local
merchant, who said: Americans won't do
business our way. We are just as set in
our business methods as they are, and SO we
don't agree. Americans will not give us
OWNS ehC iCA6Iuo, WILLIS duQ III TIE Qudh-
titles we want. They will not make them
to our order even. Our retail trade wants
goods of certain width. If we tried TO
force something different the customer
would go to merchant who had what ne
wanted. So we must keep what is wanted
and Americans cannot persuade us to take
something else. Take canned butter, for
instance. 1t sells at 60 cents per pound,
and nearly all comes from Copenhagen III
pound and half-pound cans. For a long
time all the butter we could get in America
was in three and five-pound cans. Nobody
buys 1t here for use in such large guam
titles, as the can, once opened, does not
keep well. The merchant who would keep
1t for sale in bulk would lose constantly,
for all the contents Of a can might not sell
quickly. Yet Americans sent agents here
to try to persuade us to take American but
ter In the large cans. 1t is the same way
in dress goods and other commodities"
Americans Will Not Learn.
Trade at these points is not now pushed
by any nation, but the facts are practically
the same In all South American countries.
The Americans. while gaining some, have
not established a profitable business where
the merchants Of other countries are doing
well. The whole territory is devoted 20
"luego," bye-and-bye, and 'manana," to-
morrow. They really mean by these words
maybe and never. Yet q promise definite
ly made Is kept faithfully. A knowledge Of
the customs and characteristics Of the peo-
pie is the first essential for commercial
success on the part Of the United States
Flour, feed, grain, lumber OIL and many
other articles come from the United States
An American apple Is luxury in this land
OF fruit, and 1t Is a matter of surprise to
an American to see the big announcement
of a store American apples" There is
much American fruit shipped in, and 1t is
luxury because 1t Is rare and costly.
what per cent of your stock is Ameri-
can?' a merchant was asked. about 10
per cent" was the reply. There f. about
65 per cent English. 20 per cent German
and 8 per cent French and other makes"
Smuggling From Haiti.
The smuggling from Haiti prevents accu-
rate business dealing, as the market is
secretly demoralized most Of the time.
Have you any struggled goods?" was
asked merchant 81 do not handle them,
but my competitors are using them"
Another merchant was more frank 1T
DO not ask where my goods come from, so
they suit me and 1 get them cheap. Prob
ably there are some on my shelves"
A third said: ''lnere is smuggling going On
and I must meet my competitors or go out
Of business"
Mr.. Walter A. Donaldson Of New York,
an American. at one time representing the
American company collecting the custom
house revenues for the Belgian bondholders,
made a trip to Monte Christi to discover
why the revenues were falling off at the
rate of about $4,000 per year at this port
near the Haitian frontier. Speaking of the
trip 1-he said:
The business activity Of Dajabon the
dominican town on the border, and Juana
Mandez, the town just over the Haitian
border, was In striking contrast with the
prostration at Monte Christi During my
stay the market days-Thursday, Friday
and Saturday-commenced, large numbers
of country traders, farmers and others as
sembling for the purpose of disposing of
In A,t-
ties, when leviable, and of obtaining in ex-
change supplies of articles imported
through Haitian ports at much lower rates
of duty. if. indeed, they were assessed with
duty at all, being intended for expectation
to the sister republic. These demoralizing
practices are gradually tainting commercial
circles, public officials and all classes Of
both countries. There should be a neutral
zone similar to that one constituted along
the Rio Grande between Mexico and the
United States. From Cape Haitian east
ward there are bays and lagoons with
names and nameless bays and lagoons On
erte, Estero Balza, Punta Pozo, Punta
Luna and Gayo. On the Dominican side
FL Moro, Punta Russia, Isabella, La Isla,
Blanco. Suf1et, Guzman and Mafmon. On
the Haitian side many bride paths lead
from these points to Burabo and Dajabon
On the Dominican side all roads lead to
Santiago None of these places are open
ports and are only accessible to small sail
goods to the value of 81 100 were seized as
a proof that the government was doing It's
duty. but there was some other reason for
the seizure"
Truly an interesting place is Santiago de
los Caballeros, Knightstown, Americans
would call it. the town of the knights, for
1t was named when all knights were horse
men and all horsemen knights St. James
of the Horsemen is the name of the city In
English
A Leprosy Cure.