The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-13
Taskcr Bliss Advice to American
Exporters.

To those who are interested in our for
eign trade there is food for reflection in
the official report, for the year 1902, or
TAsKER Fl. BLISS, formerly Collector of
Customs for the island Of Cuba. That
which Gen. BLISS says regarding trade
conditions in Cuba applies with equal
force to our trade with many other lands.
His suggestions are, in fact, distinctly
general rather than of special applica-
tion to the country of his experience.
Referring to an alleged Cuban prejudice
against American goods, Gen. BLISS
says:
TO other causes than prejudice we must look
for the real OF the fact that the United
States has failed 10 control the foreign trade OF
Cuba.
The frst OF these is the Indifference shown by
American manufacturers TO the essential requisites
for securing this foreign market. They manufact-
ure Immense quantities OF various articles for the
home trade. consulting in every possible way as to
material quality. style. price. &c. the tastes and
preferences Of the local consumers. And the sur
plus stock they expect 10 sell I'm Cubal where they
have consul, ed the tastes and preferences Of no one
They fail sell and they charge to local prejudice
Thus in Cuba there are consumed annually hun.
dreds OF thousands OF dollars worth OF shoes Of
style and material not made In the United States
They are not made here because the1 is no demand
for them. Yet the American shoe manufacturer
after making shoes to suit the tastes OF his clients
at home sends the surplus. TO Cuba. where they do
not suit the purchaser and becomes irrtated al the
local prejudice when he fails to sell them In COM
petition with a Spanish manufacturer who g'yes
the customer Just what he wants
To point to the fact that.this country
has quadrupled its export trade within
the last quarter of a century is to
look at a nearby boundary instead of a
distant but accessible horizon. A very
large percentage Of our export wares
and products practically sell themselves.
Wheat, corn, cattle cotton, mineral oil.
copper, iron, steel and other items make
up the major portion of our export trade.
We produce more of these articles than
we can consume, and other nations need
them. Our vast natural resources and
our facilities for domestic transportation
enable us to place high percentage OF
our export articles at ports of shipment
at prices which leave lis with little fear
of competition.
But a vast market exists in which dis
eliminating action and energetic COM
petition are the most important factors.
OF the trade which must be fought for,
the United States obtains only a small
fraction, and the above comment of Gen.
BLISS gives the key to our limited par
ticipation in it.
Assured of their superiority and their
fitness for his home trade, the American
merchant or manufacturer is 100 apt to
assume that his wares must and should
be equally suitable for all people. The
fact is distinctly otherwise. The cloth
which may be entirely suitable in width,
weight and pattern for dress for an
American farmers wife. may be. and
probably is, quite unsuitable for Malay
sarong. The shoe which suits an Ameri-
can foot is ill-adapted for the use of the
Porto Rican and others whose sole
leather for large part Of their lives is
not removable article. Furniture,
hardware, crockery, saddles or soap that
will suit one people may suit no other
people.
The key to the due extension of Ameri-
cas- foreign trade lies in the adaptation
of American manufactures to the special
requirements of the worlds various
markets. The day is rapidly approach
ing when we shall have reached the limit
of the domestic market for much of that
which we have to sell. Beyond that, there
lies the far more difficult problem Of sup
plying what the world wants to buy. In
other lands, az in our own. the buyer
wants that which suits him, which suits
his taste, his customs, his purse. The
American trader must study and cater to
the various markets If he would secure
Americas natural share of the trade of
the world.