Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-17

from its consuls, and there is none which
issues it so frequently as does the United
States. The Consular Daily, containing rer
ports on an infinite variety of subjects. 10
unique among the official publications of
the world. 1t was established at the su9-
gestion of f. G. Emory by the State De.
partment in 1893 in order to give the bust-
ness public up-to-date information from
all parts of the world. When the Departs
ment of Commerce and Labor was estabs
lished the publication was transferred to
It, but the reports are still obtained
through the State Department, acting in
cooperation with the new department. Be-
sides these daily reports the consuls furnish
others upon special classes of SUBJECTS.
They furnish Information upon inquiry for
individual firms and endeavor in every
way within the bounds of official propriety,
to facilitate the sale of American goods In
their respective districts"
Foreigners generally concede that
American consuls are much more eff.
fclent as business agents than their own.
In fact, some of the European consular
services. which certain theorists of this
country have held up for models,
are frequently criticised at home because
they fail to furnish the timely practical
information given from day to day by the
consuls of the United States.
The reports of our consuls," continued
Secretary Loomis. have become noted
for their practical character. They are
not Essays, but notes, jotted down by this
or that consular reporter, because he
manufacturer, or merchant, or perhaps
our engineers. miners, factory operatives,
bankers, school teachers, and others. Thii
department seeks to encourage and de-
velop this faculty in its consuls, and tho
result has been an increasing apprecia.
ton by the public of the value of the
consular service Our consuls are also
doing great good as advertisers of our
products, and their industry in picking
up new ideas for the benefit of the busiI
ness people at home is a constant source
OF surprise among foreigners and soma.
times of irritation on the part of such
manufacturers abroad who have secrets
which they wish to hide from possible
rivals in the United States.
suggestions to Exporters and Manu-
facturers.
Il would say. however" continued the
assistant secretary Of state. that there 10
a well-defined limit to all official agenctea
In the promotion of trade, and that what.
ever of failure is charged upon our CON.
sular service in pushing the sale of Amer.
lean goods is mainly due to a mistaken
idea OF Its capacities The consul can
polnt out the way, can suggest. and often
personally assist the efforts of business
enterprise, but he cannot supuiy its nIacn
Ihere must be active, intelligent work on
the part OF the exporter in connection
WINE Wit tne manufacturer If we would have q
heaith1ui and permanent foreign trade In
any part of the world
AS 1t Is now, no such effort is general
among our business men, and the most ~
tnem are not sufficiently interested in FOR.
elgn trade to master the conditions Of ifs
success They have large home market
ana they find 1t pays them to devote the
puik or their efforts to IL, giving only incl.
dental attention to the foreign demand a.
a convenient outlet now and then for their
surplus stock. The result is that our COM
sular reports are full of complaints ana
advice about the ineffciency of the Ameri.
can exporters and manufacturers They
Will not make special sorts of goods fo1
the foreign markets; they are charged with
careless packing, with unwillinsness "a
conform with foreign trade usages and
with sending out statesmen who do not un.
derstand the languages and customs of thu
countries they are to work. We have 4
few notable instances of American estab.
dshments which apply the same energy.
care and Intelligence to their foreign trade
as to their business at home and these
companies are. as a rule. phenomenally
successful. They show what we can do
abroad when We bring our best efforts to
the study and pushing of our trade | be.
l1eve that in time our people will awaken
to the great value of the foreign marketG
and that We will then have still mor3
enormous part in them"
FRANK G. CARPENTER.