Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-18
THE LATIN AMERICANS
How Trade With Them Can
Be Increased.
UNITED STATES GOODS
CAN, WITH PROPER METHODS,
sUPPLANT FOREIGN ARTICLES.
What Requirements Are Needed in
Manufactures to Be Disposed
of by Drummers.
UNITED STATES GOODS

Written for The Evening Star
A final word on Latin American trade.
The study of commercial geography seems
TO have been taken up seriously. i do not
know whether the home demand is lessening
or whether the shippers and manufacturers
IN the United States have simultaneously
reached the conclusion that they want more
than IL per cent or IL Fer cent of the South
American market, which was all they had
last year. when out of $3.50 100000 imports
by the southern countries they supplied
only 1900 900. 1t is certain. though. that
II they are going after this South American
trade in earnest they will get 1t. Moreover,
It Is sure that there will be chances for a
larger number of young North Americans to
make their way in South America.
To begin with there is the matter of foot
gear The common delusion that all the
southern countries are tropical and that
everybody in the tropics goes barefoot, is
disappearing 1t is less than two years since
the boot and shoe factories of the United
States began to find that they could sell
their goods with profit from the tropics
clear south to Cape Horn. All they have
had to do has been to change their lasts so
as to fit the Spanish-American foot, which
Is narrower and smaller than the North
American understanding.
Boots and Shoes.
A Boston man came to Panama just after
the new republic was established. He
thought he would take run down there
and spend a week between steamers in
looking up the chance for a market among
his own countrymen who would go to the
isthmus. On the ship he fell In with a
merchant Of Guayaqui,, Ecuador. Before
they reached Colon the Ecuador merchant
had given him a large order. II the shoe
man followed on to Guayaquil without
doubt he took other orders. 1t happened
that this line OF samples just met the needs
Of the Ecuador market
But still the idea obtains that goods can
not be sold in the interior Of the South
American countries. The travelling man, who
was going to San Francisco for pleasure
and had taken the Panama route laughed
at me when told him he could sell leather
goods up in Bolivia. They wear sandals
mountain plateaus Is, 600 or Il, 600 feet high
1t Is true, that when the sonw comes, which
10 pretty often. the Indians take off their
iootgear and go barefoot. This Is done to
keep the leather from getting wet. Their
feet are toughened to the exposure but the
point Is that all of them do have some kind
or leather coverings for the lower extremi-
ties.
l have seen somewhere statement that
the boot and shoe factories of the United
States turn out a product Of 5000 600 900 a
year and that of this only $4,000, 600 is ex-
ported There Is no reason why the ex-
ports should not reach $50 OOO, 600 Nearly
all the governments put a high duty on
shoes, partly to protect local Industries
which are mostly of the handmade variety
and party to swell the revenues In spite
OF the duties the American shoe pushes
Itself forward In Buenos Ayres the mar
ket has grown very rapidly. The same
thing has happened in Colombia, while in
Peru the demand is growing one.
Agricultural Machinery.
In one line the United States manufac-
turer is up to date. This is in agricultural
machinery. Threshing machines, reapers
and other farm tools are big enough to ap-
peal to him and he goes after this trade
with great success. Steam plows are In
the same class. The only point In which
the maker of farm utensils is slow is In not
studying ahead so to know the future
market, which Is all the time expanding
II has grown enormously In the Argentine
Republic, and is expanding in Chill, al
though the latter Is not supposed to be
an agricultural country. The representa-
tive of German houses in Santiago told me
he was beginning to place orders for ma
chinery made in the United States, but he
had had trouble in getting the manufac-
turers to understand that Chill had fertile
valleys as well as mountain peaks and sea-
coast.
But the mass Of the people also like
1ewelry. / saw a good deal of 1t on the
indian women in northern Argentina, In
Bolivia and in Peru. The New England
manufacturers seem to have lost because
the Germans came in with the very cheap
limitations The latter put French labels
and French trademarks on these goods.
Even the Indians are finding out the i'm
position and are clamoring for a better
grade Of ornaments. A local trader up in
the mining camps told me he could sell a
better quality, but that nobody had been
along to offer him the grade which was
wanted.
North American tinekeepers have a big
ger market than is known. There would be
q fair quantity of them sold IL a little
change were made and the works were inn
proved so that a guarantee Of their keep
ing time longer than year would be fea-
Dible.
Food Products.
The preparation of food products is fairly
wen understood in the United States, yet
The effort that might be made for canned
Goods seems to be lacking. possibly because
the demand 10 a small one as COMPARED
with the profit in supplying foreign gov
ernments for army use. Nevertheless. II in
worth going after. Twice in the Ande. 7
xound the trail by means of sardine cans
Lhese sardine tins" sthe English cali
Shem. are the sure marks of ciyiliza tion
end In lonely regions almost the only ones
SSoH oNSaoioHdiy there are the small
boxes which have Enclosed potted ham and
other luxurious necessaries. The outfittjne
merchant who provided me with the where
wlthal for journey through the CordiI-
ieras told me the Chicago packers were
SLOW In one thing. He could give me
canned soups, but the tin which also holds
little alcohol. and which can be heated
by that means, was lacking In his stock He
eaIo IL was In common use In India
Ihere Is a demand in South America for
Seresi preparations, as well as for fiour II
- not however, very extensive one as
Inc held for the exploitation OF Yantee
so'iohs unquestionably is an inviting one
m south America did not know how
proao the term is until II was explained IN
me py dealer in these articles. His ex
perience showed that there is a profitable
opening. The firm, Connecticut ona
nad decided 20 establish branch i'm Rueno.
Ayres and maintain II at a loss for three
years. Then, II there was no prospect OF
3roht, IL would be given up, but II the
phance seemed reasonably encoura GIN
they would continue the experiment an
other two years. The idea of a profit the
nrst year was not entertained To the
houses surprise, the ledger showed a ball
Ance OF $4,000 to the good The head OF
fhe firm had sent member of his family
10 Buenos Ayres to study the local trade
conditions. and was planning to expand the
branch and possibly establish one In Brazil