The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-02-22
THE SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.

THE SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.
The eyes of the world are turning
toward South America The spirit Of
vanized even the southern Latins to
new energies, the strenuous peoples of
the north seeking fresh fields of en-
deavor have turned their attention
thitherward, commerce is setting more
strongly in that direction and COM
mercial missionaries are urging greater
efforts along the same line AS re-
suit, a few years hence South Ameri-
ca will occupy a far larger share of the
worlds attention than it does at pres
ent. The question is: Through what
channel will that intimacy flow? viii
it be through North America, or
through Great Britain, France or Ger
many? The indications now are that it
will be through the triple European
channel.
Frank Wilborg, a Cincinnati bust
ness man who not long ago made an
extended trip through South America
in the interests of his house, in little
book called, "A Commercial Traveller
in South America" echoes clearly
warning already loudly sounded, to the
effect that the United States is over
looking at her very door opportunities
which Great Britain, France and Ger
many are assiduously cultivating. If
this continues, there can be but one
answer to the above questions-Euro-
peans, having got the South Americans
into the habit of dealing with them,
will hold a trade rightfully belonging
to the United States. :.
England and Germany" says Mr..
Wilborg, face the situation squarely,
and meet the South American on his
own footing. This is the secret of
their great success. AS a result of
their affability, South America trusts
them, and believes that they are sin
cerely interested in her welfare. But
she doubts our friendship, and 1t
seems to me not surprising that she
does" Americans have been careless
about filling their orders from South
America; they have not taken pains
to pack their goods as South Ameri-
cans like to have them packed; they
have insisted On billing their goods in
terms unfamiliar to the Latins-tnese
and other things have created preju-
dice against North American products.
and have operated in favor of the more
painstaking Europeans.
There are more serious difficulties
also in the way of American mer-
chants and manufa cturers, such as in
adequate transportation and banking
facilities, fluctuations Of the money
market, unsatisfactory commercial
travellers. But these and others, Mr.
WilbOrg believes, can be overcome
and that, too, at not too great an ex-
penditure of effort and money. The
opening Of the Panama canal will
tempt the shipping companies of the
Atlantic coast to greater efforts, and
this will mean greater activity On the
part of the companies on the Pacific
coast in competition; the finances of
South America will tend to become
more stable; good men can be had to
build up trade in the south, if quail
fications beyond the speaking of Span
ish and Portuguese are looked to.
There is no reason, then, why the
United States should not have an ade-
quate share in the progress of South
American greater interest in that
South America of the future, which is
to hold place of very great import
ance in the eyes of the world