New-York tribune., 1906-05-14
soUTH AMER1oAN coNNERcp.

The foreign trade Of the United States has
practically doubled in volume within the last
decade Our exports TO Europe to the Far
East and to neighbOring countries on the North
American continent have been expanding at
an uneXampled rate. We have taken the lead
as seller in the worlds markets. But there
is one inviting commercial field in which we
have made exceptionally slow progress. We
have failed TO push our trade in South Amer
lea, and though politically we stand on an ex-
ceptionally intimate footing with the South
American republics, and are pledged to pro-
tect them from European aggression. we have
not been able to detach them commercially from
their affiliations with Europe Figures just pre-
pared by the Bureau Of Statistics Of the De-
partment Of Commerce and Labor show how
meagre a share we have in South America g
commerce. That continents annual exports are
valued at $63OOO0O0O of which the United
States takes only % per cent. Its annual i'm
ports are valued at $45O,OOO,OOO, OF which the
United States supplies only 13 per cent
| Commercially the two great states in South
America are Brazil and Argentina, and our
trade southwark is chiefly with them. OF our
entire business with the Southern continent in
1905. S150O0OO0O was with Brazil and Argen-
tina and only S57O0OO0O with the other eleven
republics and colonies. Distance makes traf-
nc with the lower west coast Of South America
tedious and expensive, and lack Of either pro-
ducing or consuming power cripples the Carib-
bean countries and Uruguay and Paraguay as
factors in commerce. In our trade with Brazil
and Argentina conditions exactly reverse them
selves From Brazil we buy immense quanti-
ties OF rubber and coffee for the United States
now uses in industry half the total rubber sup
ply Of the world and its people consume more
than OnehaIf Of all the coffee grown. OF our
imports from Brazil in 1905, valued at about
$10O,0o0,O00, coffee and rubber together footed
up a value OF $92, 100000. We must, there
fore, expect a big adverse balance of trade an
nually, for Brazil's wants are comparatively
few and It's people have been long accustomed
to draw on European markets for manufactured
goods and -luxurles. Our exports to Brazil in
1905 were valued at only S1O9s5 OS6-a decline
since 1895 of about S50O0OOO. The balance of
trade against us-the largest we have with any
country-was ss9O0OO00 From 1867 to 1905
the adverse balance has amounted TO 81 1885,.
100000
With Argentina, on the other hand, commerce
is growing and diversifying. and 1905 showed a
balance In our favor OF over Ss0OOOOO In Tho
last decade our purchases have doubled and
our sales have multiplied by Eve Argentina Il
prosperous and growing rapidly, and can use
our iron and Steel machinery, oil, shoes, cloths
and other manufactured products The chic
obstacle TO the broadening Of trade is the lacl
OK airect transportation facilities. Brazil and
Argentina are as near 20 Europe as they ar
70 the United States, and the many European
steamship lines now operating give the Euro
pean seller a decided advantage. Northboun(
goods are shipped without much difficulty
but ships coming TO the United States generaIly
return by way OF Europe. The Shin subsid,
bill now before tho House OF Representative
. provides FOR the establishment Of an America,
line TO Brazil and Argentina. II we are 9