The Washington herald., 1906-12-10


! mote American export trade IN manufac-
tured goods are portrayed in the annual re-
/ port of Mai John M Carson. chief Of the
Bureau Of Manufactures in the Depart
meut Of Commerce and Labor. This
! bureau has been securing, classifying. and
/ disseminating commercial information.
/ Every American manufacturing indus
/ try is being indexed, as well as the
names Of firms and individuals In for
( eign countries who handle imported mer-
/ chaEdise, secured through consuls and
/ special agents. With these two funds Of
/ information, one being complementary 10
/ the other. the bureau has been enabled
to furnish American manufacturers and
merchants with names Of parties
/ throughout the world engaged in the sale
/ OF imported merchandise, and on the
/ other hand has been enabled 10 place
( foreign merchants IN direct communica-
/ ton with American manufacturers.
Value of Export Products.
/ OF the annual products of manufacture
$40 10000 worth was exported the last
/ fiscal year. The value OF farm products
/ exported that year. excluding those Of
/ the forests, the mines. and the fisheries.
was $Sz2, 10000. IN the Arrangement OF
! these figures which are these Of the Bu-
/ reau OF Statistics, butter, cheese. lard,
/ taiioW, wheat-f0ur, corn, and oatmeal,
and dried fruits, aggregating S15000.000.
/ are included in exports OF manufactures,
and those commodities having 10 undergo
/ mechanical manipulation TO make them
/ ready for consumption.
/ The report states that utilizing the re-
ports Of trade conditions. IL is for Ameri-
I can business men themselves 10 enter
/ foreign fields ard contest with those who
have occupied them for many years. The
sending of personal representatives. spe-
cialiy trained for the service. 10 remain
/ permanently in the country. and to estab-
/ lish and maintain agencies and branches.
/ IS an essential means to this end and
one that has been practiced most sue
cessfu!ly by our competitors
I should Speak Language.
such agents should speak the language
Of the country to which it is assigned,
should have thorough and practical
/ knowledge Of the interests they are to
represent, and should be clothed with
|
This would insure the -anufacturer at
home early and reli1a.l formation Of
conditions and chane ,ae markets
with regard to quality ana styles. and
furnish other advantages incidental 10 or
ganization and the zeal. tac5. and per-
sistency of personal representatives. The
/ presence Of permanent agents would
furthermore guard American manufac-
turers against ingenious uisrepresenta-
I tlon and fraudulent imitation of their
products successfully practiced in many
| foreign markets, with the result of work
I ing immediate loss through exclusion. and
Consequential loss by damaged reputation.
Government Not selling Agent.
individual firms and representative
commercial bodies frequently. in c0nsid-
ering tae question Of extending sales in
foreign markets. insist that something
should be done by governmental a. other
organized agency to assist in disposing
Of surplus manufactured products. Such
expectations are fallacious. The surplus
products" thus offered. as a rule. con-
sist OF an excess of goods manufactured
for our own markets, and are neither
adapted to the climatic and other eondi-
uOns that obtain in countries whose
markets are sought. nor to the require
menJs and tastes of theiC people. To
I enter foreign markets successfully we
must manufacture just what IS demand
ed in quality and style pack and deliver
the goods in the manner required, sell in
accordance with terms that have prevail
ed Tor years, and generally observe c0ndi-
tions that are fortified by universal Gus
tom. If the energy that is expended in
producing beyond the capacity Of the
home market 10 consume be directed TO
the production and distribution Of the
class of goods needed by people Of foreign
countries. the possession Of a dead sur
plus would be precluded. and an inn
portant step would be taken in the direc-
tion Of gaining new and permanent
markets abroad.
SItesy Lack of Information.
It has been disclosed in Official reports
and in numerous Inquiries received from
leading manufacturers and merchants
that there is a lack Of information among
business men. not only in regard TO the
natural conditions and resources of for
eign countries and the characteristics Of
the people, but Of local requirements and
time -boncred UsaSes that must be com
piled with in order to establish permanent
trade. The bureau has been called upon
TO furnish Information on these points.
and has had prepared a number Of special
reports by consular officers and special
agents to comply with the demand
There Is little difference between doing
business in foreign markets and doing
business in the domestic markets. A fair
.f
tions in all its details should be obtained
in advance of active operations, and only
such commodities should be sent as will
meet the demands Of the locality and will
conform TO the tastes of the people and
their ability 10 purchase. II is q radical
mistake To undertake 10 modify or eradi-
cate established habits and natural tastes
by attempting 10 substitute articles other
than those To which the people are accus-
toned however superior the PRODUCTS Of
fered may be in quality or however more
artistic in design and finish they may be
regarded by their makers. Ascertain what
are the requirements of the market and
send products that VIII meet those re-
Guirements is the essence Of all advice
from experienced Cbsery ers. based on the
operations Of our foreign competitors who
are In occupation. and who are maintain
ing themselves i'm markets which offer in
ducements TO the American manufacturer
simply by catering TO the desires Wins,
and prejudices OF the people rather than
striving 90 dictate the quality Of merchan-
disc they shall purchase.
where Are the Philippines, Anyway
From the ST. LOUIS Republic
DO We own the Philippines, or are we
still fighting for their possession? The
cables teH of four soldiers killed in bat
tie.