The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-08-02
LOSING BRAZIL TRADE.
L,ck< of Merchant Marine Puts Unit
ed States Far I'm Rear

L>,ck< of Merchant Marine Puts Unit
ed States Far In Rear.
Brazil Is a country of varied and
wonderful resources and. with the in
PRODUCTION of proper machinery and up
.o-date methods. its development would
De extended SO that within few years
t would produce enormously and take
rank among the leading commercial
countries in the world, says the New
York Tribune Its export trade is add
gapcing now at a very rapid rate, es-
oecially that in rubber, which amounts
20 millions of dollars annually.
The introduction of the bicycle, the
automobile and other rubber-tired We
1icles has given the rubber production
an impetus which has caused it to
Jorge to the front as the leading ex-
port of the country.
| The coffee trade is also being extend
ed rapidly, having a healthy growth to
is credit. The United States purchases
,ne-half the coffee exported from Bra
I'll, which. during the fiscal year ended
with June 80, 1904, amounted in value
10 S46,922,974.
OF the three leading nations which
sold their products to Brazil in 1904
Great Britain ranks first, with $34,976.-
2e6 to its credit, or % per cent of the
total amount of her imports. Germany
comes second, with S15,975,11S, or u
Der cent, and the United States third,
With S14,031, 9I0, or IL per cent. The
great disparity of the amount of goods
sold by Great Britain and the United
States to Brazil presents problem
| Tor the manufacturers and exporters
,f this country which must be solved
| IL their trade with that and other
ScLth American countries is to be
extended.
/ OF Britain's imports in 1904 the
leading articles were the manufac-
lures of cotton, which amounted to.
1S,744.912; manufactures of iron and
steel, $16,197, ga; breadstuffs, S13,SO9,-
731; wine, S7,6S5,625; provisions. ST.
207 .4SO, and coal, S6,1S3,63S. OF all
these, with the possible exception OF
wine, the United States is manufac-
turer. or agricultural producer, and It
seems absurd that Brazil should be
obliged to seek them in Europe instead
Of from her North American neighbor.
OF the exports from Brazil during
tile same period coffee and rubber
comprised the principal articles For
the six months ended June 3D., 1904
and 1905. the value of coffee exported
amousted to $31, 113,915 and S33, 449,-
641, and the value of the rubber to
s29, 443,S77 and $39,610.439. respective
| ly This shows an increase in rubber
exports of SIC, 166,562 for the six
months under review.
In recent years a large amount oil
foreign capital has been invested in
Brazilian enterprises, especially in the
| city Of Rio Janeiro. German capital
| lists have established steamship lines
for coast service, and American and
| Canadian capitalists have acquired the
car lines, gas works and telephone SER
vice at Rio Janeiro, the money invest
ed being closely estimated at $25,OO0,-
00c.
This, however, is only the beginning
OF the invasion Of Brazil by foreign
enterprise. There is determined
movement now being made to revolu-
tionize the trade conditions there. The
United States is reaching out to grasp
what 1t considers to be its fair share
of the trade which has been controlled
so long by Great Britain and Germany.
The greatest obstacle In the way of its
passage to the desired goal is the
weakness Of the merchant marine of
| this country. American exporters have
not the facilities for transporting their
goods to Brazil which are enjoyed by
their rivals in Europe, and until this
! obstacle is removed the progress OF
American trade must necessarily be
slow.
| The record Of the ports of Brazil for
| the year 1904 is a sad one for study b.
American exporters. During the year
17.407 sailing vessels and steamers en-
tered the ports. with an aggregate tom
mage Of 11,S79,563. being an increase
| OF 1889 in the number of vessels and
s11, 265 In the tonnage, and of these the
American flag is represented as among
| the 900 of "other countries not speci-
fled because of the small number OF
their ships.