Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-17
AMERICA LOSING IN
FIGHT FOR TRADE
FOREIGN RIVALS 0UTSTRlP
UNITED STATES
England and Germany Hold Markets
of Southern Continent Owing
to Admirably Developed
Waterways
Special to The Herald.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-Following
close on Secretary Roots recent appeal
to commercial America to foster trade
relations with the countries to the south
of the United States, comes the report
of the department of commerce and Ia
Dor showing how the United States is
being outstripped by Great Britain and
Germany in markets that lie at the
doors of this country. Considering the
three nations geographical relation
ship to Latin America, it is remarkable
that the United States has permitted its
foreign trade rivals to WreSt from 1t
such a valuable market.
In the fiscal year ending June 80, 1906,
this country exported into the Argen-
tine Republic goods TO the value of $32,-
673, 400. For the calendar year of 1906
Great Britain's imports to that country
reached total of S65, ,132,300, or nearly
three times that of the United States.
Into Brazil in the same periods the
United States imported $14, 100000,
while Great Britains imports We're
more than $33,500,000; this countrys
imports to Chile totaled SS,677O0O, while
Great Britain's reached more than $23,-
600, 900.
The discrepancy was even greater in
the imports to Uruguay, the United
States furnishing goods to the value of
$2.905,0 900, while British merchants
valuation of more than $4,000, 900.
Relatively larger gains in the German
trade are noted over the trade of the
United States.
Fine Harbors in Germany
In seeking for the cause of this pc
culiar condition of affairs it has been
discovered that both England and Ger
many hold the trade advantage in
South America because of their admir-
ably developed waterways at home.
Germany is enabled to load her ships
directly at her cities of manufacture
and carry these shiploads half way
round the world at low transportation
rates. England, by reason of her canals
and splendid harbors, is enabled to do
the same thing.
Under present conditions the United
States is forced to ship great distances
by rail TO ports on her seaboard, with
the result that when the goods are
transferred from freight car to ship
their value has been greatly enhanced
by reason of heavy land transporta-
ton tolls In other words, it is prac-
tically impossible at the present time
for the middle west to compete with
foreign nations in the South American
markets.
Would Develop Interior Waterways
This unhappy and illogical condition
in the country's export trade has slim
ulated in a great degree the interest
aroused here in the movement to de-
Velop the interior waterways of the
United States. If the great rivers of
the country were made navigable it
would be possible for manufacturers to
ship entirely by water and meet the
stiffest competition of British or Ger
man manufacturers. 1t would also
open up for American wheat and other
grains a market which now is prac-
tically dominated by the German grow
ers.
The National Rivers and Harbors
congress, which includes in it's MEM
bership individuals and organizations
in nearly every state in the Union, is
working to bring this condition Of af-
fairs about. Members of congress have
received from it's secretary, j. f. Eli
son of Cincinnati, Ohio a call that has
been sent out broadcast, inviting every
organization and commercial body and
every firm and individual in every
state i'm the Union to join in the move
mcnt. Before the SiXtieth congress con-
Venes it Is very probable that such a
tide Of public sentiment I'm favor Of
waterways development will sweep the
country that the federal government
viii be compelled to take action and
develop the internal resources of the
United States as they should be de-
Yeloped