The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-26
COLOMBIAN TRADE
WHY OUR MANUFACTURERS
GET LITTLE OF IT.
Their Business Methods Are Unsatisfae-
tory in Many Ways-Some of the
Things to Be Remembered.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 26.-Consnl I. a.
Manning, of CartaCena. reports as follows
concerning the receipt of catalogues from
firms in the United States printed In Eng
lish, and also as TO the apparent disregard
Of trade requirements generally In Colombia
by American exporters:
The latest catalogue is from o manufac-
turer of scales, spring balances, aud butch
ers' cutlery. In which line a good trade
might be opened here under proper pres
entation of the goods and their merits.
The manufacturer should realize, however,
that while an occasional merchant speaks
and reads English. the business of this
country is In Spanish, and the merchants
here do not pay any attention to English
catalogues SO long as other jobbers present
them the same lines of wares in II cata-
logue printed in the Spanish language, and
this catalogue Is followed up by a traveller
with a good line of samples. There Is no
catalogue equal to the travelling salesman
who speaks the language of the people and
who carries a good case of samples of the
goods he offers for sale, aud the American
manufacturer and jobber will nave to real
ize that If he would compete with the man
ufacturer Of England, Germany, France.
Spain, Italy and Sweden, he must recog-
nize that the travelling salesman is a fnc-
tor In trade not to be overlooked.
European manufacturers pay more at
tention to the economic condition of these
markets and manufacture for them ac-
cordingly. IL, as at the present time in
this country, employment Is slack. and
the ~workingman has but a limited source
OF income, with the result that he is
able 10 purchase only cheaper goods, the
European manufactures meets the condi-
ton by sending lightweight muslins and
.4l,,, .I..t ,rNAA- ohaonZ FnanhataC md
other tools. and wares of a grade that
the people can and will be apt to buy.
Some of the things which have been COM
planned of for many years, such as the
disregard of Instructions as to packing
and shipping, have been overcome by
many exporters, but many other things
wherein our manufacturer and mer-
! chants have failed in the past continue
to be prime causes of failure in the
present.
Germany and England have been sup
plying Il great deal OF barbed wire and
aheet-lron roofing to Colombia during the
past few years, where previously all or the
bulk OF this trade went to the United
States. The same may be said Of many
other articles. In the cnse of the barbed
wire. Germany makes a lighter wire than
the American product, and, while not equal
to the latter. the local purchaser only looks
at the fact that there are a few more
yards length in a roll of German than in
the American wire. The fact that the
American wire will outlast the German Is
not a point of interest to the purchaser.
What he wants is all the length OF wire
he can get for his money. The same Is
true of the corIugated-iron roofing. Ger
many and England make a light quality
which meets present conditions, and UNDER
sell our manufacturers in the matter of
price per sheet.
The fact that American roofing Is heavier
and will wear longer Is not a factor In the
trade, for the local purchaser finds that
In roofing his house he can cover 1t with
the German or English iron for less money
than it would cost to buy the better Amer
lean iron.
In cotton textiles the same thing applies.
Our cotton goods cannot be excelled either
as to quality or pattern, but they are as
a rule too good for this Spanish American
trade. Our European competitors meet
the conditions and make cheap goods
which the local merchant can sell. The
exporters of Kerosene from the United
States hive realized this condition, for
the class of oil brought here for illuminat-
ing purposes is the cheapest made by the
oil %refiners. but it is an oil within the
reach of the purchaser.
II is wise. therefore. II American manu-
faeturors desire the trade, to manufacture
goods which the consumer here eau buy.
The local merchant must get rid Of his
goods If he is to continue being a pur-
chaser thereof.