The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-19
TRYING TO FOSTER
TRADE RELATIONS
AMERICA TO BUILD UP TRADE
WITH COUNTRIES TO TIE
SOUTH OF US.
ROOT MAKES AN APPEAL
England and Germany Hold the Ad
vantage on Account Of Admor-
ably Developed Waterways
at Home.

Washington, ain. 1S.-Followlna
close on Secretary Roots recent ap
Ipeal o commercial America to foster
trade relations with the counties to
| the south Of the United States, comes
| the report OF the Department of Com
merce and Labor showing how the
| United States is being outstripped By
Great Britain and Germany in mar
kets that lie at the doors of this
country. Considering the three ma.
tioes geographical relation to Latin
America, it is remarkable that the
United States has permitted its for
eign trade rivals to wrest from it such
a valuable market
In the fiscal year ending June 80,
1906, this country exported into the
Argentine Republic goods TO the value
Iof S32, ,G73, 400. For the calendar year
Cf 1905 Great Britain's imports 10
that country reached The total of $G5 :
1872 800, or nsarly thre times that Of
the United States Into Brazil in the
same periods the United States i'm
ported si4,5O0 600, while Great Brit
aims imports were more than $33500,
600; this country's imports to Chile
totaled $S,G77, 900, while Great Brit
aims ached more than $4,000 900.
The discrepancy was even created in
the imports too Uruguay, the United
States furnishing goods to he value
of s2,905,000 while British merchants
shipped into that country gods to the
valuat on of more than $4,000 900
Relatively large gains in the German
trade are noted over the trade Of The
Ulited States.
In seking for the cause Of this pecu-
Aer condition of affairs, it has been
discovered that both England and G r |
many hcld the trade advantage IN |
South America because of their admir-. |
ably developed waterways at home. |
Germany is enabled 10 load her ships |
dir city at her cities Of manufacture
and carry these shiploads half way
'ound the world al low transporta ion
ate. England, reason of her canals
md splendid harbors is enabled to do
he same thing Under present condi
ions the United States is forced TO
ihip great distances by rail TO ports
N her seaboard, with the result that
when the goods are transferred from
reight car to ship, their value has
'eon greatly enhanced by reason of
avy land ira sportation tolls. In
'Iher words, il is practically lmpos.
ible al the present time for The Mid
lie West to compete with foreign \
Iations in the South American mar.
els
This Unhappy and illogical cordi-
on in the country's export trade has
timulated in great degree the in.
crest aroused here in the movement
o develop the interior waterways Of f.
he United States. If the great rivers {
I the country were made navigable Il
'ould be possible for manufacturers
o ship entirely by water and meet {
he stiffest competition of British or {
ierman manufacturers. II would also {
pen up for American wheat and 9th {
r grains market which now is 0
Practically dominated 10y the German Z
Tower. =
The National Rivers and Harbo-s q
oagrsss, which includes In its mem
ersh.p individuals and organizations !
D nearly every state in the union is q
'orking 10 bring this condition OF af s
airs about. Members Of congress a
ave received from its secretary. J In
:. Ellison. Of Cincinnati. Ohio a call G
bat has been sent ont broadcast. in Ii
iting every organization and com.
le-cial body and every firm and in. q
ividual in every state in the union d G
Jin in the movement. Before the Six. I r
ieth congress c-nvenes il Is very ,
robable that srch a tide Of public IS
ntiment in favor of waterway devel- In
pment will sweep the country. that N
le Federal government viii be com y
elied TO take action and develop the m
lterual l'resonrres of the T.. $. as they s
hould be developed Ia