The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-16

years ago it would have been impossi-
bic to ind Brazilian products IN tho
best stores; now they all have q goqd
stock, in addition to their importsu
The duty collected on canned fruits and
meats is certainly of q nature tending 70
foster national Industry. Upon a good
grade of canned peaches or Bartlett pears,
for instance, the Importer pays a uutys
including charges for inspection, OF about
s17 per case of two dozen quart cans. OF
nearly IL cents per can. the retail price
OF which would not be over 70 cents "a
the United States, The retail price here IS
never less than an amount equal, at pres
ent exchange, to st.20. The duty on a
higher grade of goods is the same, so that
an article like fine pears, In n glass jar,
quart size, selling for perhaps 40 cents N
The duty on canned vegetables is about
20 per cent. less; o 15-cent can In the
United States of sweet corn retailing hero
for an amount equal to 65 cents.
In spite of these high prices for the
foreign article, l found some very good
assortments of preserves in many OF the
better class establishments Any one or
a score of dealers is prepared to supply a
good brand of American canned peaches
or pears. A few have high-grade quail
ties, their stock including American
canned salmon n other canned nsn
The products of Brazilian canning fac
tories sell at retail for at least 10 per cent.
less than imported goods. and this largely
accounts for the growing demand for the
Brazilian product. But the. fact that the
market is we'll supplied with foreign
products indicates q preference therefor
which American producers should take adj
vantage OF to a greater extent than at
present. The best dealers, who have no
prejudlces, will not hesitate to say that
American canned fruits are preferred TO
all others, including the best Portuguese
brands, so widely used here. II Is did
cult to reconcile this statement with the
fact that. although American canned goods
are offered for sale by more than a score
of high-class dealers In the city of Rio
de Janeiro alone, the imports from the
United States are so slight as not TO
merit a place in the import statistics.
Probably one of the chief reasons for
this is the great advantage which southern
Europe has over the United States In the
matter OF transportation. A grocer can
nave his orders for fruit from Portugal
a fresh supply each week. The same
thing Is true of goods from Italy. At
least two months are required for filling
orders from the United States, and puf-
supply not oftener than once a month.
Now that the leading steamship lire from
New York has decided to inaugurate n
bi-weekly service. the situation. In THIS
respect will be improved materially.
Portuguese goods are labeled In the IAN
guage of Brazil, and this. too, is an adj
vantage which might easily be shared by
American Gamers who care to produce
tables will find a reader sale II put mp in
mint cans than in larger ones, nearly all
of the French, Portuguese, Spanish, and
Italian goods coming In small-sized cans.
A very serious difficulty In getting Amer
lean provisions of any kind on this marker
is the matter OF a medium through which
local dealers can supply themselves. An
American commission house established
here would he the means OF increasing
materially American exports or provisions
to Brazil.