The Detroit times., 1910-11-04

The American manufacturers. as a
rule, 90 10 Europe and dictate 10
the European buyers as TO what they
should buy. The Europeans know
very we'll what they want. and they
don't like TO be told what they
should buy. The German manufac-
turers have a different policy. They
don't antagonize the European buy
ers; they let them do as they like
about purchasing. Moreover, the
Germans are more liberal I'm regard
to payments. They give the people
who trade with them six months or
more time to pay, whereas the Amer
leans are rather particular about get
ting spot cash. This is the secret OF
the Germans success in selling on
the European market The 'bossy
spirit OF the Americans Is not liked"
The speaker also pointed out that
the Americans are lax In regard to
showing their goods at European ex-
hibitions. The European manufac-
turers are strong on this point, the
speaker said.
Importers also complained, the
slgnor said about the way American
goods are sometimes packed. He
thought this was due to carelessness
more than anything else, but some
times goods were not up to the mark,
he intimated.
Instead of individual competition
among the American manufacturers
OF "a certain product, the automobile,
for instance, the signor thought II
would be well for them to establish
an agency abroad and conduct their
foreign trade from this central point
Such a course would be a conven-
fence for both buyer and seller, the
speaker thought
Speaking on the tariff, the speaker
declared: There is bad feeling be-
tween the Europeans and Americans
over the tariff, but not because 1t is
considered too high. We don't like
your system of collecting duties,
that's all. Instead of having the ad
valorem system, we think you ought
TO follow the example of foreign tariff
countries and charge duty according
to weight. In this way much trouble
is overcome. II Is a difficult matter
to tax goods on the ad valorem prlnci-
pie, for the reason that the manu-
facturer doesn't like to tell just what
by the ad valorem system, an import
er who buys in large quantities gets
a reduction and, consequently, the
duty he has 10 pay is less than that
charged to the man who buys in small
quantities. The weight plan has been
in vogue abroad for many years and
gives the best of satisfaction. IL the
Americans are afraid they will lose
on the weight system, | would only
say, Make your tariff higher, accord
ing to the weight OF articles
There was also a psychological side
to the tariff question, the speaker
said. This was occasioned by the Gus
tom of the United States government
in having maximum rate as a sort
OF club for foreign countries.
Instead OF going to other countries
and threatening to place your max
imum tariff against them IL they fail
ed to give you their preferential rates,
it would be better II you would go
TO them with your minimum tariff and
offer it in return for privileges the
signor declared 1T is the custom of
the foreign countries to offer their
minimum tariff for favors, instead OF
trying to intimidate with the maxi
mum clause"
The signor thought that the present
political campaign would have a good
that better tariff relations would soon
exist between the United Staes and
other countries.