Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-08
INCREASE OF TRADE
Growth of American Exports
to South America.
BETTER CARE IN PACKING
Much Less Talk About Indifferent
Methods by Shippers in This
Country Than Formerly.

NEW YORK, July S.-Franklin john
ston. publisher of The American Ex-
porter. who has been on a six-month
tour of South America. where he studied
conditions for the sale of American goods,
has arrived on the steamer Clyde from
Panama Mr.. Johnston talked at length
concerning trade conditions he had OBJ
served.
In all the countries visited-Brazil,
Uruguay, Argentina. Chile and Peru.
said Mr.. Johnston, the prospects for the
American manufacturer are optimistic in
the highest degree. The sale of Ameri-
can goods is growing faster than that of
other countries. and 1t Is particularly no.
ticeable that the percentage of growth of
American trade Is very much greater
than that of the British, although Great
Britain is. of course, the leading export
country. In all the countries the United
States ranks close to Germany. There
Is very much less talk regarding Amer
lean carelessness in handling export Or
ders, in packing, etc, than formerly, and
the export methods of certain American
firms are unexcelled by those of any
country in the world.
Catering to the Trade.
There can be no doubt that American
manufacturers are making a much more
serious effort to cater permanently to
South American trade than was the case
before the panic of 1907, and foreign i'm
porters have been quick to see the change
of front. British trade seems to have
reached its height, while both German
and American trade Is increasing in every
direction.
AS an instance of the way trade Is
shifting. there is one very large firm of
general hardware and machinery import
ers on the west coast, whose business
hfteen years ago was Is per cent British
and D per cent American. Now these
percentages are precisely reversed.
Much Is said about the lack Of
American steamships and American
practical use to American business
would be more American merchant
firms established in large South Ameri-
can cities. In Rio de Janeiro, for in
strictly German merchant houses and
more than dozen strictly British ones,
and only one American concern. and
that in an extremely limited line of
business. German firms in many cases
handle American lines. but not British,
and British draw a similar distinction,
but native houses lean more and more
to American goods. and in many cases
the native houses are especially active
in introducing American goods.
e General Business Conditions,
General business conditions in Bra
zil. Argentina and Uruguay are very
good. In Chile they are returning to
the palmy days of three years ago and
IN Peru they are only fair because of
the war scares. Lima, three weeks ago
when / was there, was like a half de-
serted city. owing to the large number
OF men who were away on the Ecua-
dor frontier in anticipation of war.
Peruvians showed very patriotic
spirit when war was looked for. When
the trouble broke out between Peru
and Ecuador Peru's regular army con-
sisted of 5000 men. The government
called for $4,000 volunteers and $4,000
Immediately volunteered. In two
months she had $4,000 men in the
Aeld, trained and equipped.