Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1910-01-29

"The reason IL that American manu-.
facturers do not solicit the business
In the right way. They send down ag.
gressive statesmen thoroughly imbued
with American hustle; men who
would be successful salesmen in Chi.
cago or Omaha. but who strike the
frost Of their lives when they 60 up
against the dignifed. suave. leisurely
Latin American. who IL good bust.
ness man. but who considers his own
dignity before he considers business.
The slap on the back and the prof.
fered cigar that works all right with
small retailers Of North America are
affronts even to the most inconspicu.
Gus Latin American, and are about a.
attractive to him as q blow In the face
would be. Another thing, few II any
American commercial travellers speak
Spanish and Portuguese and fewer
still have made careful study Of the
trade. the customs and characteristics
Of the people. their wants. etc. Time
and again when trial orders have been
given they have been guilty Of substi.
tuition. often sending down goods for
which the merchants have no earthly
use.
The most general complaint against
the American. however, is that he
neglects to strictly comply with the
custom house regulations. The Eu.
ropean houses. on the other hand,
have made careful study Of this
trade and never are guilty Of any Of
these errors. and 80 strongly intrench.
ed are they that they have succeeded
In convincing the Latin American
that Europe alone can furnish their
wants. and q strong prejudice exists
against American.made goods which Is
going to be hard to overcome.
This Is very exasperating. because
no one can 60 down into that country
with bis eyes open and fail to see the
tremendous possibilities that It offers.
Every new section that Is opened up
adds more population and more
wealth to Brazil. The population need
American goods. and 1t has the money
to buy them, yet England and Ger.
many are getting the business"
There are many interesting trades of
which theN general public knows al.
most nothing. Among these is the use
of old stockings for shoddy. While
there are no statistics relating to the
importatiOns of American old black
stockings into Europe. Consul General
Robert r. Skinner. of Hamburg, says
that 1t Is supposed that 1000 to 5000
tons are received annually.
The chief consuming market of old
socks Is Germany, with Austria and
Russia next in order. Old black
stockings are free of duty in Germany
and Austria, but are taxed about 5h
cents per pound In Russia. American
black stockings are much preferred to
European stockings, as they are of
softer and finer make and are very lit
tie darned or mended. European i'm.
porters have discovered that the Amer
lean people do not wear their stockings
as long or as savingly as Europeans.
and that when a hole Is discovered
they are inclined to throw them away.
Thus when stockings of this character
reach the shoddy manufacturer they
furnish better and longer staple than
can be obtained from European stock.
ings. Moreover, European stockings.
usually harder. are also very often
mercerized and made harder still, so
, that they must be pulled several times.
process which reduces the length of
/, the staple.
American goods command from 25
to 80 per cent more than others. They
are shipped to Europe In pressed bales.
and are resorted upon arrival In Ham.
burg for the exclusion Of colored
stockings and black stockings with