Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-16
PRICES RISING.
TINES HARD, IN
SOUTH AMERICA
Salesman Finds Scarcity Of Money
TraceabIe to the War in the
Balkans.
CHILE is OUR BEST FIELD
Argentina a Better Market, but
the Merchants Are Difficult
to Deal With.
CHILE is OUR BEST FIELD

NEW YORK. Nov. 81 H
Holmes, who for three years has been
travelling in South America for an
American commercial concern, says
that while Argentina is the biggest
market in South America for manu-
featured goods, Chile Is the easiest
for an American 10 sell in. At the
present time, however, most of the
lower countries are suffering from a
great business depression.
Il made Buenos Ayres my head
quarters, and Travelled in Brazil. uru-
quay, Chile, Peru and, Of course, in
Argentina" said Mr. Holmes. ITO a
man who is used to the splendid train
service OF this country, getting about
seems to take @ great deal Of time.
Most Of II is done by boat, and, while
that Is all right on the east coast,
when you travel along the west coast.
unless you happen to catch one OF
the big liners, Il can be very uncom =
Portable and the food very bad. Then
YOU always have to laid off the shore.
and II you are carrying sample cases
they are apt to get a wetting. Out
side OF the bigger cities, the hotels
sre uniformly bad.
Food Prices High.
In Argentina 1t is difficult to get
sea food In n restaurant in Buenos
Ayres paid one night $40 for lob
ster-SSS0 in our money. The cost or
living there is three times what 1t is
here.
TT is a great mistake for anybody
who goes down TO South America to
do business to imagine that you can
just pull gold off the trees" observed
Mr.. Holmes with sigh.
people down there dislike doing
business through an Interpreter, un-
less they have been doing business
with your house for long time
Firms which send men down there TO
represent them ought to pay enough
10 attract men who can converse with
the merchants in their own tongue.
Then business is bad pretty gem
orally in South America Just now
Two years age what promised to be
record breaking crop In Argentina
was ruined by tornadoes, and the
planters have had an uphill clint
ever since. In Brazil II 10 impossible
70 give away things. In Argentina, oil
course. the Balkan wars have had o
very depressing effect, because theii
source Oh DlbHtY EuRRAN AAAc pN'h NN'
off. For another thing, the country
Ia experiencing the reaction from a
big real estate boom. The banks have
closed in on the borrowers. and the
latter are having a hard time.
Money Tight in Chic.
1.-THE Chileans haven't any money
either, partly because OF the wars II
Europe. Still 1t Is easier to do busl'
ness in Chile than in any other coun'
try down there. People tell you tht
Chileans don't like Americans. II tina
ie so. II is a good thing, for It seems
as II they can not get too much Of
our manufactured goods. In Argen'
tina the market Is bigger, but thu
merchants are much harder to dea
with Many OF them insist upon hay
ing goods made in Italy or in France
"The commercial traveller wh'
strikes Peru does not always have al
easy time In Peru you pay about s.
a day for your hotel board on thu
American plan. Everything that L
brought to you without your or
dering II you have to pay for extra.
Merchants in South America ar
usually very easy to approach, bu
Won can not always tell whether
man is going to give you an order o
is stringing you. He is Just as APP
as not 10 keep you on tenterhooks TO
three weeks They Will do nothinI
on the spur of the moment. Manu-
facturers who send salesmen dow
there In the expectation that the
will burn up the earth have anothe
guess. You, have to make lot OF al
iowance for the manana habit. why
doing business In Mexico used to b
a cinch to what II is down there.
1.-THE cost of living in Chile is no
what II Is in Argentina. but eve
there things have gone up 100 pc
cent in the popular restaurants in tn
last two years. Business in Monte
video is in an awful state.
81 would inform any America
travelling man who Is about to so I
South America that living is niue
more costly there than here. In Bue
nos Ayres they ask SITS gold mont
Tor a little unfurnlshed fiat OF fou
rooms Argentina is like Mexico;
Is managed by a few, and the poe
man pays for everything