The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-16
WONDERFUL TRADE POSSIBILITIES IN
 SOUTH AMERICA

The possibilities of trade relations with South America was the subject of three prominent speakers at a din ner in the Stratheld, given by the Manufacturers association last night, at which more than 100 manufacturers and executive heads Of factories of this city, were present.
 Vincent Gonzales, head of the dor eign department of the National as- sociation of manufacturers, and a nel-z tive of South America, treated the sit nation from the standpoint of a b1lsi-. l ness man. He said in part:
 South America. is filled with won derful opportunities for the American business man and for the American man nufacturer. This large trade in the past has been controlled by the Eu- | ropean nations, but the present was l opens to American industries an un-f precedented opportunity to secure the trade.
 Tt is donbtfu1 whether America or any other country could secure orders from South American houses at the present time, but the move taken by your association to have resident rep resentatives in the South American countries is encourag girg. As soon as the war is over, your representative who In the meantime have been dena- onstrating and enxhibiting the Amer ican products, will find that South America will buy his goods.
 Mir. Gonzales spoke of the opportu- mites that await the investor. gave a brief description of the various cities and countries, and then told where in his opinion it would be best for the Bridgeport association to send repre- sentatives. He also told of climatic conditions. and predicted that before many years South America would be-
 
 tinents in the world
 William A Reid, commercial agent of the bureau of foreign and domestic trade spoke on the general conditions in South America. He likewise did not believe that America. could expect large orders at the present time be- cause of the financial stress caused by the war, but stated that should manufacturers grasp the opportuni- ties opened for them by sending resi- dent representatives to learn the cus- toms of the people, large orders would be received at the culmination Of the European war.
 A brief description of general con- ditions was given by MT. Reid in his address. American manufacturers. he declared could secure much more eheapIy, South American products by the direct inaportatio on to this country Manufacturers in this country who use a great quantity of tin, he point ed out, are paying an excessive cost, for instead of the raw material being sent to this country for refining, it is sent to EngIand and then to Amer ica. To a large extent rubber is re- ceived in the same roundabout man- ner.
 l Coal MT. Reid declared was ex- cessively high because but little was mined there. Because of this 1t will become necessary for the South American manufactures to utilize for power the many deep. swift rivers with which the country a.bounds.
 American capital is receiving l wonderful opportunity in these coun- tries at the present time he declared, owing to the mineral deposists that are to be found in the mountainous sections Rubber, sugar and other l products are easily raised, and with l a. merchant marine to import direct 1 1y MT. Reid believes that a new era of prosperity would be opened to the United States.
 The railroads, which in the past have been small and run on old time methods, are now receiving the att Reid towards the close of his address, had been connected by tortuous trails leading over the mountains railroads are now penetrating, and the South American countries are trading be- tween one another as never before. In this respect, these countries are taking wonderful strides. By means of great engineering feats, bridges are being . A - wx -vr~ --zz - <-e = =