The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-24
Hunting south American Trad

uuHting Soutn american trade.
THE American mind runs naturally
TO committees when great men fall"
wrote JoHN HAY nifty years ago. lie
might have added that the American
mind runs naturally to committees un-
der all circumstances and great deal
or excellent work Is done by them. But
the obest collection of committees. reso.
lutions, banquetS and speeches will not
go very far toward bringing the United
States the fattcr share Of South Amrri-
can trade for which IL longs. That
South American trade special" ~ the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Is doing prac-
teal work In Its region Of Pennsylva-
mia. Its experts are telling the manu-.
fncturers the best way To market their
export goods one immediate return
has been the starting Of five car
loads of machinery from Wllkesharrc
toward Valparaiso; five carloads are
better than nothing, but the difficulties
| In the way OF rapid development OF
American business with South America
are considerable
III Inv IISl I'lH'f, the EtlfTHl tlNle OF
mind of American business men has got
i to he altered. Probably the average
/ American regards himself as more
I adaptive than the average German or
| Englishman. lie doesn't show it In
| Cuba. Mexico. Central or South Amer
| lea. lie expects 10 do business there
as he does 1t In New York. The mere
| fact that he can't hasn't tended to show
him the narrow prOvlnclality Of his
! notions. The Englishman and the Ger
man don't adopt In Rio Jaueiro or Cal.
lao the methods OF birmingham or
Bremen. They become in language
manners, etiquette. both social and com
mcrcial, often in law by naturalization,
Hrazilians or Peruvians. They speak ana
write spanish or Portuguese very often
French besides, II favortp with the
better class Of Latin Americans: know
ing that those rnces are among the most
punctiliouS and ceremonious OF men,
they don't ignOrantly despisr. they seek
TO comply exactly with, the usages W
the peoples they live among. They
give and TAX. plenty Of time In cOun-
tries where there is enough Of It and
nobody boards IL. They make plenty "
compliments They make friends. The
ignorant. vulgar hustler" who tries 20
force upon the damned natives goods
that they don't want; whose ideal OF
craftsmanship Is to dispose OF lot ~
stun In fifteen minutes who not only
I'M hA -
them scorns the habits and customs of
the clients he visits. what chance has
he In South America?
We'll Informed, well bred men. toler-
ant, tranquil men who cultivate the 80
clal relations and decencles, who make
point of avoiding hurry and impor
tunlty. who don't try TO impose upon
their customers, who make full allow.
ance for the difficulties Of transporta
ton in many parts Of the Latin Amer
can countries, who are not afraid of
sending or displaying n full variety
Of samples, these are the men with |
whom Americans will have to compete. |
Our manufacturers and exporters have
got to find and use such men. Does the
class exist except In small numbers:
Ii cannot be created NJ once. How
many American young men are learn |
ing Ia speak Spanish or Portuguese
II is sweet little popularity Of Amer |
lean schools and colleges that they |
treat living languages AS dead.
Longer credit Is another condition !
precedent OF American trade in South !
America. our manufacturers and ex-
porters have been told OF It times
enough. Are they ready to fulfl 1t at |
last? Mr. EDWARD ALBERs, trade inves
tlgator OF the Pan-Amcrican Union,
gives the prudent counsel needed by |
Americans 10 enGer for quick re-
suits;
You cannot expect 20 do whole lot
Of business the minute YOU get down
there. Exercise good Judgment, patience
and close study, and in the end you will
be rewarded"
In other words, you will get your por-
ton Of the South American trade II
you 1T yourself for It and know how
to work and wait for II.