Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-24
WEST COAST NOT
BIG TRADE
FIELD

=
an extensive tour Of the South Amer
lean republics, in an address at the
monthly luncheon OF the American
Manufacturers Export Association
held at the Whitehall Club recently.
t.mphatically warned the American
business interests not 10 OVerrate the
trade possibilities which the west
coast Of South America may offer
with the opening of the Panama Canal
Professor Bingham conceded that
the west coast of South America was
rich in some mineral resources, such
as nitrates. and likewise contained
many UNEMPLOYED oil lands, but he in
sisted that the territory was not one
which offered such wonderfully at
tractive commercial possibilities as
many authorities have led Americans
to believe would ensue when the wa
ters of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans met through the Panama cut.
He declared that the west coast of
South America is geographically at a.
disadvantage in many ways. First OF
all, it lacks all possibility of becoming
an agricultural territory because e.
600 miles of the district is an arid
desert getting less than ten inches Of
water annually, thus eliminating any
chance that it might eventually be-
come a ranching country, because it
also lacks the great plain lands and
remarkable system Of navigable rivers
which the east coast enjoys.
I'm other words, nature has done all
she could to put the west coast to the
bad as far as transportation facilities
Co." Professor Bingham asserted. "If
geographical conditions in South Am
erica were turned about, the OPEN
ing of the Panama Canal would I'M
doubtedly mean almost staggering
prosperity in export trade, but the
opening is not going to bring eight
tenths of South America one mile
nearer than before, and as prudent
business men 1t behooves you to care
fully study these geographical condi-
lions"
Nature built a stone wall east of
the Andes, the speaker continued, and
a desert wall as we'll to shut off the
west coast, He described at length
the anthropological and chronological
conditions which prevail along the
west coast, showing how the Hum.
boldt wind blows north from the
Horn and the moisture is all absorb
ed by the humidity which prevails, the
tropics before it reaches the coast,
leaving the whole stretch of coast
land an arid waste. s.~ -...s
The population of Colombia, Ecua-
dor and Bolivia. Prof Bingham said,
found to consist chiefly Of low-grade
Indians, who, although governed by
Spanish,spe aking people. have no
knowledge of Spanish, and are eex-
oeedingly primitive in tendency, refus-
liz to use even the ordinary garden
space unless compelled to. In this
connection. he urged those exporters
who intended or are now engaged in
trade with the people of the west
coast to use simple trade name for
their products and commonly use a
picture of the article for sale to con
meet the merchandise in the minds of
the mountain Indians, who are in the
majority.
The economic faults of the Andes
can be overcome to some extent, he
said, If our exporters would follow the
practice of sending men right into the
interior, as well as the cities, there to
study at first-hand the Indians needs
and supply them with such modern
articles as it is known they will from
time to time demand. Prof. Bingham
ridfculed the practice, Of sending but.
tenhooks and shoe horns down to
these people as advertising souvenirs,
because, he asserted, they use san.
GALS. The Indians are partial. how
| ever to such novelties as small cellu.
loid hand mirrors and tin cups with
which to drink from the desert holes
on their Journeys. - IT,.
In Eastern Peru, Prof. Bingham
| said, the rich men get their wealth
either from coca, sugar cane lands OF
aqhadiente (fireWater). He warned
the exporters that the Indian populace
| Of the coast countries is sadly inflict
ed with the cocaine and firewater
habits. That condition. he explained
might be more or less a local matter
but If proper action were taken the
Indian laborers of the Andes, who
are the chief victims of cocaine and
firewater. might be put to more bene
ficial industrial pursuits.
Chilean Nitrate Industry May Grow
The psychological effect of the
opening of the Panama canal upon our
American export trade to the west
| coast, Professor Bingham declared. is
hard to predict 1t is true, he admit
ted, that there are many on the west
| coast itself who believe that the gates
! Of opportunity will open with the pas
i sage of the first tramp ship through
the new waterway. but he insisted
that on ton of Chilean nitrate the
canal route would effect a saving OF
only s125, which is negligible. 1t is
also true, he said, that New Orleans
would be brought some 1000 miles
nearer to the west coast trade than
by the present route, but even here
he estimated that the saving in freight
would only be - cents per cargo ton
of Chilean nitrates From our export
ers standpoint. he added. if they be
lieve firmly that the trade expansion
will bp great thew will 90 aftor - O