Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-17

The countries of Latin America un-
doubtedly constitute the broadcast mar
ket for manufactured products in the
world For they are inhabited by cul-
tivated peoples who are consumers OF
practically all the materials of mod
ern commerce and yet manufacture
practically nothing themselves. Some
Of them, like Brazil, are making de-
ternined efforts to build up manufac-
turing Industries. but have SO far sue
ceeded In producing only the lower
grades OF goods.
This does not mean, however, that
the Latin American market affords an
equal opportunity to all sorts of Amer
lean manufactured products. Many OF
the European nations have obtained a
hold upon the market for certain arti-
cles, which makes it extremely dif1cult
for American manufacturers to COM
pete with them It is of the utmost
importance that any one who contsm-
plates entering the field should nfst
carefully ascertain whether ne can
compete with the European exporters
not only now while they are handicap
ped with the war, but permanently.
land and Germany have long enjoyed
Europe Has prestige in the
Textile Trade. es,d And II has
been we'll earned, for the textile IN
dustries of those countries have at
tanned the perfection which only ma
,,,rity and long standing can give to
nvts hi
proficiency in manufacturing cloth,
however, the English and Germans
nave never learned how to make ready
made clothing SO that II Will fit. The
result is an opportunity Tor American
manufacturers. who undoubtedly make
rha best hand-me- downs In the world
All Latin Americans appreciate style
and finish In Mexico ana central
America readymade clothing from the
United States has already done much
TO make the native look natty and up
to-dste, and il is probable that the
empire of the stylish Yankee SUIT VIII
make its way southwark
Although Americans should consider
veil the competition they VIII meet In
Latin America, In general. what they
iced is more confidence in their own
GODS American goods are not noted
tor cheapness, but they are superior in
luaIity and design, and these things
are appreciated In Latin America, II
only they are fairly presented.
An American manufacturer of cutlery
who heard of the wide use made OF
the machete. in GER
Cutlery Maker tain Latin Ameri-
Loses Courage. e can countries 3o nsnn,a ae
ture some Of these big knives and
enter the field He made hts plans IN
characteristic fashion. laying out a
route for flying trip that would cover
a great deal Of territory in very
short time. He did not make expenses
and returned to the United States with
gloomy reports about the opportunities
IN Latin America. But he had sold a
certain number of knives and they were
good knives, and in due course the ma
tives discovered that fact. They found
that the American knives lasted about
twice as long as the German make, and
held an edge such as they had never
dreamed OF before. The name of the
American manufacturer became the
name for a good machete. A German
firm made lot of money by Initiating
his design and trade mark. His cam
paign had really been q brilliant sue
cess. but through lack of confidence in
his own goods he failed to reap the
reward.
The story of Latin American trade
certainly seems to show that the Amer
lean manufacturer lacks enterprise in
competing for foreign trade, although
this may be due to the fact that he still
has a much larger market at home than
the manufacturer Of almost any other
nation.
A California manufacturer of steam
tractor pillow was urged by a friend
who had been in the
Tractor Plow Argentine to estab-
:; A~~n% lish an agency in
that country. The
piowmaker at first regarded the idea
as little shortof preposterous. He had
built up good business in the far
southwest and was planning that year
to send one of his machines to an agri-
cultural fair at Peoria, Ill, and he re-
garded this as q most adventurous prof.
ect One of his sons. however. thought
'c would be nice to go to the Argentine
on his honeymoon and take along a few
plows, for there Is nothing that tickles
the American business man more than
70 combine business and pleasure.
Accordingly the trip was made al
though with little expectation of fnan-
ciai success. At an agricultural ex
bfbIt IN Argentina the young Califor-
1ian showed the native farmers for the
first time how dozen burrows could
ne piowed at once. The enthusiasm
knew no bounds. A firm of Italians
accepted the agency for the new plows
and sold 100000 worth of them dur
ing the first year.
This ts only one example among many
Of prompt recognition given to the
merit of American goods when they
have merit. American agricultural ma
chinery. because IL is more up-to-date
III design and Invention and made of
good materials. has won out almost
everywhere In Latin America. The
plains Of Argentina. for example, are
dotted with American windnills.
Furniture is another line in which
Americans are gaining recognition and
one in which there is still a great deal
Of room for expansion In the great
cities like Buenos Aires and Rio de
Janeiro American Office furniture has
come widely into use. Here. again, the
Yankee invenNveness which keeps
American goods Just little ahead of
most others In Improvement and de-
sign has won its way. But in house
hold furniture European makes have
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