Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-24
TO IMPROVE TRADE
W|THPAN-AMER|CA
John Barrett Gives Suggestions
to Capitalists Of United
States.
MUST STUDY EXISTING NEEDS
Better Shipping FACILITIES and
More Advantageous Credits
Should Be Provided.
ny CHARLES Il. MICHAEL.

Their" is undcniably :, new era dawn
ing in the islands Of the Caribbean. the
American Mediterranean. American
trade viii follow activities of the navy
and the marines In Haiti. and to this
island, the richest in the Antilles. the
producer Of the United States is now
looking earnestly. with the hope OF
finding an outlet for manufactured ar
ticleS which the war abroad has partly
closed.
To-day there is a new and. in spite
of many obvious obstacles, Il hopeful
spirit abroad In the islands OF the West
Indies, a belief that the American pro-
duccr and American capitalist will inn
prove the advantages that have long
been overlooked. German commerce
made great progress there during the
last decade, but the war has brought
the ambitions of the German nation
TO a temporary halt.
This situation makes II easier for
the American manufacturer to enter
the field without keen competition. and
secure such control as TO have tho
bulk of the trade in the West Indies
and many of III" South American re-
publics almost exclusively. The Ger
mans. thus far. have shown greater
insight ana more skilled experience in
conquering the trade OF the West In
dies. and equally effective methods
must he applied BY Americans.
SHIPPING FACILITIES
ALL THAT Is NEEDED
!, is the opinion Of those who have
studied trade in tn. tropics that all
that is needed is better shipping facili-
Ties in South America and more advau-
tagoous crcditS-longer terms than are
usually allowed hy American houses.
Another thing, Americans have not
given enough study TO the field and
the needs of tn. Latin republics.
Revolutions N tn" tropics AR. fast
disappearing. and the land Is now ready
for a big trade movement from the
United states, which has never set in
earnestly because Of these conditions
and the existing unstable governments.
With Haiti coming under the mill
;ary rule OF the United States and
awaiting the protection OF this coun-
Try. the last Of the very unstable gov
ernmcnt' Of the West Indies will pass
into history. Because Of the rcvo!u-
tons in some countries, there has not
been "a clear vision oE-the nations. pco-
pies and governments which have
known no revolutions and have enjoyed
century. The American public has ac-
ccpted one condition as representative
( the who'll. and. therefore, neglected
TO cultivate the opportunities existing
so near to our shores.
South America. and especially the
West Indies. offers now opportunities
for the building up OF commerce. for
the investment of capital and for homes
for incoming peoples. and a field Of
inquiry for American merchants which
should be taken advantage of while
these countries are isolated IL great
degree by The war
While the war j. occupying the CEN
ter OF the International stage. the act
ing % that drama has thrown the
spotlight in such a way upon Latin
America that there is more discussion
IN the United States about commercial
and material opportunities and possi-
bilitics in thcs. republics than there
has ever been before in the history OF
its relations with that part OF the
world