Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05

Chattanooga instantly recognized the
opportunity to develop still further her
Latin-American trade, which had al
ready shown greater percentage of
other American city. The efforts in
this direction were redoubled and for
eign trade became a definite ideal Of
the citizens. 1t Is declared by the
Chamber of Commerce of Chattanooga
that not even New York or Chicago Is
women for foreign trade.
The city made SO much point Of the
subject that outside interests began to
take notice. A certain railroad, for in
of freight to the seaboard that owed
It's origin to the city's trade campaign.
AS result that railroad decided to es-
tablish South American agent, Sc
Letting Charles L. Chandler, a former
partment, for that work
1t Is Chandler's work to go about
the southern continent discovering
trade opportunities for the manufac-
turers Of cities on the railroad. He
South America. This effort, of course,
Is benef1ting Chattanooga This rail-
road was the first American one to
take this step. but in the past few
agents to the new trade field.
The railroad has long been an eff
cient agency for getting trade for
shippers along its line and the advent
OF the advance agents Of American
railroads in South America holds big
promise for American manufacturers.
In the many forecasts of the outcome
of the American foreign trade endeav-
or the factor of the American rail-
roads has seldom been noticed. but it
10 likely to be potent element in the
situation. Even moro efficient than
the railroad as foreign trade drum
mer is the ocean steamship line.
The mournful fact is that the United
States has no steamship lines to South
America except the one owned by the
can do little more than carry the prod
ucts of that concern. The lack Of our
own merchant vessels is rightfully
held to be the hardest obstacle for the
because without American vessels our
exporters are placed at a disadvan-
tage in the matter of schedules, routes
and rates. but because the foreign lines
make no special effort to drum up trade
for American manufacturers.
The advocates Of the two theories
for creating a merchant marine-gov-
eminent ships versus private owner
ship-are even now beginning to ad-
vance their arguments in preparation
for the struggle in the next Congress.
Those who urge government owner
ship declare that private capital will
not go into the ocean carrying bust
ness, having had plenty of opportunity
in the past to do so if such an in
vestment were attractive. 1t Is sug-
gested here that an argument for the
other side will be this matter of the
stimulation of trade. The government
line of vessels. being unconcerned
about profits. has no special motive for
acting as a trade boomer. while the
very competition of private lines makes
1t essential that they develop every
trade opportunity for the shippers at
home.
concrete case is seen in the Pana-
ma and Central American trade where
we have a government line-the Pana-
ma Railroad company's ships-com-
peting against a privately owned car
rier. The latter brings its boats to
the United States laden with bananas.
The manner in which 1t has popular
lied this once almost unknown fruit
until 1t has become one of the COM
monest and cheapest of foods is itself
not only a feat in advertising that
will rank with any business achieve
ment in history. but 1t Is a concrete
example OF the way in which private