The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-01-28

The change in the financial rela-
tions of the United States with the
European nations that has taken place
within the last year should be con-
ducive to foreign investments" said
President Edward J. Berwind, of the
Berwfnd-White Coal Co., New York,
in the discussion upon Investment
IN Latin America American capital
now has the opportunity as never be-
fore to assume the relation to Latin
America that has been held hereto
fore by the European nations
TT is now possible for US to acquire
upon advantageous terms the owner
ship or control of railroads. public
utilities and 'industriaIa enterprises
which hitherto have looked to England
and to the Continent for their finan-
cia1 support. Investments can thus be
secured which will give not only pro-
fita.b1e employment to American cap
1taI, but will. in turn. powerfully slim
uIate interest in the products of our
industries. The way mas been cleared
for the progressive development Of our
trade with LatinAmericas upon a
lsounder and more secure basis than
ever before.
s'The need for better machinery for
the financing of foreign investment
promises to be meet in an efficient
and satisfactory manner.
There is probably more capital
available for foreign investment at
the present time in the United States
than ever before and there is ample
opDorturdtv- for the. use Of money in
LatinAmerica- If the investor and the
opportunity can be brought together
upon a basis of confidence and secur-
ity q powerful stimulus will be given
to our foreign trade, and an advantage
VII be gained for our commerce that
viii be difficult to disturb.
49, ro5f..
uent, and at the same time the most
dangerous, is the expIoitation of for
eiem concessions of many varieties
with which INSCRIPTIONS promoters
appeal to the cupidity of unwise or
unWary investors. While in the ag-#
gregate the amount of money thus
placed at risk is not very large, the
effect upon the unfortunate investors,
and Indirectly upon more cautious
capital, is to create distrust of legfti-
mate and worthy investments in the
countries to the south OF US.
The erninentIy practical form of in
vestTnent in foreign countries is the
establishment of branch factories or
distributing depots to care directly for
the trade Of the tributary territory
The helpful influence exerted upon
American capital abroad is traceable
in various forms. Such an evidence of
our foreign trade by the investment OF
naturally creates similar confidence in
the country or the community where
the money is invested. The merchant
who demands always the confidence
of the purchaser but shows no CON
fidence in return falls far short of
realizing the ideal conditions of trade
1t has been too much the policy of
American merchants in their search
for foreign trade to assume that all
the world should have unquestioning
confidence in all <flfngs American
without recognizing that the rest OF
the world may properly claim at least
fair measure of our confidence.
This principle applies probably with
greatest force. IN the Latin-American
countries. where confidence is perhaps
larger factor in trade than in the
more highly developed foreign mar
kets with which we have dealings.
THE investments of American capt.
tai in any foreign enterprise has a di-
rect influence upon the purchase or
American products. AS specific ex-
ampies Of this may be- cited the large
purchases of American-made equip
ment for Cuban sugar mills and min
ing machinery for Mexican enter
prfses. Preference in purchase is
most likely to be given to the country
from which capital comes"