The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-05-02
BUSINESS METHODS
NEEDED IN ASIA
Minister HOrnibrOOk Writes
Article From Siam.
SYSTEMATIC EFFORT SHOULD BE
MADE TO GET TRADE OF ORIENT.
Give Customers What They Want,
Advertise Judiciously and Deliver
Goods, He Says.

That the exporters from this coun-
try to the Orient should adopt the
same principles in dealing with Ash
atics that they do in dealing with Am
ericans, give their customers what
they want; that conditions in the far
east should be studied comprehen-
sively and intelligently; that adver-
tising should be freely and intelligent
ly INDUCED in; that we should give
more attention to the upbuilding of
our merchant marine, and that we
should send our best statesmen to
Asia, equipped for the work there, are
suggestions made by William H. Hor-
nibrook, a former citizen of this city,
now United States minister to Siam,
in a letter published in the current
issue of Leslies magazine. The arti-
Gle follows:
How much longer will American
business men continue to sleep upon
their rights in the Far East? This is
a question in which every patriotic
American citizen should be deeply in
terested. 1t is a question which sug-
gests itself to every American tourist
and has been made the subject for
scores of consular reports by our COM
mercial representatives on this side
of the Pacific. But our delay in sub
stituting an aggressive commercial
policy for that of inaction and indif-
ference has not only attracted the at
tention of our own citizens 1t has
been the marvel of our European and
Japanese competitors who are slowly
but surely obtaining a strongle-hold
upon business, which by every rule of
geography and common sense should
be rightfully ours. In the Far East
are millions of Asiatic mouths to feed
and millions of naked bodies to be
clothed. In no other section of the
world is there a greater opportunity
to convert American enterprise into
dollars and cents. What are we going
to do about it? Wait for the Asiatics
to come to us or go to them? But be-
fore answering this question the busi-
ness man asks for bill of particulars.
He demands definite and concrete in
formation. A brief review of the me-
thods adopted by our trade competi-
tors in the markets of the world may
therefore prove interesting. The con-
ditions in Siam may be regarded as
typical of those in other sections OF
the Far East and l will therefore refer
briefly to the methods adopted by the
Europeans and Japanese in this coun-
try
Years ago these manufacturers sent
trained specialists to this section OF
the world to make a comprehensive
study of the commercial needs of the
inhabitants. Every article used by
the native population of Siam, from
the bright cOlored panung to the artis-
tically designed beetle-nut box, was
made the subject of most careful in
vestigation. Samples of fabrics, styles
and designs, were secured and for
warded to the manufacturer who very
promptly turned his attention to the
work of making an exact reproduction
of merchandise which he knew in ad-
vance would find a ready market. But
the progressive and wide-awake pio-
neer of European trade did not stop
with the production of the finished ar
ticle. He knew that freight which
might be safely transported. by rail