New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16

90
=. than SlS5.Ooo,Oo0 for the fiscal
completed last month, and the
80, that for 1916 the figure will
:. u,s.oOo,OOO better than any CORE
.3;ns wear. the question naturally
ICES: Can we hold 1t?
=. my opinion, We can hold large
-. Il not all Of il If we so about
!. ri,h energy and common sense. This
- bpsiness for the United States is
-. IN the same class with temporary
.;.;on contracts; it is the kind of
.;.,ss VIC need. Part Of it is rep
ted bv increased orders from old
....orsrs. due 70 the fact that their
EDITORS are cut OF from sources
q, supply in Europe.
= Many instances. the war has
seed an opportunity for the intro
80, Of American goods to people
I've, before familiar with them. In
..,,msrsble cases the quality of these
-,oss IS better than they have been
,,,pstomed TO and the prices fair,
.,s, the quality is considered. Com
~. has been common about the
s.s,nl,v Of introducing new American
--.;siss because the people of South
.-s,;ca we're accustomed by a long
-. 10 buy certain things from
r~-ons and resisted efforts TO intro
- ANYTHING else. This complaint
-. ~. Undoubtedly we'll founded in
any cases but greatly exaggerated
believe. However. the fact now Is,
"a, through inability 10 get European
sr.icles they formally used, they are
sr,eptinc similar goods from US ana
are pleased with them.
Even Preferred L. 5. Goods.
Indeed. American business men in
S,n.h American countries told me OF
,srv cases where their new Gus
.onsrs preferred what they were now
buying from the United States and
ropld be most reluctant 10 return
% their old sources of supply. THIS
,.s,emert must be qualified, of course,
and the fact must also be emphasized
rat the prices for our goods must
De falr WAeu uOlUdi N4iilNS 4VN"tA az
orr credits must be reasonable. 1t
csnno. be denied that there are many
csses where the European article is
better FOR South American needs
han something similar which we
make. In such cases we must meet
ne need and keep our specifications
and contracts when they are once fixed:
n discussing the situation, one OF
he sblest statesmen representing
United States houses in South
america said 70 me recently:
We are not doing as much bust
ness as we were before the war, but
70 is gaining every day. | could do
three times as much if | could get
shipments and better freight rates,
but the outlook is more encouraging
Than ! have seen il at any time IN
Afieen wears in these countries. l
an selling 20 scores of customers
whom l have never been able TO IN
,erest before The purchases now
are not large, but in the aggregate
they amount 70 something. ! am not
ia the least afraid Of competition
after the war"
Dragging Talk Menace.
One Of the greatest menaces TO our
progress in South America is Dragging
,slk about a commercial conquest
and the fact that in the last eighteen
months many inexperienced houses
sent men out who took orders which
they were unable 10 deliver. Many
contracts given in good faith were re-
jected. and on others prices were
changed by cable without explana-
uon. Frequently purchasers were ad-
vssd that goods could not be shipped
a. all weeks after the orders were
given.
What we most need 20 hold what we
have and further expand our South
and Central American business is real
commercial preparedness. II is time
Tor US 10 study it out now, reach our
own conclusions as 20 what the situa-
ton will be and plan for it
II | were contemplating the course
Of nv business in the Pan-American
Countries after the war | should try
% imagine the situation my European
COMPETITORS will be in. When an
American manufacturer stops TO con-
sider the burdens of disrupted organi--
zsrons. record breaking taxation and
serious labor and social problems to be
faced. and imagines them transferred
70 his own business, he may develop
some new ideas.
Competition After the War.
So far as competition in South
American trade is concerned when
peace is restored. obviously there are
some factors which are speculative. On
the other hand. however, there are
some details which | think have not
received sufficient consideration thus
Jar. For one thing, it is TO be remem-
bered that the shelves Of South
America are getting pretty bare. II
TIE war should end this fall and the
normal movement of goods from Eu-
rope could start at once it would take
nearly year 10 put South American
stocks back where they were. linen
there are current requirements 70 be
supplied.
Il is unlikely, of course. that there
would be an increase IN business IN
one year representing restoration OF
STOCKS plus normal consumption, out
since these countries are now accumu-
loting favorable trade balances and
gave been piling up resources In the
last ten months, and since this prog
Toss Is continuing steadily, there is eX-
eellent reason for believing that the
south American demand from all d.
!ectlons after the war will be largely
extended for a time at least. Gradu-
ally u will get back 10 normal.
The principal competition IN south
america before the war was between
England and Germany. The contest VIII
% between these two after the war so
.sr as Europe is concerned. The queS-
uon Is how far il may go. The oulld-
ng up Of German trade IN south
america before 1914, in the opinion OF
many competent business men IN south
Hihenea, was not due 70 serious price
S-tng, but 10 clever handling OF the
BUSINESS plus British indifference
GREAT Britain was the biggest single
.ee'or In the trade Of the South Ameri-
, ian countries, the largest investor IN