The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-02-19

Grease. II We do not analyzc Them too
carefully.
a compilation by the foreiRn trade
department 81 the National city bank
shows totals ct this trade for 1915 to
ho si65. 600 OO0. which II $40, o00. 900
larger than 1918 and 500. 600. 600
larger ,han 1912. which was one of
the better years IN the last seven or
business done In 1905 sgii. 3g5.tGO.
But Increased selling If Goods to
South America. not buying cf them.
IL what We are trying To bring about.
and u appears from the san.c tables
that Il IN IN imports that the figures
have been swelling, and lot in ex-
ports. Dur imports from South
America last year amounted to $500
0Oo. 600, against $2s. 600, 900 In 1914
ana tiss. oo0. 900 the year before.
But our exports to South America
last year amounted t. was 00o. 900.
In 1914. due To war paralysis. these
were only S9I. 900, 900. u In true. but
In 1918. n normal year, they amount
ed to sit6.5l4Ooo We have accord
ingly not quite r~e-establishcd The level
of sales made before the war, and
the goal Of getting the business In the
South American markets. formerly
held by European sellers, In still far
| off.
THAT we have ndt maze greater
progress thus far IL due to 4 number
OF things says the Weekly Trade
Review Of New York. "our mer-
| chants have had little experience In
attracting foreign customers. IN esti-
uniting foreign credit. In making
goods attractive to foreign peoples.
United states laws are so framed
against any united effort ut conquer.
ing foreign markets that cooperation
is practically forbidden and may even
be construed as criminal. And so the
individual merchant must compete
alone against strong combinations OF
other governments with their busi-
ness men. which are using every
%agency of efficiency and ~ scientific.
economic fundamentally to undo
| rivals. This In manifcstly unfair
II is more. II Is outrageous. The cam
paign Is also harasscd. or will be
later, by lack Of our own merchant
marine. Freight plays 50 important
n part In this operation that cur NOR
chants are in the hands of foreign
ship owners. unprotected against be-
ms fleeccd. Ana here again our gov
eminent s,arGs In the way.
The trouble Is not with Amcri-
can capital. There liz ample capital
] and to spare ready to omoark In a
| development Of American shipping.
] asking no government aid but only
the opportunity To be placed upon an
icqunl footing with The capital of other
countries. American capital today
owns a million tons of shipping ton
naee TINT Is forced to sail under for
cign flags. not because IL lacks gov-
ornment AID. but because II has had
imposed upon II government restric-
tons that make competition under
normal conditions well nigh impossi-
bile This il from Mr.. vandcrlip's
impressive address before ;hc recent
foreign trade convention. He says
further:
America has the mos, extraor-
binary opportunity that ever came TO
a nation quickly to take a place of
the very first importance In lnterna
%,ional trade. That opportunity il
based upon factors OF the greatest
Importance in our domestic
factors Of worldwide Significance IN
the handicaps n n a gigantic war has
laid upon our competitors. and factors
of novel openings which we mud IN the
present position OF nectrai markets.
The main obstacles in our way will b..
obstacles Of our own making or de-
iicicncies IN our " character and
political structure. The firal result
VIII accord very accurately with oui
true deserts. America will succeed in
Just about the measure that America
deserves To- succeed. We snail not
need government aids 80 much az We
shall need To be relieved from poy-
eminent handicaps. There need he
no falling short OF what 1t l. possible
10 accomplish with the intelligent CO.
ordination of our natural resources.
our labor and the directive Initiative
Of our business men
1t has come about through the
greatest upheaval at any period in
history that We have been thrown in
voluntarily into a position Were the
commerce Of the world aad the gold
OF the world IL flowing In 10 Us. This
tide will stop some time. Tnon, only
through international trade firmly
established. can we prevent the COM