The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-11
RICH TRADE IN
PERSIA AWAITS
UNITED STATES
Legation Secretary Tells Of Demand
Of Troubled Nation for Cotton
Goods and Other Staples.

New York April 1l.-Jefierson CAT.
ferry, secretary Of the United States
legation at Tchcran, Persia, says the
Post states that opportunities for
trade In Persia are almost unlimited.
He remarked that anything American
was popular in Persia, and that nearly
all the merchants Of that city had
come to him asking about United
States cotton goods, cloths and shoes.
The country was practically in state
Of siege, he added, with three armies
within its borders devastating and de.
stroying. II was almost impossible to
buy foodstufis and he found great suf.
fering among the poor.
"The Persians are very anxious to
get United States goods" he said, "and
anything that has that trademark
on it is popular Nearly all the big
merchants in Teheran have come to
me at some time or other and have
legged me to find some way in which
10 get United States goods into the
country one reason why they are
so anxious to buy from rs is that dur
lllh INV lhHN lfN N'hl n We IldAN Ui'll
building up a reputation for fair deal.
ing In our foreign trade relations The
Pcrsans feel that the English. French
and German merchants who have been
selling 10 them at cXorbitant prices
have taken advantage of their situa-
tion.
"Nou see. Persia is practically cut
off from the rest Of the world, with
three armies within her borders. She
has been the Belgium. the cockpit, Of
Asia, since the days OF her great kings
1000 years ago Now the Russian ar.
mics in the north and the British and
the Turkish armies in the west and
south are fighting on her territory
and have wasted and burned as they
went
"Thc country is entirely without
railways, and the highways are in ter.
rible condition from the passage Of
armies back and forth The parcel
post facilities have been interrupted,
and it is very hard to get supplies into
the country At times ] found il al
most impossible to buy food, except
the very simplest necessities of life.
The poor Of the country are suffering
greatly.
"rhe commodity above all others
that / found the greatest demand for
in Persia was cotton goods. They
believe thg our cottons are very su.
perior to all others. Merchant after
merchant has come to me to ask me
If could not arrange TO sell them
CottOns They are also very anxious
10 buy our wOolens and shoes Other
staples would find a good market over
there.
"Aftcr the war | believe that United
States merchants can find a good mar
ket over there for their goods There
is population of 100000 not en-.
gagged in manufacture which must use
the product OF our factories. 1t is a
potentially rich country. and it is ca.
pable of development with the intelli-
gent use OF capital, such as will como
at the close OF the war.
Merchants over there will be glad
To pay cash now for what they can
get. There is considerable wealth
concentrated in the hands Of the mer-
chant class with the changes which
will come with the ending of the war,
and the readjustments in business ana
capital. the United States would do
we'll to cultivate this field
To get out of Teheran MIR Canery
found it necessary to drive three days
overland I'm "A Russian military auto.
mobile truck which was lent him by
Russian military authorities who at
the time were i'm possession of Tehc.
ran. lie was able to pass the Russian
posts with safety and hy avoiding
large towns whenever possible came
through without trouble. lie carried
camping equipment with him, as well
as food and servants. as hc was un.
able to buy anything ON the way.