The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-17
Big TRADE READY
FOR U. S. IN BRAZIL
Stocks of German Goods Are
Exhausted, While Needs
of Country Grow.
PATIENCE TO WIN MUCH
Care Shown for Smaller Orders
Will Build Up Great
Business.
BY n. r. O'CONNOR.

BY n. r. O'CONNOHs
II takes time and It takes experiences
to establish trade anywhere. We can't
expect to 20 to new country where
our products and their excellence are
unknown and count on every one jump
ing in to buy our wares. II we have
something that everybody uses and hap
pen to land where previous stocks are
all sold out and no new supplies In
sight for months we are merely In great
luck!
To-day Brazil has exhausted her
stock OF German goods, which 1t took
many years of patient. persistent work
to introduce No further supplies can
be counted on from that source imme-
diately. Even II German trade could
resume at once its march of progress
interrupted by the war, AZ would be
severely handicapped by the aversion
engendered in Brazil by the German
war conduct.
This Ia the time for the United States
to establish its trade on a firm and last
ing basis. Shortly before the war Ger
man goods sent to Brazil were sur
passed in value only by those from
Great Britain, while the United States
was a poor third Yet during the same
period the United States bought from
Brazil almost twice as much as Ger
many and more than twice as much as
Great Britain.
In 1915 the United States imported
from Brazil in round numbers s129.o0o.-
900 OF goods. Great Britain s45.000.000
worth. Germany mono. In that same
year we sold to Brazil about $4,000, 900
of our products, Great Britain about
$4,000, 900 and Germany about $50, 900.
Cash Received BY Brazils
These figures show that Brazil In that
year got $50, 600. 900 more in cash from
US that we got from Brazil. The Bra
zilians could have bought from us fifty
million dollars more than they did and
have come out even. II we can induce
them to buy our products they have
plenty OF trade balance credit to pay
for them. They have the balance we
ourselves have given them.
II is a simple matter to determine
what induces a man to buy goods when
he Is able to pay for them He needs
them. he can count on their quality. and
he can get them regularly when h.
wants them.
knowledge OF his needs and desires,
OF what he has been in the habit OF
| using. an equality in price and value
with his former purchases and an as
| surance of straightforward business at
tention and regularity-these are the
persuasive elements we can and must
use.
In the past some Of our foreign traders
have followed the wrong method They
have done more harm to the development
| OF American influence and business than
| II they had kept out of the market al
| together
There Is no advantage to anybody con-
cerned in trying to corner the agencies
| OF all the manufacturing concerns in the
United States. No one can attend to
| more than certain amount OF business
and do it right. Let the other fellow
| have a chance and don't try to hog 1t
all.
A steady but sure progress Is what
will build up our influence and our
| wealth. We can't begin too early to re-
| alize this truth We may be lucky and
hit it once or twice without much sys-
| tenn. But II we don't take the trouble to
| learn the rules of the game and methods
| which experience has proved sound we'll
come to grief before long.
Generally the foreisner gives TO senti-
rent greater weight in his business rela-
| tons than we do. We all know II Is
much easier to lose a friend than to
| make one and that II is almost an I'M
possibility TO win back confidence once
| lost.
| Neglect Menaces Trade.
Here is a case in point An American
firm already doing a good commission
| business in Brazil solicited and obtained
an agency for a manufacturer of novel
| ties. An order came from a big mer-
| chant in Brazil. at amounted to a couple
! of hundred dollars only. Evidently the
merchant was cautious and considered
| this merely a trial order. Instead OF
devoting particular attention TO this new
| demand our commission house, already
| stocked up with more agencies than II
could properly handle, neglected this
| order and It never even reached the man.
VIA cturer. After considerable delay the
merchant wrote about II. His order
could not be found. A duplicate was re-
auested Instead OF this the merchant
was offended and sent the duplicate to
an English firm. The small order was
| filed and less than two months after
ward the British firm received new one
! for more than $4,000.
| Our newspapers and trade. journals
| have tried for years to drill into the
| minds of our business people the need
| OF careful packing where goods are
destined for transportation by sea. Yet
| the view in a foreign custom house
almost every day shows how little this
| important principle is taken to heart
! Improper packages arrive in bad order.
| Articles are lost damaged or stolen.
| The result is constant pickering. Claims
| lust and unjust, incessant and mutual
| distrust and recrimination take the
place of confidence and satisfaction.
Are we lazy. Indifferent or incompe-
tent? Slpshod. hit or miss methods
will never attain success either for the
| Individual or for the nation. The best
plans, the most careful instruction will
not avail unless we individually follow
those plans and carry out those instruc-
lions with zeal and persistence.
A third important point is the study
| OF the natives wishes.
When any Ole baSs .an%o rticlA re buys
II to suit himself not the seller. How
can we expect the foreigner much more
conservative than we are In his habits
and ways of thinking, TO accept from US
what we think is good for him because
we ind II in demand here?
Our customer is a man like ourselves