The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-03-25
BETTER FEELING
WITH MEXICO

Mexico City.-Local newspapers re-
fer to the United States Mexican
Trade Conference which recently
closed its sessions here as of "tran-
scendent importance" and predicted
that as result there will be "closer
relations between the two republics,
better understanding and mutual
amity." They express the hope that
this conference will be made an annual
affair.
That Mexico is fertile field for
American trade expansion was admit
ted by all speakers, and all agreed that
if the United States is to get its share
of business there must be a revision
of its trade methods. A point insisted
upon by persons acquainted with the
country was that the ''cash in advance"
policy must be abandoned, or at least
modified Germany and Great Britain,
who appeared to be the principal com
mercial competitors, are liberal with
their credits, it was declared, and
Latin temperament does not take kind
ly to a policy that even hints at per-
sonal dishonesty.
Score American Banks.
American banks were severely scored
during the discussion for an alleged
lack of cooperation with American
exporters in the matter of credits and
other accommodations that might faci-
litate business. Representatives Of
these banks declared in defense that
there was no disposition to discrimi-
nate, and that suitable credit stand
ing is all that is necessary.
F. w. Dunkerley, local banker, and
representative of the American Bank
ers' Association, said that Mexican
banks are opening commercial credits
in the United States, Europe, China
and Japan, and that system of trade
acceptance is being worked out. He
urged larger American investments.
"The opportunity is here" he declared,
Ethe. time is propitious and some one
is going to furnish the necessary
capital We hope it will be largely
American"
Prospective advertisers in the repub-
lie were given many helpful hints by
merchants here, all of them compli-
menting the newspapers upon their
general reliability and worth.
"Send representatives to Mexico who
speak the language, Spanish" was
another injunction impaired by many
speakers. "The reason Germany is
strong here" declared one, lis be-
cause every business man who comes
here speaks Spanish as f1uently as his
native tongue. He has been educated
to understand the people; he lives
as they do, and he more than any
other foreigner, marries into Mexican
families. Moreover, he has one bust
ness policy that few American firms
follow. He fills an order exactly as
it is given. One of the principal OBJ
jections Mexicans find with American
firms is their consistent substitution
with something just as good That,
coupled with harsh credit system,
makes entry difficult"
The conference did little formal
business. An address by John j..
Arnold of San Francisco, representing
the American Bankers Association,
in which he advocated the calling of
an international banking conference,
and the establishment of an interna-
tional clearing house, resulted in the
appointment of committee to draft
resolution endorsing this sentiment.
The committee, however, failed to re-
port. Another resolution which lacked
formal sanction provided for a system
of exchange of students between
American and Mexican universities.