The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-15
FoR CUBAN ExPANIoN.

/ The Chamber Of Commerce as q
whole and the Industrial commission of
that body have placed themselves on
Irecord as favoring the issuance OF
bonds for building and port de.
velopment in Cuba, enclosing the reso-
luton passed by the Southern Lumber
Dealers Association, which has made a
request to congress to authorize a Gu
ban bond Issue for this purpose.
Ports in all those countries are bad
~ congested. owing to strikes and poor
transportation to carry the goods from
the port Of entry to their destination.
The causes Of this condition are un-
doubtediy due to the lrage volume Of
goods which are being forward to GER
tain ports. thereby overtaxing the GUS
toms facilities.
Bruce Baird. Of the Foreign Trade
Department OF The Hibernia Bank ana
Trust Co, New Orleans, has the fol-
lowing to say on this subject:
The average American exporter. un-
less he has Travelled in these countries
and seen how these people conduct
! their business and has noted their mode
Iof living, does not understand their
customs and habits and is therefore at
q big disadvantage when endeavoring
to do business with them. The result
is that disputes arise which are detri-
mental to the business intercourse be-
tween the countries and leads the
Latin American to lose confidence in
Americans.
The Latin American is inclined to
speculate as we have seen during the
purchased sugar and rice on a specu-
lative basis. However. they are
shrewd and close buyers and hold their
honor and business integrity above all
else One Of the greatest insults which
can be done is to doubt their word or
question their integrity.
The American exporter also has
mistaken idea about selling his goods.
He would like the Latin American to
buy goods of designs, sizes, shape or
pattern which are now being used in
the United States, while the merchant
of the south desires goods according to
designs, sizes. shape or pattern which
he is accustomed to and which best fits
his needs. Unless the goods are made
to their abstraction they are inclined
to become discouraged with American
products and turn to Europe for salts
faction.
1t always IS best to ship standard
goods to these countries instead %
specially manufactured or, made 10
order" articles. Then, in case the
shipment is refused or other trouble
arises 4 ready market can be found.
Europe caters very specifically to-
their needs and as a result fast is get
ting the trade. European statesmen are
careful in taking orders, to under
stand exactly what is needed and then
to transmit the order to the foreign
manufacturer in such A way that there
can be no doubt as to the size. quality,
etc. of the goods and the result Is that
when the shipment actually arrives 1t
is very satisfying to the merchant.
The American exporter has many
things to learn about keeping the
standard OF the sample from which he
has sold. He is prone to say well it >
just as good" while in reality it is an
article that the Latin American can
neither use nor sell. and It not only
hurts his trade but also causes him a
loss.
Recently I stood at the door Of the
custom house in Tampico and saw
English. French and German goods en-
tered. They were marked in many
cases with two numbers and the reg
istered trade mark. No other numbers
of marks, not even the consignee's
name appeared on the outside OF the /
packages while American boxes, which |
were entered at the same time. had I
the manufacturers mark. the name
and address OF the exporter. which had /
never been erased when the box passed. /
through his hands, consignee's name /
and address ana the export number
The result was that 1t took the custom /
house entry officer Is seconds to enter /
a foreign box and ~ minute. BY ac-
tual time. to enter an American box
You can readily understand the eno--
nous loss Of time caused through the
poor marking Of American goods.
Foreign packages were bound. Grated