, 1924-06-05
OUR LATIN AMERICAN TRADE

WASHINGTON, JUNE 3. - Ac-
cording to the Department of Com
merce the trade of the United States
with Latin America in the calendar
year 1923 amounted to $1,744,OOO,-
900, an INCREASE of 121 per cent
over that OF the fiscal year 1894,
which closed just before the World
War started, and 26 per cent over
the calendar year 1922.
Our imports, $1,05O 900, 900 were
greater by lis per cent than in
1894 and 20 per cent greater
than in 1922. Exports Increased by
100 per cent ove the pre-war year
1894 and nearly 25 per cent over
1922, amounting to $694, 900 900.
by reason of its growth in the
past, its promise for the future"
say the Department, land more par
ticalarly the diversity OF products
entering into it, this trade is a mat
ter of increasing interest, not only
to our manufacturers and exporters
but to our whole population" In
1928 the United States purchased
from the Latin Americas $185,O0O,-
. 900 worth Of coffee; $44, OOO,0 of
linseed; $42,OOO,0OO of nitrate;
$4,000. 900 of wool; and $4,000
900 of cacao.
The nitrate from Chile and sew
eral million dollars worth of fiber,
principally from Mexico, in addition
to meeting other industrial require
ments, afforded fertilizer and binder
Irvine for our farmers, who in turn
sold to Latin America hams and
bacon valued at $4,000 900; picked
pork $500, 900; lard $4,000, 900;
milk $500, 900; butter 81, 900
cheese $S.600.000; eggs $4,000. 900.
Corn $4,000, 900; rice $~2,250.0OO;
flour $4,000 900; and leaf tobacco
$1,50O,O00. This represented over
ST 900 on these IL classes OF
goods alone.
In addition were such elaborate
products OF the farms and forests
$50.00O,000 wood and its manufac-
lures $2S. 900. 900. and %turpentine
and rosin $4,000 600. We bought
from Latin Aemrica $45,000,0 900
worth of hides and sole it $4,000
900 worth OF leather, and many mil
lions in leather products, including
$14,50O, 900 worth of shoes. Petrol
cum sales to these countries tOtaled
more than SAB. 900, 900, and manu-
features OF metals tUtaled a great
many millions, including automobiles
valued at $22,000,00O and agricul-
tural implements at SIS 500 900.
AN OF the Latin American
tries are in that state of economic
development where the energies ii
the people are chiefly devoted to the
OF raw materials rather
Than CT manufactured goods. An in
teresting feature in the trade OF the
different regions is the specializa-
ton of each in some product and
the consequent dependence OF theil
prosperity on foreign markets. Not
able examples are sugar in Cuba;
nitrate in chill; wheat, wool, meat,
and hides in the River Plate
tries; coffee in southern Brazil and
the Caribbean region; cacao in
Ecuador; anu bananas in Central
America.
The needs of the Latin Americas
are for The finished products Of the
world. II although the difficulty in
obtaining shipments from abroad af-
ter 1914 stimulated home manufac-
lures in some OF the mere advanced
and populous countries. ii is still
necessary to import the bulk of man
uiactured goods, n probably will
be for years.
Foreign and local competition is
felt by American sellers OF textiles
in Brazil. Mexico, Peru. and Column
bia: shoes in Argentina. Peru. Brazil
and Mexico, and flour, confectionery,
etc, In Argentina and Chile.