Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1901 — TRADE IN LATIN AMERICAS. [ARTICLE]

TRADE IN LATIN AMERICAS.

Why the United States Loea Not Se-cure-Its Shore Thereof. Minister Loomis maintains that the United States does not have, in any part of Latin America, the share of trade which its productivity and proximity entitle it to. The Germans, the English, the French and even the Spanish exhibit a higher degree of commercial intelligence than we do in dealing with the Latin Americans. merchants and manufacturers are loath to understand that in order to succeed in Central or South America they must conform to the business methods to which centuries of usage have given the force and prestige of national customs. If we want to do business with the South Americans we must, in a large measure, do business in their way, and not try to force our methods upon them, though we, may be convinced that our manner of conducting commercial affairs is superior to theirs. The Latin-American merchant is ae customed to long credit. Six months is the usual period, but sometimes it is a year. He will pay, but he must have time in which to pay, for it is the custom of the South American trader to be a banker as well as a merchant, and he has to make large advances in money and supplies to the owners of coffee and other plantations to enable them to pay their laborers, and the merchant doefe not expect repayment until the coffee crop is harvested and sold, once a year. So it will be seen that long time in making his own payments is essential to him. The European merchants and manufacturers understand this, and arrange to give the South American merchant ample time in which to meet his obligations. The Europeans make a caraful, comprehensive systematic study of the conditions and necessities of the Latin-American market, and then set to work in an intelligent way to meet and satisfy those conditions and needs. —Success.