366 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.
A professor of economics, who has made a special study of tariff
and trust problems. says:
They should be able to deal more successfully because of the greater value
and abundance of detailed information they could give their members—information
 which it might be difficult or too expensive for individuals to obtain.

2. THE ABILITY TO TEMPT THE FOREIGN BUYER BY DOING MORE FOR
BM. —Could ask lower prices—An economist, who was formerly
professor of economics in a Chinese university, speaks of the advantage
 to be gained—
* * * through the increased efficiency * * * and the consequent ability
to lower prices and attract customers.
Could offer a greater variety of goods.—A lawyer declares:
They would have a much greater variety of products to offer for sale.
Could standardize methods and products—This advantage is expressed
 thus by a respondent:
It is probable that the needs of foreign buyers might be more easily ascertained,
 and standardized forms, qualities, methods of shipping, and credit arrangements
 could be adjusted so as better to meet such needs.
Could give better information to buyers.—The secretary and treasarer
 of a railway organization, who has traveled in South America,
declares:

Such an association would have available information as to the general supply
 of raw materials and the general supply of manufactured products and
the available supply of products of its members for export. In fact, the whole
situation of the market in the United States could be presented to the combination
 ‘of foreign buyers without that combination being compelled to make individual
 inquiries among the hundreds of mills and manufacturers in the United
States.
Could maintain a fixed policy —A director of the Tax Payers’
Association of New Mexico writes:

A single organization would become well known and would have a continuous
 and fixed policy upon which foreign buyers could depend.
Could adjust credits to needs of buyers.—An exporter emphasizes
this advantage:
They would have greater facilities to extend credit to foreign customers,
which end could be accomplished as well through our banks if they could be
induced to establish foreign agencies. In the South [South America], Europe
takes the trade away from us because they can offer long-time credits, sometimes
 even a year or more.
An exporter of machinery agrees that—
With greater capital than individuals [such an organization] could offer better
credit conditions.

B. DISADVANTAGES.
1. INEFFICACY TO MEET THE SITUATION.—A student of trusts and
labor problems answers:

Cooperative organizations could withhold supply and force high prices, but we
can not develop markets by forcing unnaturally high prices. No foreign buyers’
combination can force price below cost of production. Unless price paid by
foreign combination is reasonable, goods will not be supplied. The law of supply
and demand is the best protection to the efficient producer.
Another objection urged by an exporter is the difficulty any such
combine would encounter in representing the wishes of all the different
 member manufacturers.