432 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

Jamaica and some of the other West Indian possessions of Great Britain, where
a preferential duty of 25 cents a barrel is given Canadian flours, and in
British South Africa, where the duty in favor of Canada is $1.20 a barrel.
A manufacturer of pharmaceutical products makes the following
statement along the same line:

In France no pharmaceutical can be manufactured or sold unless it is owned
outright by a French pharmacist. An American pharmaceutical is therefore
practically prohibited. This is unfair, and we think the United States should,
by treaty arrangements, attempt to mend conditions so that pharmaceuticals
can be manufactured and sold in that country whether owned by French
pharmacists or by American capital. We see no reason why French pharmaceuticals
 should be. permitted to come into this country in great volume,
as they now do, with no restrictions, and also to be manufactured here, and,
at the same time, permit France to exclude our preparations.
It is almost impossible to do business in Brazil unless you manufacture in
that country. The duty is prohibitive. Some manufacturers have succeeded
by putting up their own plants in Brazil. We believe this matter should be
arranged by treaty. South American countries have very high duties on pharmaceuticals.
 These should be reduced.

Government cooperation.—According to a small manufacturer,
who exports about 10 per cent of his product, active cooperation and
support by the Government exists in England. He says:
We understand that the English, who have imported practically all of their
optical goods, are organizing one or two large companies to produce the goods
which have heretofore been imported, and also to take over such portions of
the foreign trade as they can obtain. In fact, we received a report of a meeting
which was held at the organization of one of these companies and st which
the Lord Mayor of London spoke and offered the active cooperation and support
of the city government toward making the organization a success.
The sales manager of a manufacturing concern also states that
among other things we need—
* * #* cooperation backed by our Government for the purpose of advertising,
 selling, and establishing credits of foreign customers.
A prominent consulting engineer also makes the following suggestions
 relative to the qualifications of cooperating officials:
The selection of consuls for appointment from business concerns, particularly
 those familiar with foreign trade conditions.
The requirement that consuls should speak the language of the country to
which they are sent.
Placing the consular service upon civil-service basis, so that the appointment
 is for life, with retirement at certain ages and pensions, and with a
salary and Government residency to secure first-class men without their
engagement in trade.
The Government to furnish prominent display facilities in all of the principal
 countries for American products where reliable information could be
disseminated.

Customs of the country in which sales are to be made—A commission
 merchant who has spent 30 years studying foreign trade for
various chambers of commerce replies that— *
To be successful in the export business it is, before all, necessary to know
thoroughly the conditions, customs, and likes or dislikes of the country and the
people with whom one wishes to deal. Unless an American has lived in that
particular country for a great many years, it will be utterly impossible to judge
as to all these conditions. Even if he thinks that he can do it after he has
visited that particular country twice or three times, he will find, in the long
tun, that he is mistaken.
For this reason, the most successful exporters are those who employ as their
selling agents in the various countries natives of that particular country, but
it would be a great mistake to leave the entire management to those parties