228  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA

duction  is  best  adapted  to  your  special  line  is  a
matter  for  you  alone  to  determine.
Assuming  that  your  capital  and  commodity
warrants  you  in  establishing  a  branch  house
in  each  individual  country  or  in  a  group  of
countries,  which  is  by  far  the  best  plan  of  conducting ­
  your  business,  the  question  of  prime
importance  is  that  you  should  be  located  in  or
near  the  leading  seaport  in  order  that  you  may
be  close  to  shipping  as  well  as  to  be  able  to
superintend  personally  the  discharge  of  goods
and  their  clearance  through  the  slow  moving
native  custom  houses.  Great  care  should  be
taken  to  be  on  the  leading  line  of  railway,  or
near  as  many  different  lines  as  possible  in
order  to  facilitate  the  forwarding  of  goods  to
their  destination  and  to  the  interior.  These
are  vital  factors  and  should  be  carefully
weighed  in  determining  your  location.  If
your  business  is  one  requiring  the  carrying  of
a  large  and  varied  stock,  it  will  be  rather  difficult ­
  to  get  proper  warehousing  accommodations ­
  especially  in  the  metropolis  or  port  and