310  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA

quick  transportation  service  of  to-day  are  unwise ­
  and  unnecessary.  Under  no  conditions
should  more  than  six  months  time  be  allowed
and  that  only  for  some  special  line  dependent
upon  some  future  contingency,  such  for  instance ­
  as  crops—agricultural  machinery  being ­
  a  good  illustration.  Staples  and  necessities ­
  require  less  time  to  dispose  of  and  ninety
days  should  be  ample.  If  possible  it  might  be
wise  to  get  the  customer  to  agree  to  pay  onethird
  of  the  invoice  on  receipt  of  shipping  documents ­
  and  the  balance  in  sixty  or  ninety  days.
On  overdue  accounts,  the  Latin  American
merchant  has  always  been  accustomed  to  pay
a  good  rate  of  interest.