October 1, 1914] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



1 



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Published on the 1st of each Month by 



THE INDIA RUBBER PUBLISHING GO. 



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HENRY C. PEARSON, Editor 



Vol. 51. 



OCTOBER 1, 1914. 



No. 1 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS ON LAST PAGE OF READING. 



THE FLOOD-TIDE OF OPPORTUNITY. 



OOMETIMES it happens that reasons, astronomical 

 ^ and meteorological, are combined to bring upon a 

 coast a high tide, the memory of which lives in history, 

 legend and song. Whether it brings disaster or oppor- 

 tunity, the high-tide of a lifetime or of centuries brings 

 the time for action. This year of 1914 brings to Ameri- 

 can exporters a high tide of opportunity such as. they 

 have not known before and will not know again. They 

 have had seven years of practically unchecked prosperity. 

 The old threats of unsettling the monetarv standard 

 are as dead as that of danger from the French and In- 

 dians. We have a financial law satisfactory alike to con- 

 servative bankers and to merchants anxious for expand- 

 ed credits — a law which, in the opinion of most financiers, 

 makes forever impossible the recurrence of the old-time 

 panics. The Panama Canal has been opened, giving eas\ 

 access to new markets and giving the American a posi- 

 tion of vantage at the meeting place of the commerce of 

 the world. The tariff law recently enacted opens our 

 markets to return cargoes from the countries of the 

 south — wool. meat--, lumber and sugar being added to the 

 free list, which already held the great staples of coffee. 



rubber and cocoa. Steps have already been taken under 

 the new banking act to establish American branch banks 

 in the most important cities of South America and such 

 banks are certain to be multiplied, having close relations 

 with the existing South American banks. 



With this flood of opportunity comes the tremendous 

 i the great European war, which in a moment ab- 

 solutely annihilates the export trade of the country hold- 

 ing second place among the trading nations of the world. 

 Until peace is declared, or there is accomplished the im- 

 probable event of Germany obtaining control of the sea, 

 the great export I that country lies open to pre- 



emption on the part of whoever is sufficiently alert and 

 enterprising for the task. The P.ritish are going after 

 this trade with all the energy they may summon, but they 

 have the distraction of a war which has threatened their 

 national life and a war expenditure of not less than three 

 million dollars a day, and they have plenty to do in look- 

 ing after the trade which they already possess. 



The old complaint of lack of direct lines is in a fair 

 way to be obviated. Americans may now go into the 

 markets of the world and buy ships as they may buy 

 other things necessar} to commerce and industry. Our 

 country, during the next twelve months, will have more 

 money free for the best-paying enterprise than all the 

 rest of the world combined. Nothing stands in the way 

 of a vast extension of American trade, except the failure 

 of the manufacturers to take full advantage of their op- 

 portunity. 



If they look for "easy money" by marking up domestic 

 prices and say, "Who cares for abroad?" they will 

 their answer soon enough. They will enjoy their ease 

 for a year or two and then find themselves hard pressed 

 in their own markets by the competitors they have al- 

 lowed to distance them in the trade which might have 

 been theirs. They must go after the Spanish-American 

 trade with promptitude and vigor. They must make im- 

 mediate and intelligent effort to find what clashes of 

 goods are wanted in the various countries and send 

 agents who speak Spanish and who understand the busi- 

 ness and social customs of the people whose trade they 

 are to solicit — not demand. They must get out attractive 

 and intelligible catalogs in the language of the coun- 

 try to which they are going. They must take pain 

 fill the little orders with exactly the goods the cust' 

 de-ires. They must obey shipping directions implicitly 

 and to the last letter. If they fail in this regard, 

 lose all that effort has gained. They must give as : 

 credit as their customer has hitherto received from Euro- 



