Salvador of the Twentieth Century

by Percy F. Martin

Yet another point to which the attention of British manufacturers may be drawn is the unattractive manner in which the cheaper classes of goods are turned out. I have in previous publications shown how trade with the Latin-American countries is injured by the extremely commonplace and often ugly coverings and wrappings used upon boxes or bindings. The question is, "Why should an article, because it is perhaps cheap, be made particularly ugly?" The long-established custom among our manufacturers of using the commonest and crudest of coverings is matched by their fondness for finishing off their cheaper articles in the dullest and least attractive of colours or casings. This is in striking contrast to both American and German manufacturers, whose artistic taste is shown in the manner in which their goods—often mere rubbish though they be—are packed, and with very excellent results, so far as the export trade is concerned. In an age like ours, when lithography of every description is so cheap and taste in design so improved, it seems wholly absurd that good orders should be continually lost on account of their non-adoption.

I have heard of another idea which I may pass on to manufacturers of small articles enjoying a large sale in these countries, and this is to procure, through anyone living in the country, photographs of the rulers—the Presidents and Vice-Presidents—and use them lavishly upon their labels and box-covers whenever possible. The people are extremely fond of collecting these cheap oleographs and pasting them upon their walls and windows; and in all parts of South and Central America may be seen thousands of the pictures of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, of the Kaiser, and even of famous actresses. How much more readily would the features of a familiar ruler or a popular Minister help the sale of a cheap material or a low-priced article of any kind? The desire to secure something for nothing—or as an extra "thrown in"—is as predominant in Latin-America as elsewhere in the world, and must be pandered to.

View of the new Avenida leading to San Salvador, taken from the north.

View of the new Avenida leading to San Salvador, taken from the north.

Salvador is one of the many Latin-American States whose great richness and prosperity repose in their immediate future. In area it is one of the smallest of the Central American Republics, but it is in no whit less important from a prospective development point of view. Its superficial area is but 7,225 miles, but its population is considerably over 1,000,000, which gives it an average to the square mile much in excess of either Guatemala, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua. It is, moreover, an easier country to deal with, physically considered, since it is in fully three parts of its area quite amenable to cultivation. It is remarkably well-watered, it is richly endowed with mineral deposits, and its people are a quiet, peaceful, and industrious race, well-disposed towards foreigners, and with as much distaste nowadays for revolutions and internecine disturbances as their immediate neighbours would appear to display for similar diversions.

In a word, Salvador seems to offer at the present time an excellent field for the investment of both capital and enterprise. It is quite clear that the favourable position existing is also appreciated, since the country is, and has for some time past been, full of the "commercial ambassadors"—in other words, of commercial travellers—representing the manufacturing trade of the United States and of many European houses, mainly German.

While several British firms still maintain their connection with the Republic, there are to be found barely half a dozen British houses throughout the length and breadth of the country. This is all the more surprising since the names—and nothing but the names—of many one-time influential British firms are to be seen on the door-posts and signs of the shops. The old-established emporiums in San Salvador, in Sonsonate—the next most important trading centre—in Ahuachapán, in Santa Ana, in Chalatenango, and in Sensuntepeque, all tell that formerly they imported their goods through English establishments almost exclusively, and that British travellers called upon them at regular intervals for their orders. To-day, the greater part of the orders, with some notable exceptions, are taken by German and American travellers, and a British "drummer" is about as rare an object as the fabulous Dodo. "We should be glad enough to see them," added one of my informants; "but they seem to have forgotten that such a place as Salvador exists."

The President of the Republic, General Fernando Figueroa, who retired last November from office, a very intelligent and charming man, in conversation with me, dwelt in the same strain concerning the disappearance of the Britisher as a trading factor from the Republic of Salvador. He frankly expressed both his regret and his surprise that the desirable commerce of this wealthy and promising Central American State should have been practically abandoned by the shrewd and enterprising Northerners, when they had at one time so firm a hold upon its commercial relations.