National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-06
HOW THE WORLD IS SHOD.
TIE FOOTWEAR FASHIONS OF VARIOUS
NATIONS.
Facts and FanCies Taken From u Pub
LEGATION just Issued by the Depart
mcnt of State-The Shoe and Leather
Industries of Other Countries.

HCntion Just Issued by the Depart
mcnt of State-The Shoe and Leather
Industries of Other Countries.
The last issue Of the consular reports, by
the Department Of state, Just out, com.
prlses COB pages and Is entirely devoted TO
the leatherad shoe industries Of the world.
1t is professionally the most interesting
and reliable work relating to these matters
ever published, because its contents are
fresh, carefully prepared, well edited,
and comprise everything Of interest TO the
tanner the shoemaker, and the wenrer Of
shoes. The pamphlet represents an amount
Of labor and difficulty lncomprehenslbie to
those who have never been called upon TO
face the barriers thrown In the way Of the
American consul when cndoavorlng TO Sc
cure information Of the nature contained
in the consular reports. In every country
| in Europe there is a natural fear Of Amerl.
can competition, and this fear controls
moro or less the conduct Of the
| foreign manufacturers In the matter Of OK
| planning anything connected with their bus.
mess interest. Crowded as they are by the
| vigorous press Of competition upon every
wondered at; therefore, all honor Is due to
| the corps OF officers who, in spite OF these
| distractions, are able to collato and present
| to the American public such masses Of val
liable information as are TO he found In the
monthly reports published by the depart
ment. and still more honor Is due TO the
| consular officers, because Of the fact that In
none OF their Investigations have they been
| known to Overstep the lines Of proprlcty in
their efforts to satisfy the instructions con
tanned In the circulars Of the department.
Now, take this volume Of shoe and leather
| reports. What an interesting picture II
| pfescnts--a picture, the careful study Of
| which viii repay every one who ever wore a
shoe. Word pictures from every part OF
the inhabtable globe where the devOtees Of
trade and commerce are wont to congregato
are found within its covers, depicting, some
| times with grave solemuity and sometimes
In light and fascinating way, the history
Of the human foot protectors.
Every detail is given, from the soil that
nourishes the tree which furnishes the
bark that tans the leather that goes into
the shoe that covers the foot Of the pauper
or the prince, to the influences OF The va
rious branches Of this trade upon the com
mercc Of the world. And what field Of
labor the consul found open to him In this
great industry. Think Of the millions Of
human feet to be clothed, and then the
variety of feet. The long fiat, free.aud-
| gOeasy English foot: the broad, thick,
solid German understanding: the Spanish
foot, the chief pride Of the Castilian
beauty; the South American foot, smaller
more graceful, and often more conspicuous
than its Spanish sister; the chubby, com
pressed, aud curtailed Chinese pedal ex-
tromity: the French foot, with It's high aud
witty instep; the neat Austrian foot always
clothed with admirable taste and durable
leather. A collection of the various lasts
employed to satisfy the demands Vi the
different nations would be something for
the national museum.
few extracts from the interesting vol
ume are appended. Consul Baker, of
Buenos Ayres, writing about the fashions
OF footwear. says:
1.-The fashion Of the boots and shoes worn
in the Argentine Republic is for the most
part In imitation Of the French styles. The
usual wear Of both men and women is the
short boot or gaitcr, either laced or but
toned in front or with clastics at the ankle.
believe, in the United States, they are
called the Balmoral and Congress gaiter.
Low shoes and 'OXford ties are also very
commonly worn, especially in the summer
months. The shape of the shoes is exceed
ingly graceful, being narrow and pointed
frequently with elaborate stitchings on the
uppeIs. The style of heels is conventional
Many, and especially the ladies, affect thu
very high heels, sloping down from the
hollow OF the foot, requiring them to adop
q Greclan bend which Is not natural, and
make use Of a hobble, which isnot graceful
The ridiculc, however, as well us the III
effects which these exceedingly high heels
have oCcasloned, are now causing the fash
ion In some cases to 90 to the other eX-
IRENE, and large flat heels, which, however
they may look, are so comfortablein walking,
L.. a
fashionable prOmenades. High top boots
most deliberately made from calf or patent
leather, are very common among the young
men of the towns; while in the country vii
lagos and on the estancias heavy boots with
tops reaching to the hips, hut adjustable 1T
the knees, are quite the thing. Farther out
on the frontiers, where the art of the cob
bier has not yet found local habitatiOn,
II Is very customary to see the camp mel
and 'gauchos' Illustrating in what ar,
called botes de potro; that is to say, Root'
made Of Unframed horsehidc. For this an
pose the skin of the legs Of the animal
from the knee to the very hoof is carefully
removed, stretched dried, dressed, thcr
turned with the hair inside and sewed up h
the shape Of boot. 1t thus quite snugll
fits the leg as well as the foot and possesses
the double quality of being warm and quit,
waterproof. As the men who wear them
spend the most of their time on horseback
these improvised boots are admirably adapt
ed to the service for which they are In
tended.
"In regard to the sizes and shapes of tn,
boots and shoes usually worn, | fear thai
in approaching this subject may, as Shakes
peare says. be pacing upon giddy foot
ing So far as the average native gentle
man of this country is concerned, 1t may b.
stated generally that he has feet which ar
rather small, quite straight, somewhat In
clined to he thick, and with high instcp
As for the average native lady, | may no
venture to imply that | have any critica
knowledge of her Understandings nor yc
can | say in reference to her with the dea
old poet sucking that
Her feet beneath her pcttcoat
Like little mice. steal IN aud ont,
Asiithey feared the light
"But II they may not be compared to III
tie mice, 1t is at least certain that tn
dimensions Of the articles in question ar
such us to command admiration, not mcrel
among boot-makers, but generally.
believe II is conceded among COnnOisseur
that the feet Of the women of South Americ
are as nearly perfect rs II Is possible fC
fallen human nature to produce them, bI
ing small, straight, and narrow, with
good heel and an arching iustep, aud Til
opinion has come down to us from the mo-
| remote tlmcs.n
Consul General Strothcr, writing frol
Mexico, says "a large portion Of the popr
lation do not wear shoes nj all, and ther
would seem to bc,no'rcasOn why they shout
ever adopt them. The ancient Indian saI
dial, which is a sole Of leather raw hide, q
woven maguey fiber, strapped 10 the DO
tom Of the foot with strings Of the sam
material, Is the only foot covering used b
this class OF people, and as every man Is hi
own shoemakeTaud the climate requires II
protection for instep or ankle, tie nationi
sandal Is doubtless the most economical
comfortable, and healthy shocing that ca
be worn In this country In proof Of thi
the infantry regiments of the MeXica
army, armed and equipped otherwise will