The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-27
AMERICAN SHOES ABROAD.
England. France and Germany Unable
To Compete With Us
Shoe and Leather Reporter.


Shoe and Leather Reporter.
The strike of the English shoe workers
quickened the interest OF American manu-
facturers in the subject OF the probabiii-
ties OF charging their foreign markets
for shoes. a beginning has already oeen
made Shipments are increasing Some
leading producers of women's high and
medium class shoes in America have been
and others are visiting England TO recon-
hotter They will find out all about the
English market OF the cheaper grades
OF wonlen's shoes. the Lynn manufaet-
urers are exporting more It is expected
that one firm will have this year an En-
giish traffic amounting TO 5000 10 $780,
0oa
European shoe manufacturers have beE-
Gifted greatly by the use OF American ma
chinery. This they ali concede. There is
no doubt Americans have lost opportuni-
ties for exporting shoes 10 Great Britain,
especially by the readiness with which
they have Calculated our methods of man
ufaeturing 10 visitors. Englishmen were
not SO liberal as TO reciprocate by en-
tightening Americans in respect OF the
facilities of their export business The
British merchants and manufacturers are
by nature exporters; they, with the aid of
their government, have perfected ar
rangements for commercial intercourse
most satisfactory international banking
system. The English shoe manufacturers
buy our American leather and make it
into shoes. which they send 10 the utter
most parts of the world.
The cost OF production is greater there
than here. notwithstanding we pay higher
wages. There are two other points in our
favor-leather and machinery. The for
mer we are likely TO hold for all time.
IAy a. IT.
both countries, but 30 far We have profited
by 1t most.
Extensive manufacturers in Europe of
shoes and of leather say-and there is
good deal OF truth in the observation
that Americans know little, and care still
less about foreign business. We are in
reality independent of protective legisla-
ton, and could II we sought after it, Sc
cure considerable traffic In shoes We do
send abroad quite quantity of leather.
In 1894 the exports of it amounted TO near
ly sl5.000.0oo, and still, other than trio
or representatives of the United States
Leather Company, we cannot think of
single manufacturer of American leather
who visited Europe for the express pur-
pose of extending his business. The sales
were all effected by solicitations from for
eigners personally or through cable and
the mails. Until recently there has been
shoes. Now, we are doing something in
that way. Lately an American jobbing
house received samples of English shoes
with the request that they he duplicated
in every particular. There would appear
TO be nothing easier In the world than
to do this, for the most shapely English
shoes of today are not more stylish than
ours were years ago.
In England Germany and France the
=
have freely admitted that with all their
use OF American machinery Especially
such as is adapted to Goodyear welt
shoes, our work people surpass theirs.
With exactly the same appliances, the
labor is less skillfhlly performed. Beside
being backward In the matter of style
the European shoemakers. with the dupli-
Gated machinery, are unable to produce
the same quantities per capita that ours
do. Consequently, though wages are
higher here than there. shoes can be man.
ufactured cheaper in America than in
Europe. Although in some instances
twice as much is paid 10 American work
men as to the English. the cost of shoe
making in England is considerably more
than 1t is in America.
All classes of shoes, for persons of both
sexes. and every age and condition of life.
are in Europe mot so much in England
arated and specialized the manufacture of
women's. misses and chldren's goods
from mems. youths and boys in a geo.
graphical way, establishing certain en-
poriums. such as Lynn, Haverhill Gin
cinnati. Rochester, Philadelphia. etc In
each of these places the operatives being
engaged in one class of labor only have
become the most proficient of any in the
world. Each excels in his department
To great extent. this specialization is In
vogue in England. They, too, have their
Bristol. Northampton. Leicester. etc. But
the workman retard progress, because of
their antagonism TO machinery. Even at
this late day the use of machinery is cir
cumscribed. Many shoes are still made by
what is often called the sweating or lat
home" system.
The trade in shoes England holds with
her distant possessions is an important
additional reason for our cultivating the
English market. In some OF these locali-
ties, notably Australia. we might acquire
considerable traffic. as the Australians
prefer light shoes. such as we make. One
London house have opened number of
Australian accounts with the products of
an American firm making medium and
cheap grades of shoes. Most of the En-
glish trade call themselves export boot
and shoe manufacturers" In 1894 thew
sent away nearly S,o0o.eo0 pairs of shoes.
or these. more than 100000 pairs were
shipped to Australia and nearly as many
TO South Africa. We think a portion of
the shoe trade OF Europe is ours for the
asking, and II may be assumed that our
manufacturers will reach out after 1t In
earnest