The evening times., 1899-07-01
MARKETS FOR OUR Shoes
Popularity of the American Article
Angers Germans.
Attacks Made by the Native Press
on Footwear From This Country.
Advice From Consul Monaghan.
The Field i'm France Report
From Consul Van Buren, at Nice.

OF in its neighborhood. He adds that he
has every reason for believing that they
are not sold at any point of the French or
Italian riYieras.
Il am convinced, from my knowledge
Of the degree of excellence as to materials,
workmanship, and shapes" he adds. that
q good trade might be built up in men S
shoes, and / am further convinced that
merchants and dealers, once conversant
with the advantages of the American ar
ticles, would receive them we'll
"A moderate number OF mems shoes are
brought here from Germany and Austria,
and these are sold at retail at from IA TO
is francs (s2.70 TO $3.50 a pair. There are
several Partisan manufacturers who send
their goods here. and they are sold AT about
the same price as the German and Austrian
article The very common article mace mere
for workingmen costs from TO L francs
GIG 10 S232) but it hardly deserves the
name Of shoe. AS TO The details OF shoes
sold here. they would cover everything IN
the shoe line as regards materials, Shapes,
and colors. Those made here come from
the usual custom boot and shoemakerS'
from several bootmakers in the town VINO
work IN shops for the cheaper trade, and.
as mentioned above, from Paris ana
abroad.
i do not know of any organized shoe
mandatory anywhere in this vicinity, but
there is a shop which furnishes custom
shoemakers with uppers FOR high ana low
shoes of good quality AT from TO francs
C77.2 cents TO $40 per pair, and for COM
mon qualities at from TO francs tSS.o
To $50 cents per pair. Some years ago,
company was organized in Paris called
'LIncroyable' for the manufacture OF
various STYLES Of mems shoes, which mas
opened shops in various Towns OF france,
Nice included. This company sells its hlgn
and low shoes buttoned or laced in black,
tan. or patent feathers. at a uniform price
OF S50 francs t$l64 per pair / am IN
formed that the company distributed a 10
Der cent dividend on its shares last year
4 have heard that these shoes, which
would come the nearest TO competing with
American factory made shoes, leave much
10 be desired as to material, shape and
durability. SO far as the latter objection
is concerned. il should be remembered
thar the climate OF this region is such that
the French duties are $50 francs t4S-3
centsl per pair for boots and high shoes
and ] franc lS.3 CenIsD per pair for low
shoes. shipments may be made direct
from New York 10 MaTseilles and thence
TO Nice by sea-
In sending a report on the subject of
American shoes in Germany, Consul J. c.
forts made by Mr.. Mason and other con-
suls TO get American manufacturers OF
shoes TO introduce their wares into this
Empire are bearing fruit. They are, how
ever as was to be expected, meeting with
opposition. How true this is viii appear
from the following translation OF an art-
Gle concerning the transportation of sAoes
from the United States:
According To official publications in America it
A .l.r..
Germany are increasing Inc letters ui
two German business men handling such shoes
Yrore how little German firms care 10 protect
German snaeIuaksTs. II looks ii under
standing among interested parties should be az
rived at before Germany is flooded with American
shoes. II j. recommended that shOeu,dGcIs
guilds IN the large cities make manufacturers
and people aware OF tine efforts To- introduce
American shoes into the Empire, .t point uut
the losses to the shoe industry and To The buying
public that lnust grow Jut Of such sales. il
would not only he q useful Thing 10 spCClfs the
had qualities OF the American shoes in the tech
mica! Gaily papers. hut 10 advise the local unions
the manufacturers, merchants, etc, 10 procure
samples OF American shoes, show the quality
OF Sme 10y separating the leather from The paper
and examine the ~oes sewed in long stitches
with binders tWine. The results should then lee
published in the papers and put before customers.
According TO the opinions Of Germans living III
Amoriua, the durability OF American shoes l. al
best no than one-t0urth one-third tEat
Of GtrmaBy's well-msde ones. But the elegance
tSchlcudcrsortcn)-and these. because OF theiT
cheapuess. are the only worth considering
IN Germany-make them favOrites with llafers.
The working people are not satisfied with them.
German American shoe merchants il Washington
admit that american shoes 0f much poorer
quality than the German; but -ncir finish and
apparent tineness make business lively.
IF word were wanted to prove the Oft
repeated statements of consuls. that Ger
mans viii endeayOr to knock out any
goods that we may send here just as soon
as these begin 10 secure success ii is
spoken in the above extract. This epito-
misses what has appeared day after day in
the Empires public press ever since prop
uganda for American shoes began. 1t
goes te show what our merchants and
manufacturers Will have to contend with
in their work TO make sales in Saxony or
any other part of Germany.
What are the facts? Hundreds of Ger
mans who visit the United States load
up with American shoes before they re-
turn. shoemaker in this city, to whom
pair of American shoes was given TO
be mended, took them apart TO study the
workmanship, made last from them, and
is now using them as a model. One of my
acquaintances, seeing the superior work
manship, elegance, etc, of some shoes
sent me from the other side, ordered four
teen pairs for himself, family and friends
Between American shoes and those made
in the Empire there is actually no COM
parison. One pair of ours will outwear
two pair of German make; at least that
has been my experience. Every effort is
being made to make our shoes unpopular
in this market. Some of these efforts
the foregoing article for instance-seem
unfair. Our shoes are VIGOROUSLY the best
offered anywhere for the price. / have
seen shoes bought in Boston for SO (l260
marks) a pair outlast-keeping an elegant
appearance ali the time-two pairs bought
here for % marks CS5.24D a pair.
Il bought for my boy the ether day
pair of brown or tan leather shoes OF Ger
man make. The little fellow walked in
them from the kindergarten home less
than quarter OF a mile, in a shower; when
he got home his feet were wet because
the water had gone through sole and up-
per. When j demonstrated with the mer-
chant for selling me such Shoes he said:
They were intended only for fair weather.
IF imitation is the sincerest fattery
American shoe manufacturers should be
satisfied, for their forms, styles, ETC.. are
being initiated here; how successfully, I
cannot say.
There is a good market here for
American shoes Just how ii should be
worked must be left to merchants them
selves. All that consuls can do is to point
out the possibilities of creating one II