The evening times., 1900-09-07
SHOE TRADE IN GERMANY
Probably Good Market There for
the American Product.
Mr.. Warner. the Consul at Leipzig,
Suggests thc establishments in
Ha.s:.,a-=s or Eremen of Ware
houses and the Opening Of Branch
stores in Several Other Cities.

Brainard H. Warner, jr., Consul OF the
United states at Leipzig. in a report to the
State Department, discusses the trade for
American saoes in Germany. He writes
TIE subject Of introducing American
shoes in Germany has cften been written
upon by United States CoGsuls. IL seems
to be the general opinion Of those who
nave looked into the question that there
is market in this country for American
shoes. TtGe, during the past few years
the trade il shoes has increased, but TO
nothing like the extent it should have
and that it will in due course of time
Why the sale Of our shoes in this coun-
try has not assumed any great proportions
is. in my opinion, due to the following
reasons
The first and perhaps tne most imp0T-
tant one is that, up TO within a short time
ago the large shoe factories in the United
Safes were not il position TO consider
entering into the export business. q make
this assertion because two years ago gen
tleman in New York city was deSirouS OF
importing shoes into this country and
wrote 10 the largest shoe factories in the
East. Each factory in turn replied that
it was not in q position to consider any
foreign business as the orders on hand
were Tor more tnan COuid turned OUT
The demand IN this country has been CTe-
ated by Americans residing abroad ard by
those Germans who have become familiar
with American footwear. This has com
PEELED certain shoe dealers TO carry in
stock q small number of American shoes
The prices asked for these snOes are IN
most cases too high and out OF all proper
ton to their actual value. it may be that
the shoe merchants have to pay more foI
these shoes because they are compelled 10
buy through a commission house; put IN
any event the additional cost per pair, in
cluding duty, freight, commission, and IN
surance between this country and New
York should not exceed % cents. In spite
of this fact 50 and some times 50 more than
the same shoes would cCst in the United
States are asked The German shoe deal
er who handles our shoes appreciates the
fact that those who insist upon wearing
the graceful and easy American article
would rather part with a dollar or two
more than be forced 10 buy poor Ger
man substitute. As for Germans nOna
but the rich would even think of asking
for American shoes because they have
learned the exorbitant prices demanded for
them.
The people of this country have radi-
callv wrong ideas about everything of
American manufacture. The masses are
taught by the energetic and patriotic
home trade shopkeeper that manu-
factured article, to be expensive. has but
to come from the United States. SO 1t Will
be seen that American shoes are systemat
icaIIy kept out of the reach of the people
by the dealers putting up the prices
I have endeavored to explain why shoes
have not been sold in this country; now I
shall attempt to point out how they can be
successfully introduced and sold in large
quantities
First of all, take it that the conditions
al home have changed since two years
ago, and the time has come when Amer
lean shoe manufacturers are ready to con-
slider the export field in a serious way.
What have TO say in general with regard
to importing shoes into this country from
the United States applies to many other
lines of our goods as we'll 1t must be
considered that the trade in American
shoes il Germany is yet in its infancy;
that our footwear is practically unknown
to the masses
Our great Western pork packing estab-
lishments would not put their agencies for
Europe into the hands of those who sell
German pork; nor would 4 Connecticut
watch company give its European agency
10 a Swiss watch manufacturer The Ger
man or Swiss could not help discriminat-
ing and would sell his own products first
Shoes cannot be sold in this country in
any large quantities as long as they are
ers, who not only can buy shoes on better
terms from factories in this country, but
who, without doubt have a great amount
of commercial patriotism, a quality hard
ly known in the United States.
american shoe dealers must work to-
gether in their efforts to secure a hold
on foreign markets. The day for under
selling one another and cutting each 9th
er's Threats has passed. To deal with
the export business a mutual understand
ing must be reached.
The people OF this country in buying
shoes consider, first of all. the price. and
therefore we must not expect to sell the
high grades of shoes here; what is want
ed is a cheap shoe. To sell low grades Of
shoes. it seems to me the best plan would
be to establish large warehouse i'll Ham
burg or Bremen and open American shoe
stores in Berlin. Hamburg Leipzig, Dres-
den, and Munich. | am quite sure that
were our merchants to adopt some such
plan, they would not only be able TO sue
cessfully compete with shoe dealers of
this country, but that merchants in small
cities would be compelled to offer our
shoes for sale at the regular retail
prices"