Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-15
BERLIN SOUVENIR POSTAL CARD.

which is just 81 more than the same shoe
costs anywhere in the United States.
l dropped into this store the other day
and had a chat with the proprietor. He
is a young New Jerseyite OF 25 years of
age, enthusiastic as to the prospects for
American trade. Here is his story as II
came cut in response TO my questions:
About three years or so ago nv father
and | sold out our shoe business IT, New
ark, N. j., and looked around for a place
to open another. My father had been in
The habit of coming TO Europe every sum-
men on account Of the rheumatism, and In
looking about come to the conclusion that
Europe might be a good place for an up
to-datc shoe store. He now visited the
chief cities and finally decided to open one
in Vienna. He tried to rent a place there.
but rs soon as the people found what he
was about to do they raised the rent, and
1000 of the Vieanesse shoemakers held a
meeting and threatened to wreck the store
II 1t should be opened. He then came to
Berlin and finally rented this place. He
cabled me to seDd on 2 stock Of shoes. I
did SO. We sold from $500 TO 81, 300 worth
a day at the start, and have been doing
better right along. We have since estab-
lished shoe stores in Frankfort the
Main and In Hamburg. They are also do
ing we'll"
What is the difference between the
American and The German shoe?' I asked.
There is no comparison was the
reply. The German shoes lacks shape,
style and comfort; all OF which the Amer
lean shoe has. The Germans have learned
the difference, and they are now trying to
initiate cur shoes. They come here and
buy samples for models. They nave i'm
ported our shoemaking machinery, but they
have not succeeded as yet. They have some
big factories, but none so large as ours.
They ought to be able to manufacture more
eheaply, but cannot, although their men
receive only one-fourth as high wages as
ours. They work more slowly and cannot
get the work out Of their machines"
"Will the Germans pay high prices for
American gcods?" l asked.
Yes, il the goods are worth It. The peo-
pie know what they want, and thsy pay
well for everything. l thought prices were
low here before l came over. They are not.
Mems clothing, II you take the fit and
style into account, costs less in New York
than in Berlin. l can have a suit made
here for ~ marks, or $50, but It will not
have any better stuff, nor fit as we'll as a
ready-made suit which l can get in New
York for from &12 to SIS. A suit made
to order at $25 In New York is better than
any you can get here made to order for
$35. 1t is the same with women's clothing.
AS to prices the kinds Sf shoes we are
selling for $3.50 were formerly sold for
s., Sc and 81 a pair. Then only the ri IN
bought them. Now they are used by the
middle classes as WE'LL
One word more about the American
shoe. Consul General Mason CT Berlin has
done as much as any mar in our consular
service to introduce II. He began to urge
Its sale six years ago. and at last got our
leading factories to send several drum
mers and finally to establish stores In some
of the chief cities. He says that there are
six or eight big German cities where shoe
stores like this in Berlin could be probably
established. These are. Cologne, Breslau.
Dresden, Leipzig, Munich. Stuttgart aud
strasburg.
1t is strange that we should be giving
the Germans, one Of the chief musical peo-
pies, musical instruments. 1t is neverthe-
less true. The graphophone, gramophone
and the photograph are all sold in large
quantities. The ~graphOphone people have
their cylinders put up in boxes, covered
with a picture of the American flag; and
when the empress Of Germany bought a ma
chine for the crown prince last year the
records thus boxed were sent to the palace
The Manager Of the German graphophone
company, at my request, told me how thai
sale was made. Said he: The advances
came from the royal family and not from
us. One day one Of the empress ladies' In
waiting came in one Of the royal carriage:
10 our office on Observation-Disclosures and
asked that some machines be sent to tina