The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-15

and had chat with the proprietor. He IS
a young New Jerseyite. Of %. enthusiastic
as 10 the prospects CT American trade.
Here is his story'as 1t came out in response
to my, questions:
About three, years or so ago my father
and / sold out our shoe business in New
ark. N.-J.,' and locked around for a place
TO open another. My father had been in
the habit of coming to Europe every sum-
mer on account OF the rheumatism. and in
looking about came to the conclusion that
Europe might be good place for an up
to-date shoe store
He now visited the chief cities, and
finally decided TO open one In Vienna. He
tried to rent a place there. but as soon as
the people found what he was pbout 10
do they raised the rent. and 2.h9 Of the
viennese shoemakers held a meeting ind
threatened to wreck the store II II should
be opened
He. then came to Berlin and finally rent
ed this place. He cabled me TO send on a
stock of shoes. l did so. We sold from
$500 to 81 90 worth a day al the start. and
have. been doing better right along.
I'VE have since established shoe stores in
Frankfort the-Main and in Hamburg.
They are also doing WELL
FOREIGN SHOES LACK
STYLE AND COMFORT.
What is the difference between the
There is no comparison. was the reply.
THE German shoes lack shape, style and
comfort; all of which the American 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 have imported our shoe
making machinery. but they have not sue
ceeded as yet. They have some big fac
tories, but none so large as ours.
They ought to be able to manufacture
more cheapy. but cannot, although their
men receive only one-fourth. as high wages
as ours. They work more slowly and can
not get the work out Of. their machines"
Will the, Germans pay high prices for
American goods?'; 1 asked.
Yes, IL. the goods are worth it. The peo-
pie know what they want and they lay
well. for everything: l. thought prices were
low here before / came over. They are rot.
Mems clothing. II you take the 1T and style
into account, costs less in Kew York than
in Berlin. .ts t
81 can have a suit made here for 10
marks or $50, but It Will not nave any bet
Ter stuff nor fit as well as 4 ready made
suit which can get IN New York for from
s12 to SIS. A suit made to order at 80 in
New York is better than any YOU can get
here made to order for So. 1t Is the same
with women's clothing.
LAS to prices the kinds IT shoes We are
selling for 800 were formerly sold for s.,
So and $7-a pair. Then only the rich bought
them. Now they are used by the middle
classes as we'll
One word more about the American stoe.
Coonsul General Mason Of Berlin tas done
as much as any man in our consular serv-
| ice to Introduce it. He began tn urge Its
sale six years ago, and at last got our lead
| ing factories to send several dfCmmers 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 proftably established.
| These are: Cologne, Breslau, Dresden
Leipzig. Munich. Stuttgart and Strasburg.
GREAT NUMBER OF
PHONoGRAPHs ARE SOLD.
| 1t is strange that we should be giving the
| Germans. one of the chief musical peoples
musical instruments. 1t is nevertheless true.
\ nograph are all sold in large quantities.
| The graphophone people have their cylin-
| ders put Up in boxes. covered with a pic
| ture OF the American flag: and when the
4 Empress of Germany bought machine 10,
1 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 that
| sale was made. Said he:. 'AThe advances
came from the royal family, and not from
l U.S. One day one Of the 'Empresss ladies' in
waiting came in one of the royal carriages
/ to our , office In Friedrichstrasse and
| asked that some machines be sent to the
palace for examination on the morning fol-
lowing - i7-'.tA
I'VE sent several. and with them one Of