Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
OUR SHOES ABROAD
MORE THAN SIXTY COUNTRIES
WEAR AMERICAN FooTGEAR.
United States Now Holds Second Place
as Exporter of This Stand
ard Product.


United States show a steady growth. and
will for the calendar year about to end
aggregate more than 81 100000 in value In
1888 they were less than three-quarters OF
million dollars in value.
Few of the important articles entering
into our export trade show a more rapid
growth In exports or wider distribution
than boots and shoes. More than sixty
countries and colonies are named by the
Department of Commerce and Labor
through its bureau of statistics the deS-
tination of the boots and shoes exported
from the United States in the year about to
end. England Germany. France. Belgium.
Denmark and Netherlands, in the order
named, the chief European customers.
and to Europe are sent more than one
third of our total exports of boots and
shoes.
In North America Canada, Mexico Cuba
and the British West Indies are the largest
consumers of our boots and shoes, while
the South and Central American countries
also take greater or less quantities, though
not in proportion to the amounts taken by
the West Indian Islands. Mexico and Can
ada To Asia the exports of boots and
shoes from the United. States are small, the
British East Indies and China being the
chief points of destination for the exports
to that continent. Australia Is a large i'm
porter of boots and shoes from the United
States. nearly one-sixth of our exports in
that line being to British Australia. Africa
is also considerable importer of boots and
shoes from the United States, especially
British Africa.
Exports Exceed 81 900, 900.
The United States now holds second rank
among the worlds exporters Of boots and
shoes, and is making gains at such rapid
rate as to justify the belief that it will
soon stand at the head of the list. A de-
cade ago, as already indicated. our total
exports of boots and shoes were but three
quarters of million dollars in value while
in the calendar year about TO end they will
exceed seven million dollars in value. A
comparison of this growth with that OF
Great Britain, which has until recently
been the principal boot and shoe exporting
country of the world seems to justify the
conclusion that the United States is making
rapid approach toward the highest rank
as an exporter of boots and shoes From
Germany, exports of boots and shoes aver
age little less than two million dollars
per annum: from France, about three mil
lions; from Spain, about three millions;
from the United Kingdom. about nine mil
lions and from the United States, as al
ready indicated, at the present time, about
seven millions.
The United States now stands easily Sec
ond in the list of the worlds exporters of
boots and Shoes while AN examination of
the relative growth of exports of this class
of merchandise from the united kingdom
and the United States. respectively, justifieS
the conclusion that shall soon overtake
that friendly rival in the race for this con-
tribution to the worlds wants and con-
sumption. The value of boots and shoes
exported from the united kingdom in 1893
was eight and one-quarter million dollars
ana IN I9O2 was nine and one-quarter mil
lions, while from the United States the
growth in exports has been from $500 754
in the fiscal year 1893 to sc, 1S2. 098 In the
fiscal year 1902, which years figures are
used Tor comparison with the 1902 figures
of the united kingdom Thus while the
boots shoes t1a
Kingdom have increased a little less than
one million dollars those from the United
states have increased more than five and
one-half millions.
Higher Quality.
Another interesting fact developed in a
comparison of the figures of exports OF
boots and shoes from the united kingdom
and the United States is that the value per
pair of the boots and shoes from the
United States is apparently about co per
cent greater than that of those exported
from the united Kingdom. The 1902 figures
of exports of boots and shoes from the
united kingdom show 9,466. o56 pairs, valued
at SO, 229,S23. or 81 cents per pair; while
from the United States in the same year
the total number of pairs exported was
3 $3.50, I66. and the total value S6 ls2 f9S an
average of 81 Sc per pair Thus the average
value per pair of boots and shoes exported
from the United States is apparently more
imam W per cent IN excess OF that of boots
and shoes exported from the united king
dom. Yet. despite this higher price for the
United States product, the growth in ex-
ports of boots and shoes from the United
States Is. already Indicated, much more
rapid than in those from the united king
dom.
These low average prices explained by
the fact that the statements of pairs and
values include infants and ehildrens shoes
as well as those for adults and the values
given are based upon wholesale prices.
The above estimate of than seven
million dollars value as the exports of
boots and shoes from the United States in
1903 relates to the calendar year, for which
complete figures not yet available.
The fiscal year figures are, however. COM
plete, and show the total value of boots
and shoes exported from the United States
in the year ending June 30. 1903, as $685.
317 the number of pairs being 4197, 5GG
OF these .1y7, $50 pairs exported during the
fiscal year, nearly one million Tor to DO
more accurate. 9SS 154) pairs went to tho
united kingdom. while 40O9T4 pairs went
to British North America 800 4S2 pairs 10
the British West Indies, Ats $50 pairs to
British Australasia and 1877 306 pairs to
British Africa. Thus practically two-thfrds
of our exports of boots and shoes went to
the territory of the united kingdom, our
chief competitor I'm supplying the boot and
shoe markets of the world