Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-24
MEXICAN BOOTS.
GOODS OF OUR MANUFACTURES
PREFERRED IN ENGLAND.

Consul Hamm OF Hull, England, has made
an interesting report to the Department of
Commerce and Labor on the boot and shoe
trade of Great Britain. He quotes a corre-
spondent In a leading Yorkshire paper to
the effect that the English boot and shoe
trade is on the decline. and points out peril
nently the important part played in Eng
land and on the continent OF Europe by
American shoes. attributing the falling off
to that fact He begins with a quotation
from a correspondent of leading York
shire paper. which says:
THE manufacture Of boots and shoes is
now one of the most Improbable and ,insat-
isfactory of English industries, and the diff
ncuities OF the producer are steadily In
creasing. The present position has been
caused by variety of reasons over which
the producer has had little control Com
petition has of course played an important
part. but that is the only point for which
any responsibility rests upon the manufac-
turer. The method OF making changed with
rapidfty a few years ago, and
the Introduction OF mechanical appliances
to supersede the old-fashioned hand-closed
boot necessitated a large output II the ma
chimes were to pay their way. This has
leu to overproduction, and the market has
been flooded with millions of pairs of cheap
boots and shoes. But the bulk Of the money
which the public pay for their footwear Is
represented by the cost of raw material
viz, leather.
Price Advancing.
1.-THE price of the latter has been steadily
advancing for about four years. and it has
now reached a point never known In the
history of the trade Compared with twelve
months ago. the cost Of all classes of
leather has increased by fully 12h per
cent. which is an important item In the
halfguinea boot. The increased competi-
ton among manufacturers caused a CORE
spending shading Of profits which for
while was permissible in consequence of the
saving effected In the makeup by ma
chinery. But against the advance in the
market values OF leather manufacturers
have been almost powerless. The burden
has therefore been borne more or less pa
tiently by the boot manufacturer until to-
day he is one of the most embarrassed of
traders. The English public were never
more neatly shod than today, and boots are
being sold cheaper than ever, although the
cost of leather Is now fully so per cent
higher than, say, five years ago. Taste
has also played an important part in bring
ing about the present situation. The boot
manufacturer, too, complains that pater-
famiiias does not now spend so much as of
old in clothing" the foot. The consump-
ton of boots and shoes is therefore. pro
rata, much smaller than in the days of our
constant craze for something cheaper.
American Makes Popular.
1.-THE correspondent doubtless outlines the
situation correctly, with the exception, per-
haps, that he does not give sufficient weight
to American competition. One of the most
popular stores In Hull sells nothing but
shoes made in America or on American
models. They are shapely. comfortable and
durable. They range In price from 10 shil
lings pence about $3.50 to IS shillings
about 50, and they compare favorably with
the boots and shoes sold In America at the
same prices. The basis of their popularity
is contained in the following remark fire.
quently heard from men and women: I
never wore a well-fitting. comfortable shoe
until put on one of American make. This
is probably the main reason, and not the
price of leather, why the boot and shoe
trade in England is in an unsatisfactory
condition. English boot and shoe manu-
facturers get their hides under free-trade
tariff. The American manufacturers pay
a duty of from Is to 35 per cent on their
imported material. And yet the latter are
underselling the former and getting possess
sion of the worlds markets"