St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1912-07-13
BEWAILS The
LOSS Of AMERICAN
TRADE.

Paris, June 3O.-Never has
Paris realized more forcibly than
now how much the success of a
season depends upon Americans.
Whether it is on account of the
presidential election, the Titanic
disaster, or other causes, it is
difficult to say, but the fact re-
mains that with the exception of
a few hundred habitues, all be-
longing to the weather. classes,
and who are now more Partisan
than the Parisians themselves,
there are few Americans in Paris
this year.
Apart from the social dullness,
the season is threatening to
prove a great disappointment
from a commercial point of view.
The very same large stores, no
tells, and restaurants W h i c h
reaped such a rich harvest last
year are now complaining of the
scarcity of trade. Many millions
of dollars were left here by the
travelling Americans in the
spring and summer of 1910 and
1911, but only an infnitesimal
fraction Of that sum has been
circulated in Paris so far this
year, and the prospects for the
remainder of the season are not
very bright.
From inquiries made it would
appear that firms dealing in me
dunn priced Women's apparel
are the hardest hit. Some in
teresting information on this sub
Ject was given to the correspond
ent by the director of one of the
largest dry good stores in the
city.
American enterprise" he
said, has gradually taken away
from US our trade with Ameri-
cans. For years it paid the
woman belonging to the great
middle class to come all the way
from America ito make her an
nual purchase of clothes, hats,
etc, here. but now is different.
Last year, during the summer
months we did more business
with Americans than during the
height of the season with
French customers. This season,
however, I fear that Americans
are beating ussall along the line.
This doesn't apply to the few
great French houses which die
tate the fashions of the world,
but concerns the trade done with
the great bulk of the public.
For the same money, and
possibly for slightly less, the
American woman can find at
home clothes and hats as elegant
and as good as those she former
ly crossed the Atlantic to buy.
Early in the season the buyers OF
the great American firms come to
Paris and spare neither trouble
nor money to purchase the best
of the new models which they
correct and adapt to suit the con-
ditions and taste on the other
side Of the Atlantic, turning out
articles perfect in every way at
a moderate cost.
1T is the same with hats, I'M
derclothing and shoes. We abso-
Iutely cannot compete. The fact
that American shoe firms now
have several branches in Paris
and that a majority of the
French women have adopted the
American style of footwear is
the best proof that the fashion
business is gradually slipping
from our hands,"
The absence of Americans at
this time Of the year, which is
supposed to mark the height of
the season, is affecting all
branches of business in proper
ton. The theaters are doing
very little, a majority Of the less
expensive hotels have plenty of
accommodation, and the open-air
restaurants, which rely entirely
on the business they do during
two months of the year, COM
plain bitterly. The manager of
one of the most fashionable es-
adjustments told the New York
Times correspondent this week
that unless the American rush
began soon he would close the
season with a heavy loss.
Only on Grand Prix day last
year. he said, we cashed some
$50, 900 of American money,
while so far few greenbacks have
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