The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-21
BE HERE IN FORGE
Kansas Shoe Retailers to Hold
Convention Next Week.
Prominent Mon From the East
Arc on the Program.
|OppOsE THE PURE FOOD Law
|It Is Rumored That Test Case
WIN BE Made.
Retailers Not Against Legisla-
tion-Say Law Is Bad.
OPPOSE THE PURE FOOD Law

The pure shoe law will be given q
''black eye'' by some OF the most
prominent shoe men of the country
next Wednesday, Thursday and FRI
day. in Representative hall, ON the oc-
casion of the convention Of the Kansas
Shoe Retailers' associati0n-the big
gest meeting Of the kind ever held in
Kansas.
The shoe men say they are not op-
posed to shoe legislation: in fact, they
hold that 1t is q good thing. But they
feel that the now law that VIII be ef-
fective April 1, and which prohibits
the sale Of shoes that are not manu-
factured entirely Of leather. il incon-
sistent 1t does not stipulate relative
to the quality Of leather that shall be
used in the shoes, and tho shoe men
claim that good substitute leather ts
far better than inferior leather.
w. f. Brelsford. president of the
organization, said today: instead OF
er laws should be made with a view to
encouraging the perfection OF substi-
tutes that would enable the manufac-
turers to keep down tho price OF shoes.
Statistics show that the leather supply
of the United States has decreased
nineteen and a fraction per cent In
the last three or four years. The shoe
dealer is just q distributor. He Will
make his profit no matter what KIND
IL shoes are sold. II good shoes are
leather is preferable to cheap leath-
No IscIlefit to Consumer.
A. NJ. Leach. q member Of the local
committee on arrangements and 9
prominent shoe man. said today. =!
don't think the pure shoe law Will
benefit the consumers at All. some
of the cheapest shoes made are all
leather. All the reliable dealers sell
shoes on their merits.
w. A. Ayers of Wichita, attorney for
the association, will be present at the
meeting and will have eometntng 10
that a test case will be filed soon after
April 1.
Invitations have been sent to 3.700
retail shoe men of the state to be pres
ent at the meeting. The majority OF
Kansas citizens do not realize that
there are that many dealers in foot
wear in the state. 1t is impossible to
estimate accurately what the attend
ance will be as the organisation IL q
new one, but the officials confidently
expect that there will be several hum
dred persons here in the course of the
three day meeting.
Among the speakers will be A. c. Nc
Gowan, president National Shoe Re
tailers' association; 8. ". CampDem OF
Chicago, secretary National Shoe
Wholesalers association. and James HI.
Stone of Boston. editor Shoe Retailer.
The Convention Program.
The convention will be convened at
IL o'clock Wednesday afternoon. DIR.
F. L. Loveland has been asked to pro-
nounce the invocation. An address of
welcome will be given by George III.
Hodges, governor Of Kansas. In behalf
of the state. r.. L. Cofran, mayor OF
Topeka, will represent the capital city.
The response will be made by Schuyler
sas Shoe Retailers association. w. y.
Brelsford Of Topeka. the president, will
speak on Our Aim
Subsequent to the reading Of the mini
utes Of the previous meeting by o.
Morgan. this gentleman will have some
thing to say Of What Has Been Done"
Otto A. Fischer of Lawrence. treasurer
Of the association. will then make his
report.
A. A. Ayers, Of wichita, will speak on
What Shall We Do With the Pure
Shoe Lawn" John A. Bush. of the
speak on Leather r. A. Wilson,
manager Of the Merchant Under
writer's company, will have something
to say about ''Inter-Insurance.'' w. H.
Hutchins. Of Chicago. representative Of
the Scholl Manufacturing company.
You"
OF Interest to Retailers.
Thursday Arthur L. Evans, OF Bos-
ton, editor of The Shoeman, will give
an address entitled. whats the Mat
ter with the Shoe Trader" Otto Fischer,
of Lawrence, will discuss the subject,
| System w. H. Grifith Of st. JOS
eph, Mo-. will speak on Findings" !"
Harry vinsonhaler. of st. Louis, will
give THE Style Forecast for 1914.
w. C. Root, Of Winfield. will speak on
What Can be Done to Assist Shoe
Merchants in Small Towns?'' NJ. Muehl-
, berger, Of Wellington. will tell How
an Exclusive Shoe Store Can Succeed
| in Small Town. 'tStore Fronts that
Pay Profits is the subject which w. s.