The Denver star., 1915-03-06
LONG LINE OF eooTeEAR.
Fair Estimate Of Amount We Spend
For Shoes Annually.

For Shoes Annually.
Tuskegee. Ala.-Can you imagine 4
row of shoes placed side by side and
extending distance OF 400 miles: II
you can you will have some idea OF the
number OF shoes it requires for the
colored people of America every year.
II is a fair estimate Ia allow each in
dividual two pairs of shoes year.
This gives us 2O.OOO,oOO pairs year
or about $1,000 Il day
1t Is also fair to place the average
cost of ench pair at $3.50. We then
discover that we are spending some
thing like $4,000 per day for shoes
alone. not including repairing and find
ings. Need we ask how much of this
money goes to furnish employment for
our boys aud girls: We know only
too we'll that scarcely per cent of
this money goes back into Negro en-
terpriscs. In other words. we are keep
ing ten shoe factories with a daily Gu
pacity Of 800 pairs. busy all the year
to supply us with shoes and not one
OF these factories hires members Of the
race except in 4 menial capacity.
just how long we will content our.
selves to sit idly by the wayside and
indulging in such foolish extrava-
gance of racial resources. is :: prob
lem. According to the Negro Year
Book for 1915. there are over 100
cities in the states of Virginia. North
Carolina. South Carolina. Tennessee
Georgia. Florida. Alabama. Mississip-
pi. Louisiana. Texas, Arkansas. Mis-.
souri, and Kentucky. having n colored
population in excess of 1000. Accord
ing TO the averages above. this repre-
sents an annual expenditure of about
$4,000 per year by Negroes in each
OF these cities for shoes.
lf ten colored mcn III each of the 100
cities selected should invest 500 each
in shoe factory they would have Il
paid in capital Of 100000 with which
to start business. With this amount Of
monay they could erect a factory. in.
stall modern equipment and organize Il
system OF distribution through chain
stores which would adequately supply
the coiored people of these 100 cities.
or course il would take vast
oihpuhN VI WI n W uo tukS. stifl tuCES
would be mistakes made in the begin
ming. but no great thing was ever ac-
compishcL without work and worry
We must first find n man with the vi
sion. perseverance and ability OF He
man L. Perry. who built the Standard
Life Insurance company. and let him
undertake the work.
Then would follow in rapid success.
sion the forming Of the company, the
erection OF the factory. the distribution
of the labor and an endless array OF
important details down to the most
difficult part OF the proposition--adver
tising and educa ting our women that a
rhillis Wheatlcy - shoe is just as good
as any of the popular 81 shoes now on
the market
In Offering this suggestion the Off.
GERS OF the National Negro business
league hope that 1t will supply food for
thought and material for discussion in
secret societies. clubs, lodges aud local
Negro business leagues. II there is
not II local Negro Business league In
of the National Negro business league.
luskeEee INSTITUTE. 1AluDHInu, VIII De
pleased to send full Information rs to
how local Negro business league
may be organized and kept alive.
This Ia one Of series OF articles
which Is being sent out by the Nation
al Negro business league for the pur
pose Of showing the possibilities with
Ia the grasp Of the race for conducting
many more profitable business enter.
priscs of various kinds than II Is doing
at the present time. Such articles are
very helpful. as they show what can
be done with the right kind Of CO
operation and business leAdership.
Deed Business at Mound 0aysu, Mise.
The Farmers Cooperative Mercan-
tile company Of Mound bayou. Miss.
recently closed tho mOst successful
year In its history. The books showed
q total business for 1914 Of Sc. .21061.
The company Il cxerting a helpful tH-
duesce throughout the community.