Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-24

A IulufC nOucC IOt SldoC Will
the Orient Boot and shoe shipments
from the United States for the five
fiscal years ending June 80, 1916, were
as follows:
/ Ye1rs. Pairs. Value.
/ 1912 ............2 26, 209 $3f1, 1871
1913 .265,0 $3.50
1914 ..............191, 1888 367,107
| 1915 go. :. .223, $50 ass, 1852
1916 ............227,90 2 49, 26
j Large quantities of native Japanese
shoes are imported, but all leather
shoes, except a few made in the
/ islands, are brought from the United
! States. At present the per capita
consumption of shoes in Hawaii is
! not large. The japanese either wear
their native footwear or go barefoot.
| The Chinese and Koreans, many of
the specially imported laborers, and
/ the native Hawaiians ordinarily go
barefoot. Another reason for low con-
sumption is the fact that the fields
are free from stones, and work shoes
DO not get hard usage on the soft.
volcanic soil of the plantations. How
ever, when natives and 0rientais dress
up, they wear American footwear, and
they now provide their children with
!. modern shoes.
Distributing Agents
The principal shoe wholesalers are
the general importers and plantation
| agents, who supply the stores of the
plantation companies with nearly
4 everything sold in them. ALI are in
Honolulu. The commission merchants
are next in Importance Like the
wholesalers, they, too, carry general
merchandise that they sell to white
and Oriental retailers and to the plan
tation stores. They maintain selling
organizations made up of both whites
and Orientals. In addition to these
there are some retailers who pur-
chase direct from the United States.
For shoe manufacturers in the
United States a very satisfactory chan
! mel through which to distribute shoes
4 is that offered by the commission mer-
4 chants. They belong to a newer COM
mercial period and do not enjoy the
fixed, comfortable income of the large
importers, so, naturally, they are more
receptive to new lines, and, of neces-
sity, are aggressive. Most of them
are men of aeumen and foresight. and
are dependable. Except for lines of
] named shoes where some one retailer
is given the exclusive sale, it is not ad.
visable to depend upon factory sales
men to get a satisfactory amount Of
business from this market. 1t takes
too long. costs too much for the
amount OF business that may be ex-
pected, and the trade through the
Oriental stores is so large that the
aid Of one or more Oriental salesman
Is almost imperative.
Market for American shoes-Prices Of
Mems Shoes
| Several lines of American-made
footwear are sold, but the market can
absorb more. Selling connections can
be arranged through the mail by Ter
ter and catalogue. The commission
merchants require larger commissions
than are paid to statesmen in the
! United States. but the extra commits
sions are Invariably added to the price
of the shoes. II is advisable to send
a factory salesman to the islands &C.
casionally to work with the local sell
ing agent.
The popularity of American-made
shoes Is unquestioned and there is no
= competition with leather shoes from
other countries. Most of the business
in mems shoes is in welts and McKays
that retail for $3.50 to S.. Both high
and low shoes are In demand ali the
year. About 20 per cent of the de.
mand Is for canvas oxfords, chiefly in
the cheap grades. The new rubber
fiber soles are enjoying constantly
increasing popularity and seem admir-
ably adapted to the climate. Cheap,
rubber-soled canvas oxfords, or sneak
ers" and rubber-soled canvas balls are
in great demand among carpenters and
painters as work shoes. They are also
used more generally for sport and out
ing wear Golf shoes and high.grade
sport shoes for men are also in good
demand Shoes for formal wear are
sold in all the white stores. Styles in
high-grade shoes for men are the same
as on the mainland
Oriental men require small shoes OF
good quality. An ideal line for Ha-
waii, which would also sell in the
i Orient. would be line running from
As to Z, 5 wide Medium round, fair.
i " high toes are more popular than
the recede toes, although the Orientals
in Hawaii are almost as responsive to
the dictates OF fashion as the men OF
any other locality.
| The Hawaiians and Portuguese re.
quire cheap grades from Z up, EE
vide These people go barefoot in
their earlier years and many of them
are 16 to 20 years old before they get
their first pair of shoes, hence the
large feet The FiIipinos and the Ha-
Naiians when they have the money are
apt to indulge their taste and pur-
chase shoes at 81 or more per pair.
For the Jumpers, dock and field
hands, outing balls of the scout shoe
type are in demand. The dealers want
to buy these shoes in boys sizes from
$3.50 up and in mems sizes from s1.T5
up. They are sold in competition witt
the cheap shoes, mostly of the con
gress type. prodrced on the islands by
tho Orientals These localmadc shoes