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Show uu NOW THEY'RE BOOSTING BOOST-ING PRICE OF SHOES (From tho New York Commerlcal.) Manufacturers of medium and high grade shoes predict that footwear will never. again be as cheap as It has 'been. They believe that tho public pub-lic will willingly pay for the article of wear that has to stand all the hard knocks and must fulfill the most exacting conditions and expectations. expec-tations. Everything that enters into the making of a shoe Is dearer and the tendency Is still upward. Standard styles and makes have been advanced from 10 to 20 per cent in price within a' year and the manufacturers man-ufacturers can not help themselves. Changing fashions have created trouble and confusion In the women's shoe trade. To meet the demand for tho high white boots now in fashion the manufacturers are forced to use white sheepskin freely, and this grade of leather will neither stand wetting nor hold Its shape when worn In dry weather. Tho advance just made of 10 cents a foot on wblto calf comes on top of a steady rise. It is Impossible to get enough genuine white calf to meet the demand and other dependable white leathers, such as buck, are equally scarce. White shoes that re tailed at from 5 to $8 a pair aro now worth from $8 to $15 a pair; but women will buy white shoes at any price, and are now paying from $5 to $8 for high boots made of white sheepskin that will not stand wear for a week and look well. It Is useless to argue with women, so the retail prices of white shoes made of good stqck has doubted. Tho trade did not believe that white shoes would remain in fashion, but they are selling faster than ever. |