The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-04-23

purchase American wool, and the duties are
mainly for the benefit of the wool growers
The bill reported attempts to secure both in
terests but the chairman of the committee be-
ing satisfied that it would fail to accomplish its
main purpose, has offered the amendment under
/ consideration, which proposes to change two
4 important features of the bill The bill pro-
vIdes that all wool hereafter imported shall pay
| a SPECIFIC duty of seven cents pound, and In
addition thereto an ad valorem duty, beginning
at 4O per cent. and rising to so per cent All
wool imported will, therefore, this bill passes,
pay seven cents on every pound, and half its
value, in addition, as duties. The present law
dlscriminates between qualities. All wool,
costing over ten cents in the foreign market;
pave 80 per cent. ad valorem, all costing ten
cents and under, pays duty of Is per cent. ad
yaiorem. The amendment proposes, also,
discriminating duty. 1t provides for duty Of
4 20 cents on the pound of all wool costing over
cents the pound, to be annually increased two
and half cents pound until it rises to SO
cents; all wool costing 8 cents and under, is
to continue to pay Is per cent. ad valoremi
The wool costing s cents and under, is et-
tremely coarse, and not produced in this coun-
try for we have no animal like the sheep that
yields it. 1t is employed in the manufacture Of
coarse cheap fabrics inferior in their quality
to those manufactured of our native wool This
article the committee propose to exclude from
the market; and it is incumbent on them to
shew either that we have a substitute for if
which the manufacturer can buy at prices that
will enable him to pursue his business, or 10 adj
NIT that the effect of the provision will be I'd
destroy that branch of business here, and throw
1t into the hands of foreigners. The gentleman
from New York Mr.. Wright being doubtless
aware that this alternative is presented has
pressed upon ,sse consideration Of the committed
an ingenious and elaborate argument to satisfy
them that we have substitute in the native
coarse wool Of the country. He has, by the
assumption of certain data, which he admits
are conjectural, attempted to shew that we an.
nually produce ffty-eight millions pounds Of
wool, large portion Of which is coarse native!
He first inters from this, that there is wool
enough OF the kind TO supply the place of this
coarse material He next assumes that native
wool may be had, in sufficient. quantities, at 20
cents pound He then entered into an esti.
mate, the detail of which | shall not follow, to
shew that the coarse foreign wool, being im-
ported in an unwasbed state, loses, when cleans.
ed, one half its weight and as the buyer obtains
in fact but one pound of wool fit to work for
two imported, he attempts TO prove that the nas
tive American wool is as cheap as the imported,
though of better quality. Now, it appears I'd
me, the reasoning of the gentleman is unsound
in two respects. First: American wool is not
offered as cheap as the imported: and, second
ly, 1T is not to be had in the country 1t will
be found, on looking into the evidence reported
by the committee, that 90 cents is considered
by the manufacturers to be the minimum price
of native wool in the fleece. The gentleman
assumes this lowest price as the one at which
wool may be afforded for coarse cloths, and finds
that the foreign wool, when eleansed fit for the
cards, costs as much. 1t must, however. be
remembered, that the native wool in the fleece
has also to go through with process of purifi-
cation and that it will lose about one-fourth its
weight in the process, aud that which is worth
IN the fleece 20 cents when cleansed fit for the
cards, will be worth 25 cents pound 1t seems
to me, therefore, that, if the gentemans esti-
mates be taken correct. they fail of establish
ing the fact that native wool can be had as
cheap as this coarse foreign wool. The differ
ence is sufficient to arrest the business Il is
evident to all who have compared the foreign
with he native wool, that the latter is of much
better quality, and it would be singular if the
American manufacturer should purchase the
foreign article when he could obtain one Of bet
ter quality here, giving him a mere valuable
fabric for the same expense. The fact of itself
that the manufacturer uses this imported wool,
foul and poor as it is, sheWs conclusvely thar
the market here furnishes no substitute as
cheap. l ought, perhaps, to remark also, that
the gentleman probably over estimates The
waste in cleansing
apprehend, also, that the gentleman frnni
New York is mistaken in surprising that the
American market can supply the place of this
imported article with native wool. If it exists
in quantities sufficient for that purpose, where
is il : That individuals may have wool of this
sort on their hands to considerable amount,
may be true but that there is supply equal to
the demand, seems to me most improbable. The
Canton Manufacturing Company, Massachu.
sets, who manufacture exclusively this eoaYse
material, use, | am informed, about 100000
pounds in year. From what source could this
single establishment be supplied if the wool is
IN the country, it would, like -four, cotton, to-
bacco, and other articles, be found in the market
| When these articles cannot be had in the mar.
ket, the fair and Just inference is, that they are
not in the country, So it is with wool. If it
exists in such abundance in the country as has
been supposed, it would be in the places of busi-
ness, and yet those who have sought to obtain
it, have either been unsuccessful, or found il
too difficult to obtain supply. The flannel
manufacturers have sought after it, advertised for
1t, and with all this supposed surplus they have
found 1t most difficult to get it.. Mr. MARYLAND,
a witness examined by the committee, has nev.
er found sufficient native wool for his business,
until 1897, although he paid much higher for 10
ON the average, than the estimate of the gentle.
man from New York, mir. WI Il is certain
| this wool is not IN the market in such quantities
as to justify the belief that approaches towards
2 supply, lfit is in the country, it is held back
By the growers but this is Improbable for
most Inen who are engaged in agricultural pur-
suits, are not in a condition to keep their crops
on, hand from year to year. They are forced
into the market to raise money to sustain thems
selves. There may be exceptions TO this rule,
because there are rich men; but when grow
ing wool constitutes any considerable portion
Of the business and product of the farmer, j. is
} ne more safe to assume that he holds his crop
back, or that he has the ability to do it, than
} that he holds back his -four or his beef
: But, if the farmer holds his wool out Of tho
market, he doubtless does it because present