The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-07-15
Facts for the PEOPLE.


We spoake of wool-growing in Vermont being
all-important to our farmers. We think no man
CAN fail of seeing that upon that interest the far
mers must rely for their main source of wealth.
1t is now, and is every day becoming more useless
Tor them 10 attempt competition with the West, in
the market, with butter, beef, pork, cheese, Sc.
The facilities which transportation affords the Wes-
tern States, ALREADY so great and every day increas
ing render all hopes of much profit in that business
futile. The farmers of Vermont, must then, de.
pend upon their wool! and sacrifice of that is
sacrifice of their vital interest. Let us look for
ono moment at this great question canddly and
devoid as much as possible, of party prejudice
The ground taken by the wings in congress, is that
the rae material of foreign wool may be impor-
ted duty free while Tariff shall be laid on the
manufactured articles. Now let us see VIVA;
effect this policy will have upon the wool -growcrs
of Vermont. We cannot do better here, than TO
repeat several of the observation of the editor of
the CuHiraior.
We have before us now on our table six kinds
j III,
furnished us as samples by one of the largest i'm
porcrs in the United States, which aciuaHy cost
in South America from 3 l-2 to less than s cents
per pound, and therefore all admitted duty
free
The LIST kind is long coarse wool about in
ches in length and about as fine rs the wool of onr
coarse long wool sheep, and such as is manuflctur-
ed into carpets, wOrstcd, coarse blankets and ne
gro clohs--and comes in direct competition in our
market with the wool of our Bakewel and other
coarse long wooded sheep. This sample is very
white and clean and may be afforded for IL IL to
sixteen cents per pound.
The I'd kind is Il coarse wool of finer grade,
ull good the wool of the hest of our old fash
Toned common sheep, and is admirably adapted for
Il middle grade of sanclts, coarse woolcns, and
common blankets 1900 bales of this wool were
imported into the port of Boston, last week, duty
free. If this wool be sold at one shilling per pound
it will afford the importer over one hundred per
cent. profit, This wool by compa 'ison is fall as
fine as The wool we took from half Dishley and
half Irish corset eve, but not quite so long, and
may be made as white as the driven snow, by
washing alone, rs we know by actual experiment
Tho Sd is full rs fine ms our best half boodcd
merino wool, and may he cleaned, as the importer
told US, from l-2 10 , cents per pound either
by hand or machinery. This wool is good enough
for the second grade of broadcoihs, cassimcrcs,
nanncls and the first class of salnclts, and may
be imported so that it shall not cost the manufac-
,urer when perfectly cleaned, twenty cents per
pound.
The ltl,, same grade, full ofburrs and dirt, may
be cleaned for two cents per pound and may be
purchased abroad at the loves, rate above stated
The 5ih is Il sample of wool of abou, the same
grade as the above, shot and fine, ceansed in
South Amerca, very white and clean. We were
surprised when the importer assured us, tina, this
very wool ,cas imperfect duiy free, and cos, in
South America, positively less than eight cents
per b..
The 9Th is very similar to pure lino wool, and
the sample which we have washed in hot soap
suds has become beautifully white and clean
This wool compares well with some samples we
have from the Hon. Isaac C.. Dates flock, and
others of the western part of this State, So fine
was this wool, tina, when compared with Mr. Bates
wool, we were unable TO decide which was the f.
nest, and so we called in a third person. who de.
cared Mr. Bates II little the finest, but the differ
euce was luning, This wool ,ras impo1cd duiy
free, while the rcry cloths manufactured from this
wool by the compromise act, have been protected
by Il duty ranging from 80 TO 81 10 per cent,
down 10 June 1912. Is this The juSiicc our publjc
men renter INTO me fdrmcr If so, tell US what
you call Injustice.
The long coarse wool which VIC described las,
week, as competing with our Blackwell and Dish
ley wool was imported from Bucnos Ayrcs, aud
very similar 10 the Rio Grande and NontGviedo
wool, These woods were sold in New York du-
ring the last month, as follows:-
Buenos Ayrcs, picked aud washed, for ~ 81
cents per lb,-unwashed for 3 IL cens-Ro
Grande, picked and washed, for IL 81 cents aud
Nloneyiedo, washed and clean for 10 l-2 cents.
AIcfino and Nlcsgo selected nccccs, clean sold
for IL cents per ID.
Much of of South America is very favorable TO
sheep hushandly. One bundled sheep may be
raised there as cheap and easy as ten in New Eng
land. They may Craze the year round in cheap
pastures, and consequently less subject to dis
case and seldom die except from severe storms
and old age Aware of these facts, cnterpIising
men from New England and other parts Of the
world, have gone to South America, and engaged
largely IN wool growing, and who by judicons
crossings, have produced the fine wool Of which
we have spoken.
These facts have lead us 10 alter our views in
relation to the amount of duty proposed to be put
on this wool uow imported duty free. The Hon.
Isaac C.. Bates WOOL being the clip Of lSIl, is
now stored and unsnld in the city of Boston, and
five are correctly informed, cannot now COM
mand an offer Of one half so much as il sold for
four or livc years ago, so great has been the i'm
provement and increase Of South American wool,
and the facilities for cleaning it. The twenty per
cent duty posed by the Secretary of the Treas.
ury, on these woods, purchased for less than eta.
per ID. abroad, uW not save our wool growing far
mers from absolute destruction and ruin, ami can
mol )aH 10 PROSTATE his department of agricui-
lure throughout The United Sidies. For what
does 20 per cent on wool, which costs in South
America cents per pound amount to as pro-
lection Of our wool growers, against this immense
and now ruinous competition. One dollar on 100
lbs.--just nothing.
Were South American Wool all with which our
wool-growers have 10 contend, they might well be
alarmed, but what must eventually be their condi-
ton, il not only all kinds of South American woods
are to be admitted duty free. or with 20 per cent