The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-06-03
40 4tttrdI.
From The Burlington Sentinel.
ADMISSION OF FOREIGN WOOL FREE
OF DUTY.


show the consequences that had already resulted,
and would result from the policy of permitting this
Article TO come in TO our markets free of duty
We promised to renew the subject, and endeuvOr,
if possible, to throw light upon this question. We
have therefore taken some considerable pains TO
ascertain the facts in relation TO this important sub
lect; and we shall lose no time in laying them be-
lore the people, that they may see we have not o.
yer estimated, or mlsrepresCnted the question:
Our object has been to throw light upon this mat
Ter, and TO call the attention of those so deeply in
terestcd as are the people of our State that they
might investigate the facts, and then they could a.
dept measures TO avert the ruinous consequences
which will result from this measure. In doing this
we have had TO contend with the opposition Of the
wing press, and individuals of the wing party
They have coniendcd that the admission of the
eight cent wool, free of duty, was of little or no
consequence TO the woo-growers of our country:
and the most of them have also persisted in saying
that the duty on high priced woods, as proposed by
the Wing Tariff Bill, was sufficient 10 protect our
woOI-growers, Some of them, to be sure, have
said that they hoped the ad ralOrem duty on wool
might be raised, before the new Tariff Bill became
the law Of the land. Yet they have opposed and
sneeed at any and every measure to secure an in
creused duty on this article; and have undertaken
to convince the wool-growers that the protection
extended 10 wool is greater than that TO wooens
Their course in relation 10 this subject, has TO us
appeared hypocritcal, and hostile to the great in
tcrests Of the State, We shall not therefore be
backward in holding them up to the people, and
exposing their designs, as far as we are con-
cerr ed,
BY an article which appeared ir the Boston
Post, of May ., 1912, headed the "Course Of our
Foreign Trade" and which'appcars to have been
drawn up with great care, and from official dOcu-
mentS, we nave the imports and exports Of 1870,
and other statistical facts in relation 10 our Foreign
Trade, 1t appears from this statement that there
was Six Hundred Seventy five Thousand and nine
Dollars worth of Wool imported in 1910, free of
duty. OF this amount Four Hundred Thirly-lour
| Thousand Five Hundred Dollars, was from the
| Mediterranean, and the balance, Two Hundred
Forty Thousand, Five Hundred nine Dollars, from
other counties. According to the Tariff Law,
this Wool mus, have been made TO appear worth
less than eight cents, at the place from whence it
was imported, or it could not have been imported
into the country free of duty. Suppose we esti-
mate the average price of these WOODS, at six cents
per pound, at the places from whence they were
imported. Some were worth more and some less
but we vii! call the average at six cents per
pound.
Let us see how many pounds Of wool, this IL
mount Of money would purchase in foreign coun-
tries, estimating the price as above, II would pnr-
chase eleven million two hundred fifty thousand
one hundred and fifty pounds.
We have repeatedly stated that there was 10,
900 600 pounds olthis article imported in 1872,
free of duty; but il seems that our estimate was
not high enough by ono and ono-lourth million
pounds.
To show the Importance aud effect this amount
of wool has upon eur wooI-growcrs. we have conf
piled the following estimate of its value in our
markets. We have intended in making this esri-
mate, TO arrive NJ the facts as near as our inior-
nation would allow, and believe they are not far
from correct;
l,2j0, $50 lbs Foreign Wool
at cts, SG15, 0O9,OO
| Freight, Insurance and other
expenses in importing, say
cts. per pound On above
amount, 337, 5Ol,5C
Estimated profit in The sale Of
this wool cts. 100000
vanc Of wool imported in
1910, free Of duty, 81 ,CST ,522 90
/ 1t will be seen from the above calcu alton that
we have estimated the average price Of thls wool
In our markets, ut fifteen cents per pound. In ma
king this estimate, we have made no allowance fOI
the large amount Of fine WOODS, which are mixed
with the coarsrr, in order to cvade the duties. II
this had been taken into our account, it would
have made an important difference in the value oil
tins foreign wool 1t would probably add consd
erably TO the amount of our estimated value Of
these woods; but as we have no means of nsccr-
tanning the facts correctly, we have not included II
IN our calculation.
Let US pursue our calculations II little further,
- A 4 Il =
item to our wooI-growers.
by The last census, the number Of sheep 10 the
United States, was no, far from g, 900 900, which
we will suppose would yied,O an average, IL
pounds Of wool per head Amounting 10 10000
900, pounds AT 30 cents per pound, Is n pretty
low price, and we think good deal lower than
our wool growers can afford 10 raise it, cents
per pound more than the manufacturers at Wash
ington say the Vermonrcrs can iase wool for, (Sce
Mr. Strongs letter. this would amount TO lj,OOO,
600 Of dollars. From this estimate, it appears
that the value Of foreign wool, imporie!trCc fdu-
IN in 1910, ,cas equal 10 oHe-ninh of the rtolc
trooi grOrn in he Uaiici States! This fact,
startling as II may appear TO many, Is true, never
theess, ms Ear rs we are capable OF Judging
Does it not concusiyely show, that the policy
of permitting this wool to come into the country
free Of duty, is working the destruction Of our
wool-growers' The amount of these woods Is in
creasing yearly, and if the system of free admlss-
ion il continued it cannot require much foresight
10 perceive the consequences that must inevitably
follow
We hope the people will investigate this sub
ject, before il is too late. Our State Is immensely
interested in the woo-gIowng business. In Fact,
her vital interes, is the raising of this article. The
amount of wool produced yearly in our state, Is
orer three and a half millions Of pounds. There
i. no State in the Union, so deeply Interested, will
the exception Of New York and Ohio, and they
are but a little before US.
vermoniers! ponder well on these FACTS, and
act accordingly.
"PRAY, MIR. SHERIFF, GIVE rs OUR
LAND AGAIN."
1t appears (says the Giolel that the most Illus
C.ot