The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-10-04

1911 s's7''7'9, S5l0ss.
Il will be observed that there was great
I falling off of the importations in 1889 and
40. This was produced by the French
blockade of Buenos Ayres during the whole,
or the greater part fthose years. The re-
suit was, an accumulation of the stock OF
, wool, which helped 10 swell the importation
into the United States during the following
year, 10 near nine millions of pounds, The
dIminutlon in the cost of the impor' atoms of
lS4l, was doubtless attributable, in some
degree. to the excessive accumulation of
wool in that country during the years of the
blockade,
have been told by some, 20 whom | have
presented the fact of The immense imporis-
ton of the last year from Buenos Ayres,
that il was the result merely of the raising
of the blockade which gave won't 10 the &C.
cumulations of the previous two years; and
that, that cause having expended its force
the importations will henceforth return to
the average amount of former years. This
conclusion might be correct, if the average
iniPorations of the Two years of blockade,
and the succeeding year. did not so greatly
exceed the average of the proceeding three
years, az 10 show that there were causes in
operation, which if not checked.would prob
ably continue the importations in the in
creased ratio of the last three years. The
aggregate of the imporiations from BuenoS
Ayres, of wool costing eight cents and I'm
der, in the years 1886, 81 and '3S, was g.
ssl 1853 pounds. Annual average. 2 293,.
1874. The aggregate importations Of
the years 1889, 40 and al, were TO-
! l2O,S02. Annual average 1878. 600
Excess Of the annual Average of the
last three, over that of the previous three,
years, one million, seventy nine thousand,
eight hundred and sirieen pounds; being
an increase of about fortv-seven per cent.
What produced this great excess? The
answer Is obvious. Yankee ingenuity had
discovered that, by crossings ofthe merine
and South American sheep, fine wool might
be produced as cheap as the coarse; and
might be imported free of duty, if it should
cost not exceeding eight cents per pound.
Yankee enterprise, as usual. was not slow
in trying the experiment. Eleven hundred
merino bucks were exported. A large pro-
duction of fine wool was, of course, the re-
suit; and the eight cent. duty free clause in
( the act of 1882. draw it, in large quantities,
/ to the United States. The same cause
! will probably continue 10 produce the same
effect, unless 1t is counteracted by our leg
! islaiion.
The same operation, there is reason TO
believe. has been carried on in an another
South American country (Montevideo) from
which the importations of norninally coarse
/ wool. costing eight cents or under, have rIs.
en- from 5,9S3 pounds in 1887 (the first
! wear in which there were any importations
of wool from that country 10 665, $50 lbs.
in Is4l.
j, Ii NAV not be unimportant in this connex.
ion, to state, that the whole of our Imporia-
lions, from all countries, during the last
five years. ofwool costing eight cents, oil
under has been as follows.
1897 9.4S0,l95.
! 1888 655l,l26.
1899 7.39S.519.
1910 9,303,992-
l34l l4.399,164.
! 1t is worthy Of remark that, while the ag-
uTpghie lflipOIldliOuo vi CiS III SCH'' "SOi
have thus rapidly increased, especially from
the year 1S40, TO 1871, there was falling
off from the former to the latter of those
wears, in the importations Of that descnp.
lion of wool from Turkey, Italy. Morocco
and the Barbarv States of one half-that is
fiom 6.223.2sS to 3,176.276 pounds.
In estimating the extent to which WOO
other than coarse wool, has been introduced
into the country free of duty, it should be
further considered that, at whatever poln
inc maximum of duty-free wool is fixed
there will be perpetual effort on the part
of importers. by various devices. TO get the
wool imported BY them, invoiced below that
ponr, for he purpose of avoiding the duty
THUS for example, an importer of WOO
from South America, in making up mixed
cargo, say Of wool and hides, will give lit
tie more than the market value for the hides
unon condition that the wool, which he may
purchase with them shall be sold TO him, ane
included in the invoice, at the price of eigh
cents or under. A case similar TO this ha:
been stated to me as having actually occurr
ed in the wool trade with Smyrna; and
have no doubt The device is resorted to II
The trade with South America and olhe