Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-06-14


age the infant woOlen factories duty was
imposed on all important woollens of TWEEN
ty-ive per cent. This was distinct ex-
preston of the desire and will of this Gov
eminent TO encourage and sustain the poll
cy Of rendering this country, as soon as
practicable, Independent of foreign supply
of this article Of vital necessity. The pro-
gress Of the production of wool had not then
been sufficient to supply the family use and
furnish the raw material TO the manufacture
er, and therefore no duty was laid OIL wool
but the manufacturer was left free to obtain
it at home or procure it abroad, and import
1t free of any extra duty. Eight years pass
ed away under the operation of this law
Our improved breed of sheep gradually
spread over the northern, middle, and west
ern part Of the United States, and the num-
Der Of sheep was rapidly increased, and be-
gan to supply the factories with considera-
BILE quantities of domestic wool. Ii was now
understood, that in order to render the
country independent, it was not only neces-
sary to have our woollens manufactured in
the country, but il was also necessary TO
have factories supplied with the raw mate
rial within the country and, therefore, to
effect this object, and to furnish encourage
ment to the agricultural interest in the
growth Of wool, was passed the tariff act of
1924. That was the first law imposing an
extra duty on wool. The duty on woolens
was increased, and duty of twenty per
cent, increasing to thirty, was imposed on
all fine wool, that is, on all wool costing ov-
er ten cents per pound. Under this law the
fine woolled sheep greatly increased, but
still much fine wool was imported, and our
factories furnished bu; a very partial supply
of woolens for our market. In 1923 few
Saxony sheep were imported In 1924
Messrs. G. g. T. Searle, of Boston, import
ed seveniy-hve bucks aud ewes, which we're
scattered into different parts Of New Eng
land and New York. The next year there
was an importation Of one hundred and IF
ty. Some Of these sold at four hundred
dollars each. This excited speculation, and
in 1926 two thousand FIVE hundred Saxony
sheep were imported. These Saxony sheep
are smaller and finer woolled sheep than
the Marines from Spain. They have sue
ceeded best, and prevail most in the mlder
parts of our country, from New York to
Virginia, and in the Western States.
Four years passed away under the act oil
1924, and our farmers governed themselve:
by its policy, though New England had moi
thus far ever voted, by majority of its dele
CATION in Congress, for it, 1t had its effect
but il was ascertained that much of that ef
feet was destroyed by the introduction o
foreign woollens, under false invoices, a
prices runous TO the fair trader and manu-
facturer, and destructive TO the intended
operation Of the act of 1924, formed for tn,
encouragement of the farmer. This pro
duced the meeting at Harrisburg, which
caused the act of 1928, so lavshly abused
now as " the bill Of denominations" 1t il
true that political causes, from other sinste
motives, gave to that bill some obiectiona
bic features, which gave ii a character o
uhTGism but under the influence of tina
law the woolIen mandatory lifted up it
head, and the wool growing interest broad
ly and rapidly extended.
In 1888 came the compromise act, estab
fishing scale of reduction of duties, whicl
J gave to this interest a regular decline. B.
the operation of that law, on the 3lst of De
J cember, ls4l, the duty on wool and wool
, lens came down TO twenty-eight per cent
here they stopped and no market was Ioun,
for the clip of wool taken from the shee
in the spring Of 1912 1t became practical
ly certain that it was utterly useless TO pro
: tect wool while manufactured woollens wer
} imported at reduced duties. 1t was like tn
, one broom-maker who asked the other hoy
he could sell his brooms so cheap for sal
he, II steal my timber, and yet canno
: make them so cheap" "Oh," says III
{ other, steal my brooms already made.
: Our manufacturers stopped purchasing woo
' because they could go no further. | utteI
= " deny that it was done for any other cause
4 Men who have invested their all in factorie
! never close them while they can proceed an
' prosper. With their wool of 1912 on han
our farmers looked with anxiety TO the az
= ton of Congress. No sales were made, e.
J cept a small quantity, when iniormatio
: came of the passage of the little tariff bill
e This was Immediately stopped by the new
e of the veto.
r, When the tariff act of IS42 passed,
; would have produced an immediate effec
r but there came, booming over the trouble
p waters after it, the war cry Of repeal, repc0
J. which destroyed its operation; and it WI
e not until the news from Tennessee, inlorr
s ing US Of the prospect of the election of tv
1t Wing Senators, gave some degree of con
u dence TO its stability, that the manufacture
began, cautiously, TO purchase wool. Sim
e then this interest has slowly progressed, al
II American wool has risen from twenty
l. twenty-five cents per pound to thirty-f
E. and forty cents. These prices are not
n high as were received formerly under 4
s. operation of the act of 1893, and in the
l flated times of 1896, but they are liviI
H. prices, and have the hope Of stability.
~ From this brief history of this subject, al
az as The result of our own exnerience | dr.