Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-08-21
FOR SENATOR.-ESSEX CO.
JONAH BROOKS JR.
FOR SENATOR.-LAMOILLE co.
CORNELIUS LYNDE.
THE PATRIOT AND THE TARIFF ON
WOOL.


Although the city editor" has returned and re-
leved us of our dules still, averse as we are to
political controversy, wet the country editor')
are willing to retain the editorial pen long enough
to effect, if possible, understanding with the
Patriot in reference to any thing we have written
since the Waterman has been under our charge.
Our present private capacity shall not shield us
from the responsibility of any statements we haYe
made or of any positions we have taken.
Two weeks since we asked the Patriot, whose
professed friendship for the wool-grower knows no
bounds, TO inform us what would be the probable
duty upon wool, when Treasurer Walker completes
his arrangements, and the Tariff is reduced to a
revenue standard. In the plenitude of its wisdom,
the Patriot does not fit to answer the question
The insufficiency of the protection such Tariff
would afford, is too glaring to be exhibited to the
world. 10 preserve appearances, however, it pa.
rades in large capitals the imposing title "Ques
tions onSwerrd," and then endeavors to divert oul
attention from the simple point of inquiry, by brave
ly launching out into furious onslaught upon the
Tariff of '42. Very well; we will not press the
matter, but content ourself with meeting the Pat
riot upon its own ground, and correcting some of
the gross misrepresentation it ndiscreety indul-
ges in
The present Tariff it asserts is imperative upon
WOOL first because little or none of that description
of wool which costs over seven cents a pound in
the foreign market is imported. The inconectness
of this statement may be seen at once by referring
to the Treasurer's reports for 1910 and IS4l. 1t
there appears that 594 746 pounds of wool costing
over eight cents pound, were imported in 40,and in
al, the year before the enactment of the present
Tariff, no less than 596,64G pounds. The amount
imported costing over seren cents is not reported
if ii had been the above sum of course would have
been considerably larger Since the present Tariff
went into operation, this wool has been nearly ex.
cluded, and consequently, Notwithstanding the as
serton of the Patriot, the Tariff of '42 has proved
highly beneficial to the wool-grower. But second
ly the present tariff is unproductive of benefit be-
cause, TO quote the Patriot it admits sail wool cost
ing abroad cents and under with duty of only
5P~ cent Now there is no doubt that, by means
Oh machinery for picking and cleansing, majority
OF this wool completes directly and ruinousy with
the wool-grower in Vermont" The omission in
the first part of this statement, of the little word
coarse before wool, is doubtless of the Patriots
"slight variations; but we can't help thinking il is
of some little importance after ALL Foreign wool
cannot enjoy the benefits of the low duty, unless it
has both a certain cheapness and an absolute coarse
ness. And it is the existence of this last jndis-
pensable requisite that makes the statement of the
Patriot false, and affords to our wool perfect secur-
ity against foreign competition. The fact that
wool is cheap does not make it coarse: the fact
that it is unwashed and unpcked, does not make it
coarse. Neither does the fact that it is partially
coarse entite it to exemption from the high duty :
for the act itself provides that in cases where sew
eral kinds of wool are included in one invoice the
ichote shall be appraised at the value of the best
The wool TO come in with the 5 per cent. duty must
De actually, literally, and altogether coarse -; and
'he ratot may twaddle as much as it pleases about
machinery Tor cleansing cheap foreign WOOL vet
"hal Is mat TO us, as long rs it remains fired fact
that the philosophers stone will be discovered Ioro
before an apparatus will be invented wbose mario
powers shall transform the very nature itsee of to
staple, and make that fine wool which WINS co..o.
when it left the sleeps back. Fine wool. then hos
nothing to fear from the entertainments Of cooro.
nv puOStiOn hSAt uilSCoj iiufO VIC WOOL OF
other description that is exposed to foreign compe
titionF What is the inherent probability of the
fact? Foreign coarse wool in our market com.
mands 10 or IL cents pound. We suppose it costs
at least 25 cents a head to keep our common fine
and mixed booded sheep, and we do not know why
1t should not cost about much to keep the coarse
wooded animal What is the conclusion? Nc
man could keen sheen producinn the coarso ,vooI
that so much is said about, without suffering mate
rial loss every year; and John Randolph might
easy be forgiven if he did go hundred yards out
ef the way to kick such sheep; and Furthermore,
WE will rake the responsibility of saying (if the