The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-08-25
Coarsc-WOOl ContrO-
VcrSY.
VerSY.


OF Hon. Truman Smith of Connecticut, re-
Gently delivered in Congress:
No part Of the Tariff of 40 has been 60
much represented as the duty on wool. En-
forts, alike strenuous and insiduous, have
been made to induce the farmers to believe
that the provisions Of that act were unjust TO
the wool growers-that there was confined
Ia it an unjust discrimination against them in
favor OF the manufacturers Of oOllens. On
the contrary. | Affirm, it was the purpose OF
the 9th Congress 10 do justice to- ard to re-
conciie both interests; that the fault was
wholly;in the execution OF the law, and il il
had been carried out according TO The mani
fest intentions Of Congress, both would have
prospered, and the law would have vindica-
ted itselfto the country as salutary and wise.
There is always difficulty in arranging
properly duty on wool, on account OF the
supposed conflict between the wool growing
interest and that Of woollens; but this con-
flct is apparent only, not real. Wool grow
ing in this county depends wholly on the
success of our manufactures of wool. No
considerable amount Of American wool has
been exported, nor will there be for long
time. II you lay the duty on wool 50 high
as 10 break down the manufactures of wool,
you thereby strike fatal blow at wool grow
ing. II is just as injurious to the American
farmer to import wool in the form of cloth
as in heeces. The great problem 10 be
solved Is so to arrange The duty on woods and
woollens as that the American farmer can
grow wool and that The American manufac-
turer can make the sams into woOllens. If
you lay high duty on foreign woollens you
can lay duty corespondingly high on for
eign wool, and the reverse.
TARIFF LAW OF 1912.
On coarse wool, manufactured, the
value whereofat the last port or place whence
exported to The United States, shall be seven
cents or under per pound, there shall be lev
led a duty OF five per cent. ad valorem, and
on all other manufactured wool there shall
be levied du.y of three cents per pound and
thirty per cent ad valOiem. II. Pr0rided.
when wool of the different qualities of the
same kind or sort is imported in the same
bale, bag, or package, and the aggregate val
ne of the contents Of the bale, bag, or pack
age, shall be appraised by the appraisers at a
rate exceeding seven cents per pouBd, il shall
be charged with duty in conformity to such
appraisal. 2. That when wool Of differ
ent qualities and different kinds or sorts is
imported in the SAINT bale. bag, or package,
The contents Of the bale. bag. or package,
shall be appraised at the value Of the finest or
most valuable sort or kind. and duty
charged thereon accordingly. f3 Prori-
ded further, That If bales Of different quill
ties are embraced in the same invoice, at the
same price, the value Of the whole shall be
appraised according to the value Of the bale
of the best quality. H. Prorided. further,
That il any wool he imported having in it
dirt orany material or impurities other than
those naturally belonging to the fleece. and
thus be reduced in value to seven cents per
pound o, under. the appraisers shall ap-
praise such wool al such price as in their
opinion it would have cost. had 1t not been
so mixed with such dirt or impurities, and "A
duty shall be charged thereon in conformity
to such appraisal. Provided, also. That wool
imported on the skin shall be estimated into
weight and value as other wool
]. The minimum OF eight cents contained
in the tariff Of 1882, and also in the bill re-
ported by the Committee of Ways aud Means
and then under consideration, was, on mo-
ton. cut down TO seven cents, the effects Of
which was to bring all wool costing eight
cents down TO seven cents, under the opera
ton ofrhe high duty Of three cents per pound
and thirty per cent ad valorem.
2. The word coarse. which never before
appeared 10 any tariff in connection with this
subject, was inserted, the Congress intending
thereby to declare, that no wool should be
admitted at FIVE per cent, unless il was truly
coarse WOO, aud that all wool not coarse, or
which could compets with our domestic
wool, should paw the high duty. though cos
ting seven cents or under.
8. A variety Of new regulations were
adopted to prevent and quad against fraud.
which will be found in the provisos above
recited. marked I, 2. and 3.
In this manner the 9th Congress seGul-
ously attempted 10 protect the wool Of the
American farmer. and guard his interests ef-
fectually against all danger Of competition
with cheap South American wool.
| do not hesitate to affirm that this object
would have been accomplished, If the act Of
1912 had been executed according to the
manifest intent Of Congress. Certain II IS,
the provisions of that act as ultimately set
tied were highly satisfactory to those mem
bers who were Immediately represented the
wool growing interest
To enable the committee to appreciate The
true character Of the tariff Of 1912 50 far as
it deals with this subject, invite particular
attention to the table which now Introduce
In the first column you will find the coast Of
wool in the foreign country from FIVE cents to
twsnty five cents per pound; in the second,
the rate per cent. which each grade must
pay according 10 the act ofJo42; and IN the
fourth, the amount which the same grades
will pay according to the bill which has re-