The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-05-20

} ter the profits have fallen to that level, abo'
5 which no agricultural business can long co
r tinue, it is not to be wondered at, if a gre
and rapid deterioration takes place in Il
quality and condition Of the article, sine
, there is no fair and equitable discrimination
made in its market value
This brings me to point not touched uI
on by Mr. Gay, but one TO which it is appal
cnt the American manufacturer ofbroalcIoth
cannot be indifferent; and which should be
at any rate, pressed most forcibly upon tn
notice Of the growers Of fine wool.
The present mode Of purchasing wool ha
already had the effect to dcterioratc the char
acter of the flocks over large sections Of thu
country. There is now an almost universal
complaint, that there is no adequate discrim
ination in price the evil is most seriously fel
and men are in hot haste to make changes il
the character Of their flocks, which they, a.
well as the manufacturer, will, ere long, it is
to be feared, seriously lament The changes
now being rapidly made, would soon be com
plcte and Unbelievable, were it not that there
are some men, who either from the magnitude
of their ciip-or from business connections
or popularity OF situation or some other cause
deal directly with the manufacturer and not
Will HIS ldClOI, anu lHuS ODliII ljliCCS WHICH
bear some sort Of relation to the staplcr's es-
innate of the value Of the wool, If it be i'm
portant to the manufacturer Of fine cloth to
put stop to the degradation of our focks, he
will surely see that it can be done only by
putting an end to the present manner Of CON
Quoting the wool-trade, and will at once lend
his effective aid in bringing about result so
desirable to the prosperity of the American
farmer.
AS very large proportion of the wool pur-
chased by the wool-factor is obtained from
men who keep but small hocks, and who have
therefore no character to sustain as hock-mas-
ters, it is very apparent from the laws oftrade
that however bad may be the condition Of
their wool-uness it is separated in the mark
ct from that of others, who are truly fock-mas-
tiers, it will more or less,according to its GUAM
tity, materially affect the price of the other,
though Il superior article. To show clearly
that am not mistaken in this position, allow
me to direct your attention to the unwashed
and filthy wool imported last year, costing un.
der cents per pound, and its influence in
prices. was shown imported
wool by manufacturer, which cost him in
the condition it then was Is cents per lb.-
Yet it was equal in appearance to American
wool worth 80 cents per ID. Owing TO the
;hrinkage Of this wool, however, it took 3 lbs
IF it to make one pound when it was worked
nto cloth, which therefore was equivalent TO
80 or 40 cents per ID. American wool worth
80 cents per ID will shrink about one third in
is preparation for cloth, and therefore cost
when in cloth about 43 or A cents per lb.-
t is therefore apparent, that this filthy, for
ign wool, last year, had q material influence
n ruling the marllet-price Of American wool
If medium quality.
Tag-locks, filth and Irvine cannot enhance
he value Of any portion Of the wool in mark
It; nor ought a system to be longer tolerated |
hat makes little or no difference in the price
# wool thus basely contaminated, and wholly |
rec from censurable impurities Look at |
he consequence; the price obtained may adj
quately rcmunerate the grower of the one
While to the grower Of the other, it is utter
y ruinous.
The one keeps his small flock poorly and
heaply by the road side or on the refuse Of
lis farm, while the fl-ck of the other consumes
he entire or chief product of the farm, and |
he wool it yields is the only or main crop
hat its owner carries to market. To each
therefore the same price will not bring the
ly continue to raise wool in his small way,
'ithout any material change in its condition,
'hatever may be the result Of any effort to
tier the absurd practices Of the wool trade.
But the other cannot and will not long persc-
ere as wool.growcr, unless there is an al
Grafton: and if the present shecp-waIks are
l consequence turned into ploughed fields,
he ordinary farmer will in his turn expert
nee the ruinous consequences Of ncglpctmg
to foster such modes of marketing
WOOL as will secure to each shepherd an eX-
ct rccompcnse for his skill aud care. Ii may
e possible for the agricultural products OF
ne country to sink still lower in value than
hey now are. Perhaps there is margin
nough for great depreciation in prices but
will sooner or later become necessary for
he manufacturer to inquire whether his in
arcsts will be promoted or prejudiced, by
aviug the farmers Of the United States be.
one merely peasants. May he not SO de-
reciac the value Of wool that he will ulti-
lately injure himself?
Until the letter of Mr. Gay, nothing has
yer before been said, that | am aware of,
bout the necessity Of sorting feeccs for mar
ct According to Mr. Gay, wool destined to
European markets, must be sorted, else the
lllest advantage will not be realized from
he venture. Nor is it less certain, that an
Unnecessary loss is annually submitted to by
he neglect Or rather by the impossibIity, UNI
cr the present system, Of doing the same
hing with Aeeccs destined for home consump-
on. The necessity of sorting in the one
ase springs out of the division of manutac-
lring labor. The division of labor It is true
not carried as far with us as with foreign
rs; it nevertheless exists to great extent
daily becoming more perfect and from the
ecessity Of the case, must ultimately be as
omplete here as elsewhere. But even as
Kings now are, it is not difficult to show that
he sorting Of Acece-wool is requisite to pre-.
Ont an otherwise unnecessary loss to the wool
rowers.
One factory that I can name, values a GER il
ain description of wool only at So cents per +
b because tits unsuitcd to theirstyle of goods,
While the very same wool is valued in another