The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-12-24
'cHe loved his country as no other man has
her; but no man deserved less at her

NUMBER 20.

Wool as "a Staple.
From the New YORK Economist.
Time was when wool was summarily dis
placed by cotton as a raw material Of textile
fabrics. So soon as cotton could be had at 12c
per H., it was made into goods, which, through
their cheapness, thrust many kinds OF wool
Ell goods out of the market. The time has
come for wool to assert its claim to its former
position and it is remarkable to what an ex-
tent, during the last two years, this claim has
been acknowledged by consumers. Woolens
are now used for many purposes for which cot
ton has been consumed, that the demand for
cotton has been very materially reduced, and
for wool proportionally increased. .t.
1t Is just now a question Of peculiar inter
est with manufactures how far this substitu-
ton is likely to prove permanent; for upon
the solution of the problem depends to a large
extent the future price of both wool and cot
ton. There is a direct competition between
the two staples for supplying the demand for
the worlds consumption of clothing. Success
in this contest will ban the side of the sta
pie that not only VI fabric at the lowest
price, but which BIT suits the taste, the
economy and the hort Of the consumer. 1t
is not difficult to dJtermine, with cotton at soc
and fine wool at Soc, which would yield the
! really cheaper fabric. In any article for which
both materials We're eligible, it is clear that
wool would have the preference. There will
be no disposition on any side to dispute that,
with both staples at about the same price, wool
would be preferred for 8 purposes out of 10.
But the history of textile manufactures has
shown thai there is a point of disproportion
between the prices at which cotton is prefer
red to wool. Ordinary that State of things
has existed when Upland cotton was worth
at Liverpool cd pei. pound, and find Austria
liam wool god per pound. There has been no
fuctuation in the relative value of the staples
that has showed a greater equalization Of the
price of cotton with that OF wool and we
have therefore no precedent showing whether
the ordinary relation of prices WAS the only
one under which cotton would receive a pre-
ference over wool. When therefore we look
to the probability Of cotton falling during the
next months to 45@50@60c per pound, it is
most difficult to estimate the extent to which
such a reduction would affect the value of
wool and yet this is the question on which
more than any other depends the future price
of wool. There can be no question that the
cheapening Of cotton to SOC wouldsvery mate
rally increase the production Of such goods
as are now made OF cotton but would the
price be low enough to recover back from
wool the ground it has gained ? 1t would be
difficult to show why cotton might not then
be substituted for some of the most available
purposes to which wool is now applied; but
it would not be less so to show that for most
purposes wool would not still be the cheaper
staple. a.L.
In December, 1860, cotton was worth 105c /;
now it is worth 53c in gold, showing an in
crease in price of 400 per cent, Three years
since American Saxony fleece wool was sell
ing at 52Bc; to-day it is worth 56c in gold.
Thus it appears that while cotton has i~ncreas-
ed five times its ordinary price, wool is with
in a shade Of its usual gold value. Although
this only proves that wool isimrneDsety cieap-
er than cotton, compared with peace prices,
and not that it is cheaper for the purposes OF
consumption yet considering the utcontest-
ed superior durability Of wool fabric. it will
not he doubted by many practical men that
Tor ell purposes for winch botb staples are
available, wool is really much the cheaper
material. u
How far this state Of tire case would be al
tered i'll favor Of cotton by its reduction to
three times its peace value, it is impossible TO
estimate; but there can be no doubt that wool
would even then continue to be used for many
of the purposes to which cotton has ordiuari-
ly been appropriated. From these considera-
lions, it would seem that any expectation OF
q fall in wool, consequent upon.a material de
tOrioration of the price Of cotton, is based up
on a slender foundation. On the other hand,
it is a reasonable inference that, if cotton con
tinues much longer at present figures, wool
must advance to still higher prices.
-~--- So s-
Az ~miuaost needless E~xpInuuqfon
1t is perhaps none Of our business, but we
would like to know why Mr.. Cover didn't lot
his ''son john go without putting L. S. tc
the expense of conscripting him-why did he
wait, and then make a virtue of necessity ?
Cover says he can 'spare $500 without incon
venience, scarcely miss the amomlt."-Jildt-
son Patriot.
We have since handed John $500 to pay
for his release from tile draft, so that he could
volunteer to serve in the 25th Regiment, the
one of his choice-thc draft regulations moi
allowing men to choose where they will serve
Thus, the government gains a man and gain.
$500; with the $500 the Government hire
another man, making two instead Of one by
this voluntary act. And as the State will re,
CelVe q creQlI OF just one more volunteer al
the next draft, and the 9TH of January DRAFT
upon the own Of Lancaster be just one less
we cannot see but that our duty was we'll per
formed to county, State and town.
For over two years We have been a party
to a written contract with a soldier iii the
Potomac service, binding ourseIf in case O
his death during the three years to purchase
a house and lot for his mother, OF allow hel
the free use Of one during her lifetime, she t
pay the taxes Or make repairs. However, al
he has since been considerably promoted h
has written us d letter releasing us from tht
obligation, saying that the pension would b'
sufficient for her.
These explanations are made for no use t.
us, but for the cause in which we are in deer
earnest, and to stop, to some extent, the illiber-
al charges that but for the pay and Offices
there would be no patriotism, no soldiers, ne
volunteering, no nothing but a total surrendeI
to the rebels who arc so "brave and fighting
only for their rights" Is the Patriot fairly
answered ?-Grant CoDmty Herald.