The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-05-24
THE WOOL MARKET,

The following remarks from the United
STATES Economist, april l5,) contain
many timely views in respect to the prob
able prices of wool and woolens, now that
the war is substantially ended, which we
more than year ago, advanced in antic-
/ ipation of the same result: and they arc
fortified by the able editor of that paper
| by many new facts drawn from events Of
more recent occurrence. The article de.
rives additional importance from the cir
cumstancc that the Economist is u recog-
nizcd and influential organ among manu-
facturcrs and among all engaged in the
wool and cotton trade. Most emphatic
ally do we subscribe to its final conclusion
that if farmers rush their wool into
the market next June, just as soon
rs il Is shearcd," they must expect
the natural consequences. "BOth manu-
iacturers and dealers will take advantage
OF their weakness and buy their wool at a
very low figure" And there is no need
whatever for such foolish panic. Nev-
er before were our farmers 50 free from
debt, so po fcily indclo rdent. No ag-
rcutural commodity will better bear the
change from war to peace prices, for the
reasons so cogently set forth below We
cntrcat our woo-growing readers to pause
and consider the subject well before they
resort 10 the suicidal policy of Cutting
the early market The Economist says:
".At the present time Of doubt and un-
certainty, the question arises, Now that
we are returning to peace and'a specie ba-
sis, will woolens and worsteds be sold for
less than gold value the next nine
months than they were the correspond
ing nine months of 1860?
81 =
"In 1860 we had a very low tariff
compared with the present one. Then
we had an ad valorcm duty of II per
cent, on woolens now we have on all
WOODEN cloths and shawls 2i cents per
pound, and in addition thereto 10 per
ad valorcm. to be paid in gold. Then
we had Il duty OF 20 per cent ad valor-
EN-. on carpets. Now we have a duty of
zoe. per square yard on al! carpets OF the
value Of Sl.2j per square yard, payable
in gold, nearly three times the amount it
wis in 1850, but we have duty of 80
cents per square yard, on all over 81 %
per yard provided that none pay less
than % per cent. Then we had duty
on worsted pieces, yarns, hose, gloves,
&C., OF 10 and 81 per cent al valorem -
Now we have Il d2ty of 50 and 30 per
cent. ad valorem. And as the United
States does not manufacture sufficient for
its own wants, 1t is evident that the price
Of these goods will be regulated by the
price at which they can be imported :;
and as the duty is nearly double what it
was in 1860 worsteds and woolens must
be proporionably higher, other conditions
being equal.
Then how was it with wool -
Wool at the value Of 20 cents per pound
and at the port Of expectation, was ad-
mitted duty free. All others paid u
per cent ad valorem.
snow wool at 12c per pound, or less,
at the port of export, pays duty of Sc.
per pound, gold. More than I2c. per
pound, and not over PC. per pound, &c.
per pound. Over pic. per pound and
not over SIC. per pound, 1Oc. per pound,
and 10c. al valorem. Over 32c. per
pound, 12c. per pound and 10 per cent.
al valorem.
''ln view of the fact that we do not
produce wool sufficient for our wants, is
there any probability that it will not be
az higl the next nine months as it was
when the tariff was so much lower? A
few weeks ago I'VE presented the fact that
during the war the gold price of wool
had never been equal to its price in 1860.
Wool was worth 10 cents per pound
more than its gold value has ever been
since. 1t was selling then from 10 to
VI cents per pound, and manufacturers
were making money, while during the
war 1t has never reached 30 cents per
pound, gold, yet there have been times
within the last twelve years that the
most ordinary kind Of clean wool was
worth so cents. Are we to suppose that
with our returning prosperity and protec-
wv ttsl IA w oilttll llul llstNC tlo Il1u
ces as we had in 1860.
During the past four years the South
ern States have been closed to trade
Now that they are thrown open, and we
expect demand for woolcns from that
quarter much larger than we have had
for the past four years. 1t is urged by
many that but few woolenS are required
in the South, on account of the warmth
of the climate but our best woolens
went there before the war, and though
through the dIy the Southerner wears
light goods, yet in the evening he wears
woolens. The Texan requires them to
protect him from theS' 'Norther,' while
our heaviest cassimeres find Il market in
New Mexico anl California. Then
again during this time W. have a large
army to c'othe either as soldiers or civil
ians. If paid oifin that time, then, with
their pockets well replenished, from boun-
ties and back pay, they will not only re-
quire more clothes, but better article.
"Ihe people at large are bare of goods
and are ready to supply their wants, now
that they are approaching gold stand
ard for the price of labor, like the price
OF many other articles, has not been equal
to gold value, nor wiz it be likely to fall
with the nrice of rnl1 Tho lohora, J,-