The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-22
The wnnIIn,ere.,

The New York Tribune, in an elabor-
ate article, contrasts the English with
the American policy of protection in
the matter of wool growing and
wooden manufacturing. 1t shows how,
for i've centuries. the system of prOtec-
ton Instituted by King Edward Sd,
was continued with untold results, in
the why of wealth and power, to the
British nation. Not only did the Eng
lish government protect the wooden in
terests IA against all foreign COMPETE
ton, but they fostered Its growth and
competition among themselves by laws
which enacted that oven the dead
should be buried in IL certain kind of
wooden cerements. The nIl-powerfuI
East India Company, holding the key
to boundless markets, by rule that
was inflexible, and in operation down
To 1923. required that both the material
and the manufacture OF all the cloth II
exported should be English. The five
centuries of continued protection which
the wool and wooden interests OF Great
Britain received, were founded on the
sentiment embodied by II wise com
mOner in these words: THE encour-
"ngement Of our wool manufacture is
"eminentIy the foundation of English
" riches, the flower and strength, the
" revenue and the blood of England"
The "wOOl Sack" upon which the Lord
Chancellor OF England has for ages sut
as the presiding officer of the House OF
Lords, is the symbol of the Importance
which the nation and its Government
has for ages attached to their wooden
industry.
The history OF British legislation in
all these respects differs widely from
that of our own. African, South Amer
lean and Australian woods are brought
to our shores, inyoiced abroad greatly
below their value, In order to escape
the nd valorem duty, and are sold at
prices with which we cannot compete.
The facts OF the case are that if we were
TO raise the tariff upon them, even to
the point of prohibition, we should
soon SEQ the effect on our domestic
competition We should see an active
rivalry between those States in
which wool Is grown, twenty-seven in
all, and in u few years our product
would BIO AS cheap as the cheapest,
while at the same time we should build
up great and prosperous industry
Within.ourselvss.
Mr.. Special Commissioner Wells, in
his late report to Congress, in regard to
the tariff amendments, takes ground
ngainst any further protection of the
wool interests. The gist OF his argu.
ment Is, that II we do not frame the
tariff so as to favor the importation OF
foreign woods, "the considerable num-
Der OF vessels yet employed" in the
Cape OF Good Hope. the Australian,
and the Brazilian trade Twill mt once
be withdrawn, and tho purchase an
nually OF 10000, coo pounds OF foreign
wool, at a cost of $40, sou, 600 in gold, Ito
be bought with our bonds at an average
shave of not less than 10 per cent and
interest," will be stopped and we shall
lose some si,5OO,OOO Immediate gold
revenue" Upon these remarks of Mr..
Wells the Tribune comments thus:
Is it for this Free Trade mess OF pot
Iage that the birthright OF the farmers
OF tweuty-seveu of our States to keep
hocks of sheep for the sake of their
wool, Is to be sold?
The telegraph reported last Friday
that Gen. Palmer. candidate for the
office of United States Senator from
Illinois, had the night before made n
speech to the wool-growers OF the Prai-
RE Stnte, in which he ex pressed pity for
the man who in the present condition
OF the country could talk free trade.
Another feeling than pity may be ex-
cited by an official Recommendation TO
establish free trade in wool to the ex-
tent OF destroying Sheep-husbandry in
all the old States of the Union.