Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-01-04

THE TARirF QUESTION AND 1uz Wool
GEowERs.-We take the following from
rrTort Of a recent meeting Of the Farmers
Club Of Westminster, Vt. in the Bellows
FALL Iunes.
petition vas pre-entcd for the eonsid-
Of the Club, asking Congress "to levy such
duties upon foreign Wool and WoOllens
during the present session as will give equal
and adequate Protection TO the Manuiactur-
er all Wool Grower. that the latter may in
Ms attractive pursuit, pursue it with profit,
AMI no; be obliged 10 abandon the same. A
Inv stable, plain, brief, specific, and tina.
shall take effect irou its passage" In dis
cussing the petition, the following facts were
mentioned
English Manufacturers import wool chiefly
from Australia, Cape Of Good Hope, British
India aud South America. The three first, the
English control as colonies, the last mainly
through English capitalists en- gagged in wool
growing. Six years ago 10 fine Wooled sheep
we're found IN Buenos Ayres. but now as a re-
sult of the investment Of large capital in the
enterprise she exports yearly several million
pounds Of 6ne merinO wool, and her numerous
f0cks are in hne state Of perfection. American
capital also is flowing 10 Buenos Ayres. Two
men, citizens OF the United States, produced
there the past year, 0,00O pounds of wool.
Australia in 1907 under the patronage of
George ye Ill. exported 3i5 pounds Of wool, but
in eleven months Of 1865 she exported 106 nil
hon pounds
Vermont this year produced nearly 4,OOO,-
goo pounds Of wool She is fifth in the loyal
States in producing power, New York, Ohio,
Michigan and Pennsylvania ranking above her.
The whole United States produced the past
year 40 million lbs which Is about one half Of
our present consumption.
At the port Of New York alone there were
imported this year 81 million lbs. CT wool or Is
million lbs. more than were imported into the
whole country in 1861 The amount of Woolen
machinery has doubled in this country since
1861.
Only ore or two factories in this vicinity will
manufacture wool for the farmer but several far
mers OF the town had bad their wool so worked
up the past year and the cloth cost them Sl.OO
per yard, aud was sold by them at once for
| SLIGO per yard. Here is shown the unequal
| protection to the manufacturer.
Mr.. Grout opposed the petition. The manu-
acturers and few wool-growers we're desirous
Of mouopoliEipg great profits. He thought the
| petition illiberal He feared Vermont would be
| turned INTO one great sheep-pasture- Men rich
with thousand sheep And thsusand acres
were pareeiiug out between theV the whole
State Men Of moderate means must move out.
| The State would be depopulated. One formerly
/ populors School District in Westminster had
been reduced from this cause IS reported by
the Town Superintendant, to having school Of
only four children. The fact was simply this ;
The wool growing business was oyerdone. Too
much money had been made in it. There must
be collapse, and capital must flow into other
channels. A tariff would only apply an unnatur-
al stimulus. and would be followed by additional
| demands.
Mr.. Farr and Pierce replied to these strie-
lures showing how closely every industrial pur
suit in Vermont was allied TO the Hool-groWing
interest and that fears Of injury to the State BY
her success in this branch, were groundess
At the close Of the discussion the club adopted
the petition almost unanimously, and commit
tees were forthwith appointed for circulation.