The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-08
Gae0t1fe[E fQetr1er
THE WOOL TRADE.
Editors Intelligence,'

-hQlLOTS 1HtetLtytHCGA
1t is desired to present few "items'
and ideas which will be of interest tC
many of your readers.
"There are, tricks in trade" has passed
into an adage. and on a local applica'
ton of this, it has been said that If 8
man buys wool for a number of years
he loses all honor ASA man. Ifthis be
true, it is probably true of no other
legitimate business, except President
hunting.
The Bringing out of "facts" in illus.
tration of the application is how we
propose to interest your readers. And
if three-fourths olthe wool growers in
the,countydo not recognize these facts as
covering the case in their own commu-
mites, then the writer of this will agree
to do the dirty work for the other
fourth.
Further-the writer never owned,
sold or bought a pound of wool, or
dealt in sheep, in any way be.
yond the pleasure taken in seeing a
good sheep.
Names will be ommitted, of both
"friend and foe" simply as an excuse
for not giving the writer's own-which
might seem like taking undue promi.
hence in SO important a matter.
Yet names can be given in proof OF
eUeTy case, and every "fact," substan-
tiated by cloud of witnesses.
The desire to "ventilate" the conduct
of some wool growers, as we'll as deal
ers, and no better recourse is to be had
than through the columns of your
widely circulated paper.
1t is felt that this much must needs be
said by way of introduction as giving
apology, aim and purpose.
Wool buyers buy from the reputation
of DOL, not from their own judgment,
but little of which in many cases they
seem to have.
Instance-heavy, greasy, gummy
wool is 'cried down." as it should be.
by all honest wool growers and dealers.
A producer finding his wool getting
lighter and lighter by "breeding in"
wishes to increase the weight of fleece,
is drawn by some sharp dealer into
breeding-not heavy wooled sheep, but
heavy from gum or grease. He hnds II
out, Is honest in the matter, keeps moth
ing back and he gets reputation for
such wool, yet he breeds this out as
quickly as possible, until the last gum
drop" is bred out, and people knot0 Il:
Being but few clips of this "reputation"
the buyer takes advantage of this fact,
leaves these clips until the last, and
gets them at his own price.
This might matter little were this all,
and the buyer only to blame, but the
neighbors of these parties and others
purchase of the same for the purpose OF
increasing the weight of their fieeces.
Now here comes the "unkindest cut of
ALL Those who are honest enough to
inform the buyer of the facts upon an
swer to his questions, get no price at all
or say as the price stands this year, 40
cents or under, while those who have
as much or more of this "stock" by fug-
Cling the buyer, or through a clique,
get 60 cents. The grade is no better
the weight of fleece is no less. From
this it is certainly clear to people en-
dowed with common honesty and COM
mon sense, that the buyer depends up
on something else than his own judg-
ment in the buying of wool.
This might excuse the buyer. A man
is always excused for want of ability.
But, gentleman wool grower, who may
vince at this, how is it with your. Your
investigation is invited and dehed, sir,
and we damn your silence" in this
matter, which shall be interpreted to
your credit, on the assumption that
discretion is the better part of valor.
We should much like to have the OPP
portunity of giving names, to further
Ven:ilate this unorganlzed clique OF
buyers and growers, composed OF some
who profess to stand high in society and
church All that is asked is fair play,
and common honor and honesty. Again
we apostrophize, and shame you in the
QnLUB Ol DUIus NO 0ASBAoS0 bAG
ton of our society and common religion
by complete devotion to this modern
green backed God.
Further-Here are some OF our coun.
try or small town merchants, who de-
pend for their bread upon this wool
growing section, carrying on such IL
business as the following:
A manufacturer or wool dealer in the
East writes to one of these with whom
he has been doing business, probably
engaged to buy wool heretofore: buy
up for me what wool of Ia certain
grade) you can get ut 90 cents" he
writes back: az can do better than
that; 1 can buy it mt 40 cents-a fact
note as you read, not found out by
"'reading private kilograms. d Ia
Butler Us. Wooley.
Now. how does our dependent mer-
chant propose to do this? He is
we'll acquainted with the "tinan-
cial situation of his customers,
knows when certain man
must sell, needs his money-takes adj
vantage Of this-offers him 45c or I'M
der; it is the "end of his stfinS"-and
the grower having confidence in his
(misJ representations of eight money
market "large amount of old stock on
hand" &C., or course, sells. Others in
similar situations sell-the market is
started. Another class becomes scary,
Beli-t09 eAdulplS Is GOhIhBlOhsI uALAl
all are sold out but few, and they are
compelled to sell, or lay out of SO much
capital for year. So il goes from one
season to another.
However gullible or in the fault
the grower may be, this does not ex-
cuse the buyer, and this programme
has been carried out so long that it has
become "crying evil" and efforts
have been made to form societies for
of the
same nature most probably as your
mutual stores in the cities for protec
ton against the inordinate demands OF
produce dealers.
But the wool-grower labors under
many difficulties in work of this
kind. The great distance from each
l.other is the principal, want of co-opera-
ton, little faith. antagonistic interest,
small capital, tSc., and knowing thai
nothing can be done to be effective, uL-
less the entire wool growing country
unite. A section here may from pro
tective union. If there are none else
where, or everywhere. the dealer fights
shy OF this section. He can do without
their wool and they are in worse sit
uation than before. The impossibility
| of protection then IS easily seen.
| Against the growers of "fancy clip"-
which can be counted upon your fin
Gers-it Is believed nothing can be said
| Those who raise fine and ght woods
aud command high prices this year
from 40 to rs cents-deal in fair
honorable way, as far as known, and II
is with pride they are mentioned. as
never having bred "heavyn wool. And
while not realizing as much per head
but from the scarcity of this grade
| always commanding ready sale, they
are blding their time, knowing thell
wool to have attained a worldwide
reputation, and always selling for mor'