Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-01-09
THE RUTLAND HERALD,
MONDAY, jANuRY {, lsiS,
The " ool Interest.

The Nool Interest,
The Acting Commissioner 81 Agrieol'
ture in his annual report, tor nearly the
first time in such a rcpdrt, has presented
>oms out'pakeu expression, IN rctcrcnoe I"
the woal-growmg interest, Of the country,
which represent, capital OF hundreds oi
millions Of dollars, aud which undcrlle-
the prosperity Of American agriculture Ia
an extent hardly appreciated by the osr'-
sulturi,ts Themselves aud which has he,n
saved iron Threatened destruction hy IL,
action Of Congress in placing aHuty upon
the foreign article equivalent Ia the inter
nal taxation placed upon the WOOL
growers; but this act Of justice was tar
Oily granted, and the slow progress made
in arriving at the adjustment Of the prin'
ciples involved in the measure, the com
mereial classes, taking advantage Of tht
circumstance, Inflicted heavy blow IN
the introduction of more woolen, in a
single yesr than were imported in thrc,
years Of the rebellion. We trust the day
has passed when a premium will again h,
given to foreign production Of wool by
imposing higher taS upon American
than upon foreign wool-growers, and that
the present adjustment which barely
saves the wool-grower and manufacturer
from loss and those who consume from BE-
coming finally the prey of foreign mo-
nopolists, and that this interest remain
undisturbed by the agitation in favor OF
the repeal of the harmonious and moder'
ate tariff now existing, Careful estimate,
show that our wool production is now
more than equivalent 10 two-thirds Of a
full supply, and with an increase Of worst
ed goods already commenced, and more at
tehtion to the finer varieties of oombing
woods, there can scarcely be any call foI
imports OF any class, with the exception Of
coarse carpet wools perfect provision foi
which exist at a nominal rate. With q
domain of continent possessing unlimited
resources of yearly growth running ID
waste, II is manifestly false system Of
political economy in a nation 10 send
abroad for the raw material Of manufac.
ture, and it is equally 80 for prosperou,
people to send from our country these UNI
wrought productions which we are amply
able to manufacture for the markets %
the world.
There are certain measures which IN,
wool grower and farmer must inaugural,
10 protect this interest, which may b,
termed the politics of agriculture. Here
tofore the reserve and quiet independence
of the farmer, have barred the great in
terests of agriculture from its prope
prominence in the legislation of the coun
try, while other interests more active anc
clamorous, with the advantugr, of u~~o
ciated action and the operation Of clique-
effort, have secured special protection a
the expense of the farmer. Unfortunate
" this dissemination to self-seeking an,
lack of ambition on the part of the agri
culturist, for public station, result gener
ally in the selection of national legislator
from other avocations, many of WHOM
have little knowledgo of the peculia
views Of che farming class, and man
others may have connection with other il
forests that may be- brought into froquen
antagonism with those of agriculture
Farmers are learning their power,-aI
beginning to exercise it in self-protectiol
if not for their own advantage; an
their interests are now more clearly III
derstood and more fully represented.
legislative councils than at any form,
period since the organization of the go
ernment.