New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-19
The TARIFF on WOOL.

Tie following letter, otoCht""' 4''' '"'N' y
1870 has been sent TO me for reply:
| "TO me Edftor Of The Tribune.
| SIR: Please find incosed piece taken from RtTa
Bo,id OF December H. 1862 rms ana others Oh nke
had effect in this section among the woolgrowers ana
farmers as the good OF protection Can you give Us
any light through lmE "kEhhi IhihCNh oN inns IN
roRrGNT QUESTION -
The slip cut from The RaraI World is as follows
"THg TARIFF-The Treasury accounts exhibit the in
tercting that of 20OOOOOO pounds OF wool in
.pected during past year. 1sOOOOO entered al
low of duty 9,OC0OO at three. ana 9OOO AT SIX
aud especially the who are ProeconistS IN
theory TO sval themselves OF what Is relatively Free
Trade"
To answer the writer of this letter it is necessary
10 give brief history of the way in which the wool
growers secured the protection now given by the
Tariff laws. to their interests.
A few years since. the manufacturers OF wooden
goods invited the producers of wool to meet them in
Joint convention at Syracuse y. Y The invitation
was accepted aud both these interests were there
fully represented The producers of wool had
their strong men, who fully presented their views.
The same may be said of the manufactures. Zach
party appeared to be willing to hear, and daily re-
gard the interests Of the other The result was,
after laying down, by way Of platform, certain gen
eral principles, in which all were agreed, a JOINT
committee appointed 10 draw up ana agree upon
such provisions of the Tariff laws then under dis
parties 1t was the duty of this Committee to pre-
sent their views to Congress- and if possible have the
Tariff on wool and wOoens made to conform to these
views On the part OF the woomen. the Hon.
Henry : Randall acted rs Chairman of their side of
the Committee 1t is hardly necessary for me 10 say
that Mr. Randall has from his boyhood been large
wool grower and that in every way lie was eminent
IL tittcd for the place he held on the Committee.
For that especial work, no man Is his superior II
any could be found that was his equal. Is doubtful
After many meetings and much discussion, this
Joint committee came 10 - full agreement the great
and fundamental principle of which was, thar the
growing of wool in the United States should he los
tered and promoted equally with It's manufacture.
All parties being of the opinion that the besi lnief
estS OF the whole country would be promoted by our
wool growers producing all the wool consumed IN the
cOunry-and that all the cloth used here should he
made by our own manufacturers ms would make
the country independent III peace or war OF all other
nations IN this particular 10 practically carry out
these views was not easy "A matter as AZ first
thought may appear. To illustrate this point: We
~ a people are great consumers of carpets and our
manufacture OF carpets Is an important branch 0l
husiness-but It was said that our wool-groWcrS did
not produce Carpet-wOos, and did not desire 10 DO
so-coud not be induced 10 do 50. unless the price
was very much enhanced ANA that for the present,
at least, should he fully employed IN producing
finer wool for cloths. and Sucn a. would be suitable
for cOmbing purposes, IL will he long time before
our farmers will consent to enter upon the produc-
ton of carpet wool or have anything Ia do with the
sheep that produces It, These considerations led 10
the agreement that carpetwOos should he imported
under a very small duty. The wool men ON the com
mttee fully of the frauds thai are some
times pTaCtCCd at CuStOm-hOu by undefN IiIug.
and classifying falsely, and they saw the door that
fraud might enter by calling clothing carpet
woods and they tried to surround it with guards that
would eiectuav prevent this, and they did 80 guard
this point that only by the grOSsest dishonesty or IN
competency the part of public officers can tho true
intent of the law be cyadcd.
In a short time complaints from very responsible
parties were made. that. notwithstanding these
guards, the scheme of tho Committee, which Con
greSs adopted did not work well. and that much hno
wool suitable for fabrics other than carpets was I'M
ported as carpet-wOO The Secretary of the Treas
my being applied 10 by Mr. Randall al once gave
every facility for testing the truth OF i8lSehOod OF
these complaints. Commission was formed. thai
had for It's Chairman Mr.. Randall and that had
among lts members men who NeIlY DchcNeu lhese
injurious charges This Commission made iaboii-
Gus aud extensive examination al The custom
houses, having presented 10 them samples 81 me
several importationS. with the clasSltca,lons mat
had been assigned them aud reported thdi Tue Ia"
had been III good faith carried out.
1t would be saying too much 10 assert that TINS
Commission could make no mistake but It Is nat
saving too much when II is asked that lis report must
be received az conclusive that no grca; frauds could
| have escaped its examination.
To this matter up: the wool growers. through
committee chosen by themselves IN which they
had and still have full confidence procured such a
tariil on imported wool as IN their judgment was
fair 10 their interests, in view Of all other Interests
! involved. Aud they have examined into the admin
straOn of this law and find II fanny carried out IN
! practice. While the law II fairly executed what
more can they reasonably ash
The wOol-grOwcrs Of TINS country now have uumcr-
GUS friends and are in situation 10 have thor
reasonable rcoucsts granted and in view ol This fact
it would be very uBwIse TO make any uured>OHaU lie
! demands of Congress. The JOINT meeting OF wool
growers and manufacturers. and their Joint action
committee. carried then views successfully through
Congress and made them the law OF the land Friends
| have been made OF men who once pefhaPs thought
that there must be antaCOniSn, where now there is
cooperation. This was shown most decidedly when
the late movement to procure Reciprocity Treat
with the British colonies north OF was made by
/ agt. iu
Americana Ooen Manuidcturersat ihcII Inst meeting
after this scheme had developed itself promptly ana
decidedly resolved that they would not favor such a
measure because of the present ana immediate meme
fit that they might receive 10y beng able 10 puI-
chase Canada cOmbIng- wool itce "i dull u"t MAJ
they would resist this blow at our Young Hooks oi
sheen that produce this Kind al wool. ibdl We are
starting in every direction, well knowing lldl Il
due time we shall produce this wool ia abundance II
the present tdlH - let aIOhe anu I"' Hu''''" ~ "
Atlasf these two great intercsts-thc one producing
the raw material. the other fitting II for ConNunp
ton-have come to see that they are mutually necr~-
sary TO each other and that they must uOh prosper
OF suffer at the same time. Both are suffering now
from causes entirely outside Their relations 10 rach
other and when the prosperity Of either slall come
the other will feel The same impulse ana al lhe same
time.
But we have enemies az well ~ friends. ana our
epcunes demand attention. Lei us see lldl say
one of them David A. Wells, United states Sprcdl
Commissioner OF Revenue page lH. Report i"i IN"Y
"Wbat 4, now needed 10 restore prosperity 10 me
WOODEN industry, il removal of all duiit' oh lhc Il
of foreign wool, aud dycsiun., and general
reduction OF the dulles MAMMA .iHftd M"ufh ibch
of every description to - per cent hd NaoIcu On '
ha. tc ,rt WOol, HiIuufdct uGrI ui the
cory assure tie Commissioner that thfN can 'i "l'e
extend diversity aud secure prosperity 10 tri p-4H
On this basis, The cost OF doicst', """cu w. n
90 far reduced as to give great relief 4" the consumer ana
lead 10 an imiued ate aud largely lu fcd'e@ CONSUMPTION"
And an This basis ouly the WOOL grower expert any
immediate increased demand Tor M staple IHodu,l ~
Iucruo fleece; while respect io The 'oWhng ana me
finer Koos In Is sufficient 10 y tbat The supply ui These
voo has not for the a-t few wear, increased ~ proper
ton tu their .pon, and the c\l'"'iu" Z" i'' n7r
M the dut.rs upOn then ibpUit, would 80 idi