Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-09-07
From the Western Farmer.
Free Traders and the Wool Tariff.

The practical hypocrisy OF the tree
trade movement is plainly seen in
their treatment of Western farmers.
They make their appeal to this class,
protesting great desire to relieve
them from taxation and benefit their
markets while, at the same time, they
propose to sweep away in toto the
tariff on wool which was framed by
western farmers and is absolutely
essential to their highest prosperity.
1t is the determined purpose Of the
free traders to have free wool and
free shoddy, for the tariff on the lat
ter was placed, at the request Of
western farmers, as high as that on
wool
What are the reasons they give
the western farmer for this course :?
"Thc foreigner gets his wool so very
cheap that he undcrsells US even
with tariff, and we get less for our
woods than under free trade" Any
man who will take the trouble to
talk with western wool buyers or
woolen manufacturers, can easily
learn that wool will purchase full 50
per cent. more goods and Of better
quality than in the free trade period
before the war. Mr.. A. NJ. Skeels,
Of Ripon, Wis, stated during the de-
bate on protection and tree trade at
the reunion of the Farmers Club,
January 6, that he bought 100000
pounds Of wool in 1861 tor 25 to 81
cents a pound, averaging 90 cents,
and that the same grade had sold for
10 cents in 1870 Woollen goods
have been much improved in quality,
new and elegant styles have been in-
troduced and they sell no dearer and
in many cases cheaper than before
the war, SO that one hundred pounds
OF wool will purchase at our stores
80 per cent. more goods under pro-
lection than free trade aud if ex-
changed at the factory the increase
IN purchasing power is more than so
per cent.
Commissioner Wells and others
made great ado over the slaughter
OF part of our focks owing to ex-
cessive production stimulated by the
war. But the loss was far greater
in Australia aud South America and,
but for the tariff, what was only a
partial loss would have been total
ruin to us.
We have asked the opinion Of Mr..
J. G. Stevens, OF Ohio; and Eli Still
son. OF Wisconsin, Presidents State
Wool Growers Associations, and ].
p. Reynolds, Of Illinois, editor Ma
tional Stock Journal, aud they agree
that when judiciously managed there
is no more profitable product on a
western farm than sheep. Whose
opinion is worth the most to us on
the wool taritf-that of Mahlon
Sands, who spends the money SO free
~ contributed to the Free Trade
League by rich importers, or such
men as Eli Stilson, who manages to
keep 1900 sheep at handsome
profit Notwithstanding their theories
to the contrary?
Free traders have sought to array
the farmers against the manufacture
ers, thinking to carry their point by
bringing them into conflict. It is
greatly to the honor OF the National
| Woollen Manufacturers Association
of which Mr.. John l.. Hayes. of Bos
ton, is Secretary, that they stand by
the western farmer in sustaining the
wool tariff, Notwithstanding many Of
them feel deeply the competition oI
our factories aud would make more
money under free trade.
Does the western manufactures
want free wool? Far from it. His
interests are indentical with those
Of the farmer, and free wool would
close our factories far quicker thar
free woollens. This point is very i'm
portant and not understood by many
One OF the best informed of Wiscon
sin manufacturers wrote us recently
I'VE now feel far more encouraged
than we have done at any time be
tore ii there is no change in the tariff
on wool so as to reduce it SO low
that. farmers will not produce it
Western manufacturers will not b.
able to run with foreign wool in com
petition with eastern manufacturer
in consequence Of it costing fou
times as much for freight on the raw
material as it will on the goods"
II Is for the .interest Of our manu-
tacturers to stand by the farmer, am
the Appleton, Wis, mill has paid
cents 4 pound more for wool the pas
season, raised near by, than the,