Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-18
Tho Wool Trade.

The growth of wool in the United States
and the world over, SAYS the United States
Economist and Dry Goods Reporter, is
found to be very short again t. is year, and
manufacturers are not only threatened with
wool famine but with exorbitant high
prices for tie next six months Of the year.
In the meantime what has been done to
encourage its growth at home? The re
ductiOn Of duty it would seem has not
helped manufacturers much in the way OF
obtaining cheap wool. England even with
her free ports is no better OF, for every
year it wouid seem the staple is getting
GeareT everywhere. In view of the in
c-easing population in this country, it is
high time our farmers bestirred themselves
to growing wool enough to supply our
wooden mills,
The warehouse mans Gazette comment
ing upon the present unprecedented price
of wool concludes an article as follows
A retrospective glance Of the wool trade
IN these two years show the most startling
contrasts. From 1871 the rise has been
continuous, and each advance, not speaking
of slight fluctuations, has been sustained.
One cause of the early depression Of 1871
was the possession of large stocks. But
what is the present position of affairs ?
There IS a present scarcity of the raw ma
terial, and consumption is more extended
than ever. II was very commonly thought
that the Franco-German war would have
resulted in the serious curtailment of the
wooden industry of France. But this anti
cipation is far from having been realised,
and it is to the demands of France for wool,
and in lesser degree that Of Germany,
hot h =. y, ,.aAa II
| limited stock. We have it on the
authority of a leading mercantile
firm largely connected with the French
wooden industry, that this industry has
passed practically unscathed through the
ordeal, and whatever losses were inflicted
have probably since been more than coun-
| terbalanced by the prosperous trade that
has followed. What, it may be asked, was
! the cause Of The low price of wool between
1870? The answer is the conditions IN
der which an advance in manufacture was
! being made. This advance was confessed
IL slow. Financial depression prevailing
throughout q commercial community, has
| never failed to exercise depressing infu
eace al Ike OF production and consumption.
The terms on which a manufacturer OBJ
t8irs his advances necessarily determining
the margin or prospective profit, affect also
the terms on which Interior dealings are
carried on. Had America prospered in the
same ratio as our colonies in the wool
growing industry, present prices would un-
questionably have been far lower.
Nothing is more remarkable in indus
trial history than the effect of
even a moderate surplus supply between
one year and other. We do not propose
now 10 enter upon the causes that have
| tended TO restrict the wool-growing industry
Of tie United States; we merely mole the
| circumstances of the falling off of produc-
ton. It is 10 be observed concurrently
with the advance that took place last year,
and which has improved in the last four
months, that whilst our imports of wool in
| 1871 Increased, our exports Of wool de-
creased, but both our home consumption
| aud export of manufactured WOODEN goods,
! pure or mixed, increased. And now as to
tae future. We have had many periods OF
! fiCtitiOus prosperity, but the more we ex-
| anime into the influences, operating to in
| dUce our present state of prosperity, the
| more are we satisfied that il is destined to
! continue for long period to come, with
| our progressive development. II is not only
! the wool trade, but otter branches of in
! dustry, that are prosperiLg beyond prece-
dent, showing that the causes are general
we might almost say, universal.
The political signs of the time are of.a
reassuring character. The leading powers
| Of Europe are al interested in the mainte-
nance Of peace. Aud it is only with assuT-
ed peace that prosperity is rendered stable
The absancs of causss,of war exercise IN
failingly 2 prospective influence on trade
| Speculation has little TO do with the present
state Of our home wOolen manufactures
The supplies Of this year, as we learn from
colonial ad7ices, will scarcely he on a leve
with those of last year. Consequently
there i an aim ST certainty Of further rise
10 fabrics into which wool enters. We have
dwelt thus largely on the subject, as it is &
matter OF imp0rtsnc8 to diapers to meet
the continual Inquiries Of customers as Il
the cause Of an advance in price.