, 1874-12-03

indifference which permits places Of trust to
| 1e conii.led to Unfit men,.
| -.-.*~'..--.--.-....--.- "@-->-.:-*'.--..-...--.-
THE TAE1FF OH WooI..
The Now Eor]; Chamber ot Commerce np-
| pointed a committee OF Hnyen men, somo
time since, 10 report whAt chnngen wcro
needed in tho existing tariff OIL wool Their
| report Inns 1,oen submitted. It discusses tue
| effect At tho present ynto Of duties oil tho
| wool-grorer antl tho waol-mnnnfacturcr,-
| tho t"o persons Hlao,n Tho tariff IL eapecn''y
designed TO protect. We sla1l analyze their
viows, first az to the grower, finally us to tho
manufacturer.
Tho country ca,, pro6tebly produce all
| grades Of wool. This is proved by tho in-
t'ustrial historyof the world 1t is idle, then,
for O tariff to try to stimulate tho production
| Of ell gratlos. Our tnrif tries this, how.
| over, nnl with somo remarkable results.
The production Of conrse wools, which
| ORC very little protected, hns steadily ill.,
cseased. The production Of the finer aua}i-
| tics. which aro very 1envi'y protected, lau
steadily decreased. Thus tile annual clip Of
fine r,orino wool hns ialien ut lnnst 80 pcr
cont since 1865. III the States east Of tho
Mississippi, the clip Of fleece wool Ans been
/ reduced from In, 100000 pounds in 1867 to
115,0o0, 600 pounds i'll 1873. Even 1t tho
| tariff llaa fulfilled ils rim md encouraged
the production of the flner grades, it would
have benefited only nbout per cent Of tho
woo1-g'owers, aHd. Of course, very ,n'.eh
less pctcentagoof the whole people. For tho
| salso Of this triRing fraction tho nation has
Eoon heavily taxed since 1861, and now it
| nppenn, that even The fraction has not gainoil
| thereby!
Tho ttiminution in tie American produce
ton OF fine woods il not to be accounted for
by heavy importation. The enormous duties,
ranging FROM 80 to 1oD per cont, |layo checked
| tho salo Of ttne foreign wool in our markets.
| As Il consequence, tho manufacturer has to
! ,1so lower grades antl turn ont poorer work.
| Tho tariff hits tho manufacturer ngain by i,n-
| posing double and treble duties on washed
| aud secured wool. This is practical prohibi~
| ton. Europe tEkes tho clcansed wool and
Leaves us the dirty. Our manufacturers hnyo
10 pay freight md duties by the pound
on tho wool and then on the grease
and dirt in it. Incredible as it seona, the
ute utterly vnlue1ess sometimes form 50 to IL
per cent OF the raw materials imported md
paid for at tho Custon,-Houeo by weight.
Sill another bad result is TINT light wool is
eagerly sought by the manufacturer, III order
to 1oasen thsse enormous charges. Hence
light wool has al artificial value in our mar
kets. The manufacturer buys it at higher
rato than his English competitor phys for
heavy wool Of tho same grade Of 1iueness.
There are other cases, in which the intricate
system Of taxation harasses tho manufacturer,
but wo havo shown with sufficient detail tho
evils Of tho present high duties as they stand
to-tay.
The natural consequences 1laye followed,
The voo1en trade Of America is in precari-
ous condition. Elsewhere the trade is pros.
Porous. It tllrives in England, III Franco, in
Germany, in Austria, which suffers from Il
recent war and deprecated currency, and
III Canaaa, where all cur peculiar clrcu,n-
stances, except tllo tariff, prevail. Only with
IN our borders does depression exist. The
fact is tho more remarkable inasmuch a. our
climate, more tl,ea that Of any other coun-
t1y, makes woolons q necessity, Yet we have
been driven out Of the foreign market and
havo only procarious footing in our own.
In view of this ntter failurs Of Protection
to protect anybody, the Committee strongly
urges that wool should hepe11nanently placel
on the free list. If this cannot be dono, it is
Imperative that fixed, al ra|orem duty, not
over Is per cent, should be imposed. It is
significant tlsat the moro paoplo investigate
the tariff, tho moro dissatisfied they arc with
it. a mass Of evidence has beon gathered
together, before which the prejudicos Of the
past aru beginning to yield. It ia n sign of
the times That the Chamber Of Commerce
adopted this report, authorized tie Commit
tee to print md circulate it, aud made ar
rangomcnts for another meeting to consider
tile matter again.