The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-12-14

IN introducing numDerlesS 1aDrlcs not
in existence here ten years ago; to its
benefit to consumers, by excluding the
shoddy goods of Europe and substtu-
ting cheaper substantial cloths made of
sound American wool; and to its great
effect upon manufactures and wool
growing, by developing, upon vast
scale, the manufacture of worsted coat
ings from American merino combing
wool, thus demonstrating hitherto
unsupported qualities and value in the
most important product of your flocks.
The testimony of manufacturers to the
value of this measure might be extend
ed to many pages. 1t is concisely given
in the words of one of great practical
experience: There is no instance OH
record of an industry developing as the
wool industry has dey eloped under this
tariff" 1t is given without bias by a
leading Rhode Island manufacturer,
not member of our Association, who
declared at a recent public meeting:
Gin my opinion, without specific duties
and the tariff act of 1867, not ten per
cent. of the wool manufacturers of this
country could have been saved from
bankruptcy"
The results of this measure, and the
means by which it was accomplished,
have attracted much attention abroad.
A committee of the celebrated Indus
trial Society of Mulhousc, in reporting
upon the Centennial Exhibition, refer
to the fact that objects of clothing. a
few years ago could be obtained in this
country only at very high prices, be-
cause they were made in great part of
imported stuff, but that American in
dustry now more than suflices for the
supply of the American home market,
with ordinary stutls of cotton and wool,
"whosc prices have fallen to very low
rates. They say, moreover, that the
tariff policy, which by inference effected
this change. "was rendered possible
only by coalition of the manufactur-
ing states of the North with some of
the Western states, who sought to de-
vclop sheep-growing and the produce
ton of WOOL
The most striking testimony as to the
importance of our alliai ce and the wis
dom of our joint policy comes from
Germany. Prof. Grothc, of Berlin, a
member of the Rcichstag, or the Impe
rial Parliament of Germany, and the
most eminent modern European w il
upon the textile manufacture, i'm an I'M
solicited letter recently addressed to
our Association, says:-
"Thc most striking proof presented
to me that the manufacturers of the
United States are fully penetrated with
the great idea that home production is
the chief end to be sought for in each
industry, is the fact that the American
wool manufacturers have made an alli-
ance with the American wool-growers.
My country is the best example to de-
monstrate the wisdom of such n comb-
nation.
eve formerly had in Germany the
best wool in the world, and a most
flourishing sheep husbandry. The
whole world was attracted to the Ger
man market of fine wool, and the Ger
man wooden cloths were in nearly all
qualities the best produced in any
country. Since the first and second
steps in the way of frec-trale, we have
lost successfully our great number OF
sheep and our great quantity of fine
cloth. The German manufacturers
have Been going to London for colonial
wool as cheaper than the wool of their
own domestic growth; and the farmers
have begun to abandon sheep hus-
bandry, or to modify their flocks
Now we have lost about half our sheen
husbandry; while the manufacturers
and breeders of sheep and growers OF
wool, under the illusions Of the free.
trade doctrine, have not only declined
cooperation, but have cOuntcracted
against each others interests. 1t is
worthy of remark, that the growers OF
wool were all frce-traders, and they
have lost much more than the manufac-
turcrs. The fact is now that the Ger
man wool manufacturers depend i'm a
great part upon the London wool mar.
ket; and, in the case that u struggle
should spring up between Germany
and England. the cloth and wool manu-
facturers of Germany would be compel
led to great extent to stop their fabri-
cation. These facts are important
enough to show your Association the
importance of solidarity between pro-
ducers of raw materials and manulac-
tnrcrs; and | hope, in the interest OF
the prosperity of your country, that
your intelligent manufacturers and III
defatigablc wool-growcrs will never
cease their combination for the solida-
In referring TO fine tariff Of 1867 ON,
object is less to comment Ire nor,iio, Ia,
nroyisions Than thn ,rono Nc, i'' , moi;",
which dictated if and tSe visa cp p,o,os
s;ons ond 'notn '' Ioi; ino Wiso colices'
attended its preparation. We are moi
forgetful that notifications may he rc.
| uuired nv the lanso of t;mo or thot M,
Ill 1877: my, vi '''' inu-
tiai colccsslons may DC demanded by
| the eXigencipS of LEGISLATION If this
| tariff is to ho ,roeor,,oI ~ ma
Neu ur lhouinrti
| wisely, III must ne done through the
same agency which led TO its enact.
| mant To-onora,;o,, ~ o,,. 49,. -.
| .'-ui''"'i'ii vi our TWO Asso-