The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-28


ID District-J. T. H0KE, oil Mineral
A Tariff for HeVenue-An Important
Document.
We print from the New York World OF
the Goth an explanation from David A.
Wells as to his idea of the meaning Of "a
tariff for revenue only" We print the en-
tire article-word for word-head lines
and adjust as it appeared in the World
without the omission Of figure or a
word,
Mr.. Wells was one OF the authors Of the
tariff plank in the Cincinnati Democratic
platform. He and Henry Watterson, OF
the Louisville Courier journal, got it up.
And now Mr. Wells comes forward with
his explanations. he has found that his
work has proved boomerang, and he is
anxious, II possible, to stop the stampede.
This is the object OF his explanation which
we publish entire this morning. 1t will
be feen that he proposes to put wool
on the free list. Wool now pays
duties as follows: (See psges 40 and
AL OF the Revised Statutes OF the
United states.) Woods Of the first class,
THAT is to say merino, lnesiza, NETS
or metis wools, or other woods OF
merino blood, immediate or remote; down
clothing woods, and woods Of like chsrac'
ter with any Of the preceding, including
such as haye been heretofore usually i'm
ported into the United States from Buenoa
Ayers, New Zealand, Australia, Cape OF
Good Hope, Russia, Great Britain, Can
ada, and elsewhere" tine value OF which
shall be 81 cents per pound at the last
port OF expectation, are charged with a
duty OF 10 cents per pound and II per cent
alyalorem. II the value is above SO cents
per pound the duty is l2 cents per pound
and 10 per cent ad valorem,
This is the duty levied on woods under
the Republican tariff Of 1867. Mr.. Wells,
author OF the Cincinnati Democratic plat
form, proposes to knock this protection
all to pieces-wipe it out ontirely-and let
10 all the foreign woods named free Of a
single penny Of duty.
Now le. US see the effect OF this pro-
posed action on wool growing in West
Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and other
States Of this Union, We quote from the
minority report Of James a. Garfield, the
Republican candidate for President, as
submitted by him from the House Com
mittee of Ways aud Means, May Gath,
1850. 1. reads as follows: Crhe Demo-
cratic majority report proposed to put
wool on the free list.l
"No part Of our tariff system has been
more amply vindicated by experience
than that which relates to woods and wool.
ems. The foundations Of these provisions
were laid In 1861 but in 1857 the existing
rates were established, after long and
exhaustive investigation, and With the
concurrence Of the two interests Which
had Heretofore been in opposition.
The basis Of that legislation was this:
that upon the several grades OF imported
wool a duty should be imposed sufficient
to promote the growth OF sheep husband.
~ In the United States. A specific duty
was then imposed on WOODEN goods, as
near as possible equal TO the duty put
upon the wool which entered into the
manufacture. This was not protection,
but simply an equivalent duty, which
placed the wooden manufacturer on the
free trade level. To this specific duty was
then added duty OF IS per cent. ad
Valorem on wooden goods, as protection
10 the manufacturer against foreign com.
petition. This adjustment Of the law has
remained substantially unchanged for
thirteen years; and during the six years
preceding the adjustment, the law con-
tained similar though no less complete
provisions. With this preliminary state.
meut the undersigned invite attention TO
the results OF this legislation.
In 1896 the wool product OF the United
States was estimated at 100000 pounds
per annum; in 1860, according to the cen.
sus, 1t had risen TO G0,00000O pounds per
aunum; under the operations Of the Nor.
rill tariff the product bad risen in 1867 TO
$4,000. 900 pounds per annum; in 1877 it
had risen to 20S. 100000 pounds per an.
nun; and It is now estimatedto be $50 OO0,-
600 pounds per annum. In the twenty.
four years preceding the war the wool
product OF this country had increased but
40 per cent; while the present annual
product Of wool is 400 per cent greater
than that Of twenty years ago.
No attentive observer who visited the
Centennial Exposition failed to notice the
establishment with which the French and
English manufacturers examined the fine
cloths produced by American looms; and
no feature OF that great exhibition re-
fected more credit upon American
enterprise and skill. As a revenue
measure, the tariff Of 1867 on woods and
woolpns has been very effective, having
produced $500 00000 OF revenue in the
last thirteen years-an average OF S2S ,000,.
900 per aunum. The bill Of the COMMITTEES
destroys the adjustments OF the existing
tariff on wool and wooens, and wholly
disTegards the relations which these two
branches OF industry sustain TO each other.
Should II become u law, Il will be impOs-
sible for our farmers to compete In the
market with the medium wo0lsof South
America; and 1t will be equally impossi.
bic for our manufacturers TO compete with
those Of France AMI England. Ol course,
any legislation that destroys the woclen
manufacturers is equally destructive to
sheep husbandry, i0r the farmer would
no longer have q market for his wool.
That nation can hardly be called indie.
pendent which does not possess the mate.
rails aud the skill 10 clothe its own people,
This extract from Gen, Garaeld's re.
port tells it's own story Of the importance
that protection has been to the wool grow.
ing industry Of the United States. Is there
wool grower in WestvirGinia, or in Ohio
or Pennsyl vania, who, alter reading from
the author Of the Democratic tariff plank,
his explanation of its intended effect on
wool, will be willing to aid in Gripping or
destroying that great industry by voting
the Democratic ticket on the % Of next
month";
ny. ..,t oo,,,, Ia 01,n tpnn aud alaAl In,