The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-10
THE TARlFr COMnIssYoy.
Tho Wool and Pottery Interest A rRued
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Ahe MOol unu Pottery Interest Argued
Before IL.
PITTsnuRGlI, October 0.-The Tariff Com.
mission met here this morning in the par
lors Of the Monongahela House. The flrst
witness before it was John NJ. Stockdale,
wool grower and farmer, who was one Of
committee appointed by the wool growers
Of Washington county, Pa, to bring the
wool question to the attention OF tho Com
mission. He spoke OF the solicitude with
which the farmers Of Washington county
watched the progress Of the Commission
and await its result. Washington
county, he said, produced more wool
on the same extent OF territory than any
other part ofthe United States. It was tho
pioneer in the production OF wool in this
country, particularly OF the finer qualities
OF wool. 10 overthrow or 10 depress that
interest now would be almost equal 10
public calamity. The prices OF wool at
present were insufficient TO Justify Z con-
tinuance OF that business, aud yet the COM
petition from Australia, with It's cheap
land and its facilities for raising sheep was
so great as 10 threaten the destruction of
the wool producing interest in Washington
county. lie had report Of the proceed
ings Of the Wool Growers Convsn-
ton OF Washington county, which
claimed that the present dutics on
wool are wholly inadequate TO afford
the protection absolutely necessary, and
suggested that the wool that now pays
three cents n pound shall pay nine cents,
and that all other wool shall pay fifteen
cents n pound and 20 per ceut. ad valoren,.
lie said that there was q capital OF three
millions invested in sheep in that county; /
that there were about three hundred thou.
sand sheep there; that the number had in
creased 25 per cent. and the yield per
fleece from three to five pounds since the
tariff OF 1867 went into operation. ,3J
II. r. Hill, Of East Liverpool, spoke in
favor OF high protection OF the pottery
industry, and replied to the points made
by the importers Of pottery at Buffalo,
against higher protection He argued that
protection had reduced the price OF china
ware 10 the consumer. The cheapest and
best Rockingham ware and yellow yaro in
the world was now made in the United
States, and yet the duty on such roods
was said to be prnhibitory. Why
would not the same condition oil afT,ira
produce the same resalt in the higher
classes Of goods. How was it that with the
advance in the net cost OF English ware
and with the increase OF duty from q 10
10 per cent, such ware WAS now. cheaper
in the American market? There waa but
one answer-it was by reason Of the growth
OF the business in this country. II the tar.
III were increased the business would
increase, competition would ariso
and prices would consequently fall.
On the other hand, il the
tariff were reduced many Of the American
potteries That were now struggling for OK.
iscnce would have to succumb and to
close with. rs good material as could bc
had on earth. Why should they not bo
given the chance TO develop it? Earnest
Mayer and Enoch Reilly. OF East Liver
pool, practical potters, and formerly con-
nccted with the Lancashire potteries, made
statements as 10 the difference OF wages in
England and tho United States to ahov
how much larger the wages were here. i, q
John F. Rcnnett, OF Pittsburgh; engineer,
spoke Of the importance OF sufficient pro-.
lection to manganese ore and spiegcleisen.
He hoped they would not be rated in tho
tariff at less than the proportion which
their value bore 10 the value oil iron orc
and OF pig iron. Manganese ore would bo
found in almost every State Of tho Union
and there were now in operation three
blast furnaces for converting II into spiegel.,
eisen. Adjourned till tomorrow.