Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-10-24


from 80 to 35 per cent, with an, addi-
tiOnal per cent on fine goods. They
do this not as an abandonment of the
tariff principle, but as a concession to
other interests. He then read wool and
wooden statistics, showing wool growing
was on the increase all over the coun-
try.
Mr.. Garland asked Mr.. Whitmaa
what effect on wool growing the change
he proposed would have.
Whitman-None on present prices.
Garland-On thedemand?
Whitman-None, / think. No do
nestle woods take the placeof fine ANS
tralian eombing woods.
Garland-What Is the amount Of raw
wool consumed in this country?
Whitman-Three hundred million
pounds.
Garland-Substitutes for wool, shod-
dy, etc?
Whitman-I have no information.
Garland-What effect have these SUBJ
stitutes on the demand for wool?
Whitman-Well, we could not elothe
the people without these substitutes tor
wool.
AGAINST THE WOOL GRowER.
Another member of the Commission
asked what per cent. the reduction pro-
posed by him would make.
Whitman-I have suggested about 20
per cent. reduction on wool and IA per
cent. on goods. The present tariff was
framed with the idea that it took four
pounds of wool to make one pound OF
goods.
Garland-It strikes me that the re-
duction you suggest would effect the
wool grower more than the manufac-
turer. The burden would be on him.
The tariff is on the pure wool in the
goods, and not on the complete fabric
as made. What effect would the sched-
ule proposed by you have on the i'm
portation of wool?
Whitman-None. Iflowered enough
it would cause large importations Of
wool and consequent falling in prices,
| then a decrease in American wool grow
ing, with an advance in prices and a
| loss to the manufacturer.
TARIFF OF 1S67-ITs GOOD EFFECTS.
Hayes-What effect had the tariff of
1867, on wool importations?
Whitman-Its immediate effect was
to keep out South American woods, and
Sc d them to Belgium. 1t also stimu-
lated the growth of wool in this coun-
| try, and manufacturers got their wool
cheaper.
Hayes-What was the price of the
South American or Mestoza woods?
Whitman-About Is centsper pound.
They shrink about 20 per cent.
Hayes-Did not the manufacturers
object to shutting out these woods?
Whitman-They did, but became
reconciled, thinking it would build up
a great American industry.
Hayes-What class of woods did the
keeping out Of these woods foster?
Whitman-Merino. The best woods
| the American manufacturer now gets
| are Merino woods. They are not the
best in the world, but the best for the
| masses.
PROTECTING TAILORs AND CLOTHIERs.
Mr.. whitmanhere showed samples of
the "best goods from the best WOOL"
French cashmer, or merino clothes,
which the American manufacturer
could not produce, but would be able to
under the tariff schedule he proposed.
These were the finest wooden goods
made in the world, were for ladies wear
| and needed the finest and best woods.
Mr.. Underwood said-We have been
told that we could 60 to England and
buy a suit of clothes much cheaper than
here.
Whitman Yes. The labor of cutting
| out and tailoring is much cheaper there.
By the schedule / propose our tailors
and clothiers would be protected as we'll
as the wool grower and manufacturer,
and thus our industries all be protected.
NOT READY FOR FREE WOOL.
Oliver-Have you not come to that
| point, that YOU can, and expect to ask
| for free trade? Are you not almost
ready, on account Of the protection you
have had in the past, to stand alone and
| ask for free wool?
whitman-No, not exactly. We
have some manufacturers in our asso-
citation who would like free wool. But
the association is not ready for this.
Oliyer-I have not analysed your
PROPOSITIONS but il strikes me that some
| of them are radical. You propose some
| rates that bear harder on wool than on
| manufactured goods. Are you not get
| ting down to free wool?
Whitman-No, the opposite is true.
/ NEW ENGLAND hEAD1 rOn Il NEE AnaD
Oliyer-Some of the cotton men are
ready for free goods. They have grown
strong by protection, and are ready to
compete with the world. Is not New
England nearly ready for free trade,
like old England?
| Whitman-No such reports come,
only from individuals representing no
body Of men.
Rayes-What is your business-per-
sonally?
Whitman-The Association Of which
/ am treasurer make cotton yarns and
fine dress goods.
Oliyer-We want to know why the
cotton manufacturers have not been be-
fore us. In the past three months nearly
eyery industry in the country has been
represented, except the cotton msnutac'
turers-
Whitman-They probably did moi
think the Commission would amount %
| much, but the principal reason Is likely
this: When the
WOOD TARIFF BILL
was before Congress, the cotton
manufacturers Were asked 10
nrenare a schedule of rates which would
meet their interests. They did as re.
onested, spending much time and
thougbt, and with much care. Their
papep was entirely ignored by the COM
mittee and Congress, and they have
since thought it was useless to spend
any time or thought on the matter
that ,n
| CONGRESS WOULD IGNORE
all their claims. am glad ysu gave
me an opportunity to present this mat
ter in its true light.
Mr.. Whitman was before the com
mittee for several hours, and although
This was the '.last day in the evening
and the members Of the commission
were tired, Mr.. w. was listened to with
the closest attention, and was freei!
questioned. -
MoHAIR AND oAsHMERE GOATS.
Cbss. w. jerks, of Boston, read o pa
. per on tMohair.n The Augora goat
produce fibre not excelled by an.
other, Takes dyes ike silk. There ar
A n 2,