The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-01-20
A little stosy Aboui weoi And TAc TarHx
ny HON. DAVID A. WELLS.


l50 per cent. and upwards; the
heaviest duties being imposed on the
cheapest woolens, adapted TO meet
the wants Of the poor, and tho lightest
on The more expensive fabrics demand.
cd by the rich. The tariff has now
boen in operation Tor fourteen years,
and the following have been It's results:
/. Tho American wool grower has
received on tho average during this
periods smaller price for hia product
than under the low tariff Of 1857, when
wools costing loss than 30 csRta per
pound we're admitted free Of duty, and
all wosls costing above that, paid but
"a per cent. advAlorem. In fact, for
extended periods under the existing
tariff, American wools have touched
lower prioes than have ever been sx-
psrienced since the woolsn manufacture
Of the country generally ceased 10 be 9
household industry; the wools receiving
the least protection commanding the
highest prices.
z The nunber Of nhsep owned and
the quantity OF sheep owned, and the
quantity Of woel produced cast Of the
Rocky MsuntainS, has largely and
continually diminished; the number Of
sheep in Iowa "a typical agricultural
Stats) for example, having declined,
according TO the State Auditors report,
from ,35i, 900 in 1856 10 Sol 900 in
1879.
5. Tho business of manufacturing
weolsns in the United States under
the existing tariff has paid smaller
percentage Of profit on the capital in
vested than any other leading branch
Of domestic industry.
1. The American people, during the
same period, have paid higher prices
foe their woolen clothing than The
people Of any other nation, their com
peers In wealth and civilization.
5. In place Of the existing tariff
rendering lhc country more indepen.
dcat Of foreign nations in ieipect 70 iss
sappIy Of wool aud woolens las IL WAS
confidently claimed IL would be.) the
exact reverse has occurred; the impor.
tation Of foreign woods during tho yeGr
1859 having been in excess Of l2e, ,eOo,-
600 pounds, as compared with $4,000
900 pounds in 1868, and $4,000, 900
pounds in 1878; while during the same
yoar (lss0) the United States bought
Of foreign countries manufactured pro-
ducta Of wool 10 The value of SJ3,6l3,-
900. On the other hand the United
States seld during this same year, to
foreign countries, wool Of domestic pro-
duc.ion to tho extent of only l9l ,55i
pounds; aud manufacturers Of wool To
the value of only $2l6,575l So much
In the way Of introduction to the fol-
lowing stsry:
In 1859, the then special commits
aioner Of revenue of the United States.
in his annual report on the revenue
and industry of the country, called at
tcntion TO a report made TO him by re-
liable authority of the sale in Englaad
of The old second hand, or discarded
woolen machinery for importation into
the United States, where it was used
by parties who subsequently demanded
and receive an increased protection on
their manufactured products. On its
face the statment seemed so incredible
that the public generally believed there
must be n mistake about the matter;
while the protectionists did not hesitate
TO characterize il IN "free trade lie,
for the promulgation of which British
gold was undoubtedly paid.
The matter there reated, and would
possibly have never again been heard
Of bad it not been for the recent pru.
dence of the United States Consul at
Bradford, England, Mr.. 9. o. Shep.
ard-who in his report to the state
department under date Of January 4th,
1881, concerning the business of bis
district, (which is we'll known to be
a great center of the English WOODEN
MANUFACTURED says. "The exports of
the United States of looms and ether
manufacturing machinery has been
greater the past year than ever before,
and still continues. This export is
not altogether, ] spp-ehend. because Of
the superiority Of English machinery
over American, for tho latter can be
run, I believe, at double the speed OF
the former, but because it is wanted
as model upon which to improve, and
because it can be bought (the second
hand article) at nearly old iron prices.
Here then we have an official state
ment concerning the influence of our
existing tariff, which il we'll worthy
the serious attention of the American
public. A large quantity of old and
discarded woclen machinery has been
bought during the last year, in Eng
land at about the price of old metal
and sent to the United States. What
forl The idea of Consul Shepard that it
Was sent in any considerable quantity
Gas model upon which to improve
is unreasonable. For if there were, in
the frat place, any details in old pat
terms of English WOODEN machinery
with which American mechanics and
machine builders were not long age
fully acquainted "a supposition no,
probable,) any information which they
might desire, and which was manifest
" no secret, could be moro readily anc
cheaply acquired through the agency
and dublica.ions Of drawings, rathel
than by the repeated purchazo anc
transportation OF large masses of ole
metal. The old machinery was there