The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-06-15
EspRorEorIoN PROTECT 2

DOES PROTECTION PROTECT
The San Antonio Times contends thnt
q protective tariff is no advantage what.
ever to wool-growers in Texas or any
other state. In the course OF lengthy
article on this subject the Times says
The thrln has not, nor will II prevent thr
importation Of foreign wool 10 this country.
The Time. showed 10 a former articln that dur
ing the year lsS-I, We received Of foreign wool
l2u, 90 ,oOO pounds, and we suppose that quits
as much WAS received during the y,ar lssl
How can the tariG on wool be u Any material
advantage u the wool interest nf thr tnltrd
states, 40 long as It does not stop the IMPORTS
iiOn Of wool FROM foreign countries'
The import duty Oh raw wool il ten
cents per pound. Suppose this duty We're
abolished, is it not reas lnable to sup.
pose the foreiRn.grOwn wool brought
here FOR sale would be offered ton
cents apound cheaper than 1t IL now
And il SO offered, would not the Ameri.
can wool-grower be compelled to meet
and compete with such reduction And
II wool is cheaper ed ten cents - pound,
wan II Ih, ItAhN a. IN LllhNltiNf Nbl-
sidering the enormous growth OF the
wool-Rrowing industry, to keep thou
sands Of dollars invested in sheep? We
fear that it will not. II Australia, with
its S0,0O0O00 ot sheep Cnnd increasing
every year were not in existence thorc
might be some force in the Times
argument But there is another
phase Of this question, and it affects the
cotton growers Of the south Suppose
the duty on raw wool abolished, aud also
on wooden cloths and manufactured
wooden goods. This latter duty aver.
ages fully fifty per cent With all wool.
en- goods tifty per cent cheaper is the
Times prepared to assert that cotton
goods would hold their own in price, de
spite the cheapeninR OF wooden wear
A man pays 5l2 for cotton suit aud 22t
for ons OF wool. The latter is by far tn,
more comfortable and durable Of th,
two. Reduce its price aay to $l5, aut
can the cotton suit still be held at Sl2
These are practical illustrations, cHsil
comprehended by any man. Tn
wool industry Of the ol
world and the United States /
now immense and II is increasing ever
year. Wooden goods may be too hiRf
but when they are cheaper cotton good
must inevitably share the same Fat,
And when the manufactured article do
clines in value the raw product will d
likewise. In other words, taking tn
. present time as an illustration, II rn
wool could he purchn,cd III Texas Il
=, eighteen instead OF TWEEN y. eight cent
per pound, we fear that the cotto
grower who wants ten cents per poun
for his cotton would find it dn
. sale at seven. Any sensible in
mcr can say whether or not
will pay to raise cotton at such figure
II woolgrowing were to cease through
out the world cotton would be king il
decd. But us long us sheep are raise
to be shorn cotton must rest cOuteI
with relative value There nrc lSO
OO0,00O sheep Ill the old and new world
They are are measurable offset ngnn'
the cotton OF the world Cheaper th
wool, and cotton responds to the NOV,
ment as inevitably as water seeks ii
, own level. Increase the gold produC
OF the world, and silver precious meta
as it il, cheapons in value, These M
high. economic laws, whose logic
. iuvuluerable against the assaults Of mer
Q politiCnl argument.