The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-06
National WOOl.GrOwers' Association

Autumn NVVi-NiVNOio ASSVCid'lUhs
Mr.. +. n. Bssell of Shoreham writes
the country Gentleman as follows:
Il notice in your paper of May 31st
that you publish "A Giro ular issued by the
Ohio Wool-Growers' association. While
agreeing in the main with the Ohio wool
growers. that the wool growers of the
United States should have an efficient
National Wool-Growers' association
supported and aided by the State organi-
their views in regard to their conclusions
or estimate of their work, and efficiency
of the present national association, and
the reason why that organization has
not been able to do all that the wool
growers of the country have expected
and hoped would be done to prevent leg
islation affecting unfavorably the wool
growing industry.
To judge by several articles that have
appeared in the public newspapers. Civ
ing accounts of meetings of wool-grow-
most suppose that no national assoca-
ton had been organized, or if organized,
had been doing anything looking to the
good of. or sustaining the interest of
the wool-grOwers of the United States
for the last ten or fifteen years. The
truth is that such an association has
been in existence, and has been doing
good and very important work for a
number of years past at Washington and
elsewhere, to promote the interests of
the wool-growers. If they have not
done all that could have been done, at
least all that was possible without the
cooperation and material assistance of
all the different State WOOl-Growers'
associations, has been done. The tariff
now In operation, and that has for the
last fifteen years proved great encour-
agcmcnt to the wool-growers, is the re-
suit of the efforts of National Wool
Growers association combined with that
of the National association of Wool
Manufacturers. Any one who will take
the trouble to look upon the facts will
find that every time tariff legislation has
been proposed, the National Wool
Growers association has had one or
more representatives at Washington
looking after the interests of the wool
growers, and it must be acknowledged,
when all the facts are ascertained and
taken into consideration. that their efforts
have been instrumental in preventing
Legislation affecting unfavorably the
wool-growing interests, as we'll as in OBJ
tanning changes in unjust rulings by the
treasury department, which deprived
the wool-growers of their rights under
the tariff. In doing this work the
national association has been obliged to
call upon the different State organiza.
ton for money to pay the expenses OF
its representatives. 1t has never paid
them anything for their time, nor has il
always been able to pay them all theil
expenses.
Several of the State associations have
always responded promptly to the calls
of the national association for materia
assistance. At first Ohio was in active
sympathy, but for some reason best
known to themselves, for the last sever
years. although occasionally being re
presented at its meetings, it has failed to
respond to calls for money to pay ex
penses. preferring to send its own del
egatcs or agents TO work independent,
of those of the national association
The assertion that these agents almos
alone and unaided fought the wool-grow
ers' battles in the last Congress seems un
founded and unjust, when it is known
that the national association had al
agent at Washington large portion O
last winter, and the Vermont associa
tion had two representatives for a few
of the most critical days of the session
If these several delegates did not accom-
plish all that might have been done t,