The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-10-06
DEATH TO THE Wool INDUSTRY.


When all the effects of the Republican
| tariff are better understood, its blightiDg
and whitening destruction of sheep huS-
bandry becomes apparent. There is not
only the direct loss on the wool, which
in this county amounts to near $4,000;
and the loss on the value of sheep, which
in this county amounts to about 5000
900; and the loss on land, the deprecia-
tion of which can hardly be estimated; |;
but 1t reaches even further than this
IL threatened to destroy sheep. husband
ry in Harrison county and in Ohio. The
shepherds of this county have labOred
for years to improve their tlOcks. They
have chosen of the choicest breeds of
sheep in the world. and have taken great
care to breed the finest stock. They real
lied that we had limited territory and
valuable lands, and If they could not
compete with the climate and cheap
lands of Texas and the West, they could
do profitable business raising the chOi-
cest rams for the western market.
But the whitening blight of the Re-
publican tariff reaches them even here.
The lowered tariff on wool reaches the
west, too, and puts them in direct COM
petition with the pauper labor of Aus
tralia and South America. IL is blight
on sheep husbandry as destructive as
bu6 biulOOu VI Lu6 ubSbIJ. LII eubCbudlly
destroys the business. We have in Har-
risOn county today three thousand choice
rams, bred with the greatest care for
the western market, i'll anticipation of
lively trade which would have been GER
tain had the Republican Congress not
tinkered with the tariff, but so disas.
trOus has been the effect on the wool
business, that not one purchaser has ap-
peared to look at our 1Ocks, and select
for western flOcks, and not one letter
has been received, making inquiry for
any of these choice bucks. They remain
dead capital In the hands of the indus
triOus sheep breeder. They are very
largely deprecated in value now, and
the prospective demand is so limited
that it will entail large loss on the
sheep breeders of the county, who can
calculate how much chance there is of
making any money out of their invest
ment, with so large a stock on their
hands, and no demand. The future of
the wool business depends upon the
vote, this fall, and thoughtful men do
not have to reflect to see it. Should the
Republicans carry Harrison county, it
will be taken as an endorsement of the
wool tariff as 1t now exists, and should
the Republicans carry Ohio, it will be
hailed as an endorsement of their tariff
law, which rObs labor of its reward. IL
will be claimed that such result means
that the people of Harrison county, and
of Ohio, are satisfied with the present
tariff The Republicans will so claim,
and John Sherman and Charlie Foster
will be first to make the announcement.
1t will be repeated by the manufactur-
ers, and the leading newspapers of the
country will be subsidized to keep it
before Congress, that the election shows
that the people Of Ohio, and especially
of the heavy wool growing districts, are
perfectly satisfied with the present tar
iff, and desire it to remain undisturbed.
But suppose they don't, what would
fOllOwp Suppose Harrison county would
give five hundred OF thousand Demo
cratic majority, and the wool growers
of the state would make a marked
change in the result in this state, which
would show that they are on the alert to
their interests2 What would fOllOWp
1t is easily told. 1t would attract at
tentiOn all over the Union. 1t would
show that to retain their influence they
must be used fairly. Both parties would
vie with each other to put wool Ou the
tariff at such figures as would encOur-
age the industry, and the wool growers
interest would be safe.
The wool grower has his own fortune
in his hands at this election as he never
had it before. He will either make him
self or ruin his business. Independence
brings Tespectl If he will follow the
machine, no matter where his interests
may be, he will be treated with no con-
slderatiOn. But manly, open protest,
the indignation which speaks like
lightning bolt at the ballot box, will do
more for him than all the conventions,
all the petitions, which could be cram
med in a universal A Democratic ma
jOrity in Harrison county this year
would bless the wool grower more than
anything else he could do, or that it is
possible for him to do.
This is his opportunity for proving his
manhood, and that he is not a tail tied
to the mOnOpolist's kite.-Cadiz Sentinel.