New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-06
THE WOOL AND wooLLrY DUTIES.

The Ohio Democrats. In their platform, as
serted that the reduction of duties on wool In
the recent tariff WIS unfair because at the Same
time woollen manufacturers Obtained sub
stantial increase of duties on many classes OF
goods This WAS 40 gross misrepresentation
that it was speedily conrIadicted, but perhaps
no mau in the country is rs competent to meet
it in every detail rs Mr. John L. Hayes, the
secretary of the Wool Manufacturers Associa-
ton aud the president of the late Tariff Com
mission. His argument on the whole subject,
in the Quarterly Bulletin Of the association, is
very exhaustive, and. while calm and kindly
in tone, and designed to remove rather than to
Increase the contr versia spirit, presents great
mass of facts to support its positions.
MIR. HAYES shows that the reduction OF duties
on those kinds If wool that would compete to
any considerable extent with American vol
was practically of no effect, because the duties.
high enough under tho old tariff virtua ly to
exclude imports, are still high enough for that
purpose. He shows too, that the wool growers
of Ohio and some Eastern States have suffered,
and now suffer, under the new tariff, not Ut al
from foreign competition, nut from the conpe-
tition OF Texas and Territory wool. the produc-
ton of which the duties have vastly increased
IL was the object, aud has been the Effect of the
wool tariff to stimulate wool production in parts
of the countr whore il formerly did not exist
Because Of its success, the price Of similar wool
grown In Ohio has been depressed, but there Is
omen to the growers in the Older States grea.
field in the production OF sheep for markets and
the breeding of stock for newer regions. As to
the effect of the new tariff. it is shown that the
woods corresponding to the best 10 wo,s hear
pound. while the reduction on woods competing
with the great bulk of American production is
merely nominal, because the duty will be still
prohibitory.
As to the reduction ON w0ollen goods, Mr.
Hayes shows that the reduction on Brussels
carpets is 25l2 per cent; on Ingram carpets,
% Clio per cent; on worsted coating, from
634 to 16 cents per yard, the reduction on the
wool entering into it being from 90 to 4.37
cents; on cheviots from 10 to Is cents per yard
the reduction on the wool used being abont
cents on flannel coating, from ga to III cents
a yard, the reduction ON the wool used being
from "a to SO cents; on worsted coating. wool
back from 1919 to 22lo cents, the reduction on
the wool used being from to 6 1-5 cents; ON
broadcloth from Ss4 TO 10 cents yard, the re-
duction on the WOOL used being from 6i2 to 1-3
cents ON beavers from 1917 to 22l2 cents q
yard, the reduction on tie wool used being from
5ia to 10 2-3 cents and on ladies' cloaking from
10 to 22l2 cents yard, the reduction on tho
wool used being from 5l2 TO 8 2-3 cents on blan-
kets, though those OF the lower price have not
been imported, the reduction on Those OF good
quality would he 90 cents and On tho wool en-
tering into them % cents; OIL knit goods. the
reduction ranges from "a cents per dozen, the re-
duction on wool in these being less than 10
cents, up to 81 90 per dozen, the reduction on
wool In these being less than 40 cents. All
thess and other details, which there is not space
to quote certainly go far to prove that the re-
duction of duty on the manufactured goods Ia
not only greater than on wool generally, but
mur', greater than the reduction on the wool en-
tei.ng INTO them.
Mr.. Hayes separately treats tho duties on Az
minister carpets, and ali-wool dress goods, which
were pointed OUT by THE TRIBUNE some time
ago as the only possible pretexts in the new
tariff Tor the allegation made by the Democrats,
aud shows that these goods were not produced
In this country when the old tariff was enacted,
but are now produced, and provision is therefore
made for them in correspondence with the new
duties ON other similar goods. The actual duty
on all-wool dress goods lie only one cent higher |
than was imposed 10y the old tariff on goods with |
cotton warp, not enough to cover the duty on |
tho wool used. In all thcso matters Mr. Hayes |
presents the subject 90 forcibly thst his paper
win 40 far. NJ doubt, to clear away misappre- |