The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-05-23
THE WoOL.GRowERs, ADDRESS.
Adopted at the Convention in Chicago
Second and Last Days Session.


Adopted at the Convention in Chicago
Second and Last Days Session.
CHICAGO, May 2L-The Wool Growers
Convention reassembled at nine o'clock
yesterday morning.
Mr.. H. McAllister, of Colorado, adj
dressed the gathering. In the course of his
remarks he said that Colorado was united
in favor of protection and restoration of
the tariff ON WOOL
Secretary John NJ. Miller read a paper
written by John Mcdowell, of Pennsylva-
MIA, on the all-absorbing topic to WOOL
growers-protective tariff.
Prof. Van Buren, DenSlow was requested
by President Delano to address the conven-
ton on the ''Tariff." He did SO, and was
loudly applauded.
The following resolution was adopted:
Resolred That the large and increasing
amounts of shoddy being used in the manu-
facture of clothing fabrics, thereby displacing
many million pounds OF wool, calls for the en-
actment of laws by the several States by
which all goods shall be labeled by tn . VEN
der, so the purchaser may know the kind and
amount of adulteration.
A resolution looking to the establishment
of a quarterly periodical to be published in
the interest of wool-growers was passed.
The committee appointed Monday to
draft an address to the wool-growers of the
country reported an address which was
adopted. Following is the address:
To THE WoOLrGROwERS AND SHEEP-B BREED
Frs OF THE UNITED STATES: Gentlemen-At
the National Convention of the Wool-Growers
and Sheep-Breeders of the United States, held
at Chicago on the 18th of May, 1884, and which
was attended by delegates from twenty
States, including all the principal woolgrow-
ing States and Territories of the Union, a
committee was appointed to draw up an
supplementary to the resolutions passed
by the convention, for the purpose of
arousing them to q proper realization
of the necessity that exists for immediate
and energetic action, if they would rescue the
great industry in which they are engaged
from its present depressed condition or from
impending dangers of still more serious ma
ture. The undersigned. members of the COM
mittee, firmly believe that the existing sad
condition of the interest you represent has
been brought about largely, if not altogether,
by adverse Congressional legislation, and that
it viii not again be prosperous until Congress
shall reverse. its action at its last session
and restore the rates OF duty to those
1867, by which, for the first time in
the industrial history of the country,
equitable relations were established be-
tween the duties on wool and those on WOODEN
goods. 1t can be eoncluSiVely shown that the
Tariff act of that year gave to American pro-
ducers of both woods and wooden goods
steady markets, a secure expansion of pro-
duction, and that, through this expanded
production, it gave consumers cheaper woods
and woolens than were ever before known in
America ana brought prices for all goods for
ordinary wear, and of many for fine and
luxurious wear, lower, or as low, as
are known in Europe or elsewhere. The re-
peal of the tariff of 1867 on wool and wooIens
was not asked for, as has been alleged, by
the conservative business sentiment OF the
country or by any considerable number of the
American people 1t was brought about
wholly through the efforts of importers and
others Interested in securing in the United
States market for foreign woods, aided by
few parties who desired to make use of tho
foreign product as a whip with which to sub
due the American markets and to menace
American producers upon whom they were
necessarily compelled to rely for nine-tenths
of the wool required in their business. These
combined Influences, unpatriotic and I'M
American, led to the passage of the unwise
abortive and suicidal Tariff act of 1883, to
which we firmly believe may be attributed
the present depressed condition of the wool
industry. You have doubtless, gentlemen,
heard much of late touching the soundness OF
the policy of putting raw materials of man
ufacture," including wool, upon the free list.
We trust, that you will resent such propo-
the indignation which 1t justly merits.
Wool is the finished product of million
Hook owners who have, by years OF lntelli-
gent and patient labor and the expenditure
of large sums of money brought their prod
uct to its present high standard of excel
lence. To class it simply as a raw" material,
as something that has been produced almost
without cost or the expenditure of time and
labor, is an injustice against which we trust
you will enter an effective protest.
The arguments that are used in defense of
the principle of protection apply at least as
forcbly to wool as to any article on the tariff
schedule. The growing of wool is equally
with the growing of food and forests, and
with the manufacture of iron and steel, the
maintenance of commercial marine and
navy, and of a national militia, primary ele-
ment of national defense in war, and of tnan-
cial security and independence in peace, the
loss or neglect of which would derange
the entire country in ali its inter
colonial vassaage to foreign producers,
equally fatal to the happiness and unbecOm-
ing to the dignity and honor of Nation
whose annual increase in wealth is now three
fold that OF any other Nation, and whose
population now gives it the second rank
among civilized empires, and the first among
free, self-governing and enlightened peoples.
The growing OF wool in the United States is
not in any sense dollhouse industry, or a
forced or unnatural production, but, on the
contrary, the United States has a soil
and climate better adapted natural
ly OF the highest development of the
sheep, as an animal, and to the growth of the
finest, strongest. most diversified and most
cloths, worsteds and dress goods, than any
other country on the earth. This great in-
terest, unlike many of the native industries,
has no local habitation. 1t is an important
pursuit in every State and Territory in the
Union. In 1888 it yielded product of $40, 00O,-
000 pounds of WOOL worth l00000,000 while
the value of the mutton resulting from
sheep slaughtered for food was $50.009,000
This industry represents capital of $500, 0O0-
600 invested in real estate alone.
In view of these facts, we believe that the
wool-growers of the country have the right
ton as will restore this great industry to
condition of prosperity. To our members of
Congress alone can we look for relief. We
urge you to bring to bear upon your respect
i've representatives in that body all the inhu-
ence you may have in favor OF a restoration
of the tariff of 1861, or its equivalent, upon
wool and woolens. For the purpose of
strengthening your influence and securing
united action we recommend the formation
of State, county and district organizations
wherever practicable.
We desire, in conclusion, to say to all wool
growers in the United States that by proper
effort we may reasonably hope to succeed in
obtaining our rights, and that you may well
be encouraged to continue in business i'll
which you have so much invested of capital,
experience and intelligence.
Finally, believing that desperate diseases
require heroic remedies, we especially urge
you to sustain at the rolls for legislative Off
ces only such candidates as are in favor of
adequately protecting and encouraging the
great interest of sheep husbandry by voting to
restore the Wool tariff of 1867, or rates of du-
ties at least as protective as those embodied
i'll that act.
HENRY MCALLIsTER, JR., Colorado.
WILLIAM BALL Michigan.
NJ. J. LAWRENCE, Ohio.
E. w. WELLINGTON. Kansas.
Holm M. MILLER. Pennsylvania.