The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-29
rae Dutv on Wool.

The National Convention of Wool Growers
met In Chicago Last week. The committee APP
pointed to prepare address to the wool
growers OF the country submitted the follow
ing:
TO the Wool Grosoers and Sheep Breeders Of The
GENTLEMEN-At the National Convention of
the Wool Growers and Sheep Breeders of the
United States, held In Chicago May 10, 1854
attended by delegates from twenty States, q
committee was appointed to draw up an adj
purpose of arousing them to proper realization
OF the necessity that exists for immediate and
energetic action II they would rescue the great
INDUSTRY In which they are engaged from its
present depressed condition and from impend-
ing dangers of still more serious nature. The
committee firmly believes that the existing sad
Drought about largely, If not altogether, by adj
verse Congressional legislation, and that it will
not again be prosperous until Congress shall re-
verse Its action of the last session, and restore
the rates of duty to those which prevailed I'M
in the industrial history of the country eouta-
bic relations were established between duties
on wool and those on wooden goods. 1t can be
conclus1vely shown that the tariff act of that
year gave to American producers of both woods
and wooden goods steady markets and q secure
expansion of production; and that through this
expanded production, it gave consumers cheaper
WOODS and woolens than were ever before known
In America, and brought the prices for all
goods OF ordinary wear, and of many for fine
and luxurious wear, lower or as low as are
known in Europe or elsewhere. The repeal OF
asked for, as has been alleged, by the conserve
tive business sentiment of the country, or by
any considerable number of the American peo-
pie. 1t was brought about wholly by 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 the foreign product as whip with which to
gubdue the market and menace American pro-
naEeTs upon wnom they were necessarily ss CON-
qufred in this business. These combined inf1uen-
ces, unpatriotic and un-American, led to the
}1o1T
act OF 1883. to which, we firmly believe, may be
attributed the present depressed condition OF
tlemen. heard much of late touching the sound
ness OF the policy OF putting raw materials OF
manufactures" including wool, on the free list.
We trust you will resent such propositions,
whenever and wherever made, with the indig-
nation which they greatly merit. Wool is the
have by years of intelligent and patient labor
and the expenditure of large sums of money
" the epSs sgpx
| raw MATERIAL" as something that has been
produced almost without cost or the expendi-
which We trust you will enter an effective pro-
test. The arguments used in defense of the
as to any article on the tariff schedule. Growing
wool is equally with the growing OF food and
forests and with the manufacture of iron and
Steel the maintenance of q commercial marine
and navy, of O national militia, primary ele-
ment OF national defence in WAL. and of flnan-
c1al security and independence in peace, the
loss or neglect of which would damage our en-
tire monetary system and place the entire
industrial and colonial vassaiage to foreign pro-
ducers, equally fatal to the happiness and I'M
| becoming the dignity and honor of nation
whose annual increase in wealth is now three
fold that of any other nation, and whose pOpu-
iation now gives it the second rank among CIV
ilized empires and the first among free, self
governing and enlightened people.
| The appeal finally declares that wool growers
have right to ask Congress for the restoration
| of a measure of protection in the following