Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-05-29
WOOL GROWERS ADDRESS.
What They Propose to DO i'm the I'm
pending Canvass.

TO prepare an address to the COOL grow
ers of the country, submitted the fol-
lowing:
To the wool-grOWers and sheep-breeders of tn,
GENTLEMEN-At the National con-
vention Of wool-growers and sheep
breeders of the United States, held
in Chicago, May 10, 1884, and which
was attended by delegates from TWEEN.
ty states, a committee was appointed
to draw up an address TO the wool.
growers of the country for the pur-
pose of arousing them to proper re-
allzation Of the necessity that exists
for immediate and energetic action, if
they would preserve the great indus
try in which. they are at present en-
gagged from its present depressed con-
dition, and impending danger OF still
more serious nature. The undersign-
ed members of the committee firmly
believe that the existing sad condition
of the interest you represent has been
brought about largely, if not wholly,
by adverse congressional legislation,
and that it will not again be prosper
Gus until Congress shall reverse It's
action at its last session and restore
the rates OF duty to those which pre-
vailed under the tariff of 1867, by
which, for the first time in the indus
trial history of the country, equitable
relations were established between the
duties on wool and those on wooden
goods.
1t can be conclusively shown that
the tariff act of that year gave to
Ameican producers of both woods and
woolen goods steady markets and a
secure expansion of production, and
that through this expanded product
ion it gave to the consumers cheaper
woods and woolens than were ever be-
fore known in America, and brought
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 the tariff of 1867 on wool and wool
en- was not asked for, as has been al
legged, 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 de-
sire to make use of the foreign prod
uct as whip with which to subdue
the American market, and menace
American producers. upon whom they
were compelled to rely for nine -tenths
of the wool required in this business.
These combined influences, unpatriotic
and un-Amerlcan, 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 indus.
try.
You have doubtless, gentlemen,
heard much, of late, touching the
soundness of the policy of putting the
''raw materials of manufacture, in
cluding wool on the free list. We
trust you will resent such a proposit.
ion, whenever and wherever made
with the indignation which it greatly
merits. Wool is the finished product
of 100000 flock owners, who have
by years of intelligent and patient
labor and the expenditure of large
sums of money, brought their product
to its present standard of excellence
To class it simply as ''raw material"
as something that has been produced
almost without cost, or the expendi
ture of time and labor, is an injustice
against which we trust you will enter
an effective protest. The arguments
used in defense of the principle of
protection apply at least as forcibly to
wool as to any article on the tariff
schedule.
Growing wool is equally with the
growing of food and forest trees, and
with the manufacture of steel and IRON
and the maintenance of a commercial
marine and navy and of a national
militia, primary element of national
defense in war, and of financial secur-
ity and independence in peace, the
loss or neglect of which would derange
our entire monetary system and place
the entire country, in all its interests,
in condition of industrial and colo
NAL vassalage to foreign producers,
equally fatal to the happiness and un-
becoming to the dignity and honor of
the nation, whose annual increase in
wealth is now threefold that of any
other nation, and whose population
now gives it the second rank among
the civilized empires, and the first
among free, self-governing and en-
lightened people.
The appeal finally declares that the
wool growers have right to ask Con-
gress Tor the restoration of the meas
nre of protection, and concludes in the
following terms: "Finally, believing
that desperate diseases require heroic
remedies, we especially urge you to
sustain at the polls for legislative Off
GERS only such candidates as are in ia
vor of adequately protecting and en-
couraging the great industry of sheep
husbandry by voting to restore the
wool tariff of 1867, or rate Of duties