The river press., 1884-05-28
THE WOOL GROWERS.
Proceedings Of the National Con-
vention at Chicago.
The Restoration of the Tariff of 1857 is
Demanded-The Wool Growers Ad-
vised to Support the Tariff
Party and Candidates.

| V1S6Q TO support the Iar1H
Party and Candidates.
The grandeSt convention ever held by
the wool growers of the United States
has Just closed its labOrs. Two hundred
. and twenty delegates from tWenty-three
states and territories, representing l,O2O
600 flock masters and an industry that
yields $3.50, 1000, 600 OF wealth to the coun-
try yearly, have spent two days to say
as emphatically as they could, that the
duty of 1867 on wool and Woolens must
be restored if their business is to con-
tinue to flourish and prosper. The one
central idea has been protection, and
only those men who Will pledge them
selves to work for the restoration Of this
duty SO essential, as they believe, to
their very existence as wool producers.
The convention met, in accordance
with the call, at the Grand Pacific hotel
at ten o'clock Monday morning, May
/ 10Th, and was called TO order by Mr..
Delano, the president OF the national as
sOciation. The president stated that
this was not meeting of the national
association as such, but a mass meeting
of the representative wool growers of the
country, having forsits object the mat
| ter OF procuring, il possible, the restora-
! ton of the tariff OF 1867 on wool and
| Woolens
It was very evident that Ohio and
Pennsylvania felt keener interest in
the matter than other sections OF the
country, as the former state sent dele
CATION OF fifty-seven, and the other one
OF thirty-six to represent them. The
other central states were largely repre-
w
centers Of Texas, Colorado, Nevada,
Wyoming and Montana had but one
delegate each. The temporary organi-
zation appointed committees on perma-
nent organization and resolutions, con-
sisting of one delegate from each OF the
states and territories represented.
The committee on permanent organi-
zation was as follows: Columbus De-
lano, of Ohio, chairman; Il L McCulley.
Missouri, secretary; with the following
e-presidents: Allen Chapman, OF
Vermont; D Short, New York D
M Silvens, Pennsylvania; A Pugh,
West Virginia A Syms, Texas VIM
Ball, Michigan; VIM Carroll, Indiana
Daniel Kelly, Illinois; Charles r Gibbs
Wisconsin; Samuel Jewett, Missouri
] T Codding, Kansas; Watson Pickerel
Nebraska; ) + Seldridge, Colorado; M
Archuletta, New Mexico; Thomas r
Mcconnell, California; s Z Hall, New
ada G Cooper, Montana; + T. War
ren, Wyoming A j Blakeley, Iowa
officers was approved by the c0nven-
| ton.
The president of the convention, Hon
Columbus, Delano, Of Ohio, was then
called to the chair, when he delivered
lengthy address, which was listened to
with great attention, and frequently APP
plauded.
/ The committee on resolutions made a
| lengthy report, nearly every word of it
bearing on the demand for the restora-
| ton OF the tariff of 1867. The following
| is synopsis of the report Introductory
+, to the resolutions: Even by the census
returns of 1880 there were 100000
flock masters, and there is no state
where this industry is not pursued
that the product of wool for 1883 reached
330, 200, ,OGO pounds, and the value more
than $lOO, QUO, 900, and the value Of the
mutton resulting from sheep slaughtered
for food was $50, 100000; that the sheep
industry is an important factor in the
prosperity of other agricultural pursuits,
because of the utility of sheep in fertiliz-
ing the soil and replenishing exhausted
| lands, SO that il abandoned or seriously
diminished our entire system of agricul
ture would be embarrassed, our capacity
for the production OF meats bread and
other articles required by our civiliza-
ton would be seriously diminished and
our great prosperity impaired. We cam
not afford to endanger great agricultural
pursuits which add each year Sl50, ,O00,O 900
to the national wealth, having invested
70 nt &S0l
capital, and which contributes so exten-
sively to the nations prosperity that
the act of 1883, reducing duties on for
eign wools, has seriously injured and, if
continued, will in the future diminish,
if it does not destroy the production of
wool and sheep in the United States,
and this assertion we sustain by these
facts. The report then goes on to show
/ that the clip OF 1883 caused loss of over
SIG, 600, 900 to wool growers compared
with 1882, and predicts much greater
loss for 1884, 1t says the climate and
conditions in Australia will compel the
American producers to abandon sheep
raising for other pursuits.
The first resolution faYors organization
and cooperation for mutual benefit.
The second is as follows, and is the
one that will set the politicians think
ing:
That in doing this we will, without
reference to former political affiliations,
recognize our friends whenever and
wherever we find them, and at the
polls we will only sustain such men and
such party organizations as are in favor
Of protecting and encouraging and sus-
tanning sheep husbandry in the United
States by restoring the wool tariff OF 1867
or its equivalent, and that we will not
support any political party or political
candidate until he or they have clearly