Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-06-13

"A committee OF IlNe was dppOlultu W vi ldiu
an address to the wool-growers of the United
States
The Address.
''To the wool growers and sheep breeders Of
the United States: GENTLEMEN-At the ma
tional convention of wool growers and sheep
breeders of the United States, held at Chicago
on the 10Th day of May 1884, and which was
attended by delegates from twenty states, a
committee was appointed to draw up an adj
dress to the wool growers of the country for
the purpose of arOusing them to proper re-
alZatiOn of the necessity that exists Tor inn
mediate and energetic action If they would
rescue the great industry in which they are en-
gagged from its present depressed condition and
the impending dangers of a still more serious
nature The undersigned members of the com
mittee firmly believe that the existing sad con
dition of the interest you represent has beer
brought about largely if not altogether, by ad
verse congressional legislation, and that it will
not again be prosperous until congress shal
reverse its action at its last session and restore
the rates of duty to those which prevailed un
der the tariff of 1861, by which, for the frs
time in the industrial history of the country
equitable relations were established betweeI
the duties on wool and those on wooden goods
1t can be conclusively shown that the tariff ac
Of that year gave to the American producers OF
both wool and woolen goods steady markets
and secure expansion of production, anC
that through this expanded production it gave
the consumers cheaper woods and woolens thar
were ever before known in America, anC
brought prices of all goods Of ordinary wear
and of many for fine and luxurious wear, lower
or as low as are known in Europe or else
where.
THE TARIFF OF 1867.
"The repeal of the tariff of 1867 on wool anC
woolens was not asked for, as has been al
legged, by the conservative business sentimen
of the country or by any considerable numbe
of American people. 1t was brought abou
wholly through the efforts of importers ant
others interested in securing in the United
States market for foreign woods, aided by
few parties who desired to make use of th
foreign product as a whip with which to sub
due the American market and menace Ameri
can producers, upon whom they were neces
sarily compelled to rely for nine-tenths of th
wool required in this business. These com
bined influences, unpatriOtic and un-American
led to the passage of the unwise, abOrtive ant
suicidal tariff act of 1888, to which We firml,
believe may be attributed the present depressed
condition of the wool industry. You hav
doubtless, gentlemen, heard much of lat
touching the soundness of the policy putin,
raw materials of manufacture, including WOO
on the free list. We trust you will resent sucl
proposition whenever and wherever mad
with the Indignation which it greatly merits
Wool is furnished by the product Of 900, ,00
ilock-owners, who have, by years of intelligcn
and patient labor and the expenditure of larg
sums of money, brought their product to tn
present high standard of excellence. To elias
il simply as raw material, as something tina
has been produced almost entirely without cos
or expenditure of time and labor, is an in
justice against which we trust you will ente
an effective protest.
PROTECTION DEMANDED.
"The arguments used in defense of the prin
ciple of protection apply at least as forcibly t.
wool as To any article on the tariff schedule
The growing of wool is equal with the GROWN!
of food and forests, and with the manufactur
Of iron and steel, the maintenance of CONNER
ca marine and navy, Of national militia,
primary element of national defense in waT
and of financial security and independence Il
peace, the loss or neglect of which would dt
range our entire monetary system and plac
the entire country and all its interests in
condition of industrial and colonial yassalag
to foreign producers, equally fatal to happines
and unbecOmng To the dignity and honor q
the nation, whose annual increase in wealth /
now threefold that of any other nation, am
whose population now gives 1t the second ran
among civilized empires and first among tn
free, self-govcrning and enlightened people,
The appeal finally declares that the wool
growers have right TO ask congress for tn
restoration of n measure OF protection, an
concludes in the following terms:
"Finally, believing that desperate disease
require heroic remedies, we especially urge yo
to sustain at the polls for legislative Office
only such candidates as are in favor of ade
quatcly protecting and encouraging the grea
industry of sheep husbandry, by voting To re
store the wool tariff of 1861, or rates of dutie
at least as protective as those embodied in tina
act.n