Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-05-28
THE WOOL GROWERS.
Proceedings of the Mass Meeting
Held at Chicago.
Address to the Wool-Growers and Sheep.
Breeders of the United States.

this morning, 1874 delegates being pres
ent. Fifty of them were from Ohio and
thirty-eight from Pennsylvania. Twen-
ty-one states and territories are repre-
sented. J. 8. Codding, of Kansas. was
elected temporary chairman. A COM
mittee on permanent organization was
app ointed and recess taken.
After recess, Columbus Delano, of
Ohio, was chosen president, and r.
Z. McCully, of Missouri, secretary, and
made up list of ce-presidents from
the wool growing states. The commit
tee on resolutions made report, which,
after speaking of the injustice inflicted
by the act of Congress of March, 1873,
declares that if sheep husbandry is
abandoned or seriously diminished our
entire system of agriculture viii be en-
barrassed, our capacity for production of
meats, breadstufs and other articles re-
quired by cur civilization will be seri-
ously diminished, and our great prosper
ity Impaired. 1t says the act of 1888,
reducing duties on foreign WOODS, has
seriously injured, and, if continued, will
in the future diminish, if it Joes not
substantially destroy, the production
of wool and sheep IN the
United States The resolutions
then declare in favor of organization as
wool-growers and sheep-breeders, 10 CO.
operate by means of our national asso-
citation, to be aided by state and county
associations, and in that way and by all
other legitimate methods, endeavor to
restore the wool tariff of 1867 or its
equivalent on woods and woolens, and
cause to be repealed the unjust, unwise
and unequal legislation of 1883, reduc.
ing the duties on woods and wooleps.
The resolutions repudiate the doctrine
of free trade as fallacious and imprac.
ticable theory, sustained largely by the
money of foreign capitalists, who desire
the control OF our markets for the sale
and consumption of goods produced
where labor is cheap and money
abundant, and pronounce as unworthy
of respectful consideration the theory of
those manufacturers who claim that raw
material shall be free while their fabrics
are protected. The question is then
asked, with emphasis, why the labor re-
quired to produce wool is less worthy of
protection than the labor at the spindle
and loom, where the fabrics of wool are
produced. The resolutions were adopt
ed with the addition of declaration that
the wool growers will not support any
party or political candidate until it or he
has clearly defined it's or hie position in
favor of the restoration of the tariff of
1867.
CHICAGO, May 2O.-The national mass
meeting of wool-growers of the United
States resumed its deliberations at 10
o'clock this morning. The committee
appointed to prepare an address to the
wooi-growers of the country submitted
the following:
To the Wool Grotoers and Sheep Breeders of
the United Stdtes-GENTLEMEN: At the ma
tional convention of wool-erowers and sheep
breeders OF the United States, held in Chicago
on the 10Th OF May, 1884. and which was at
tended by delegates from twenty states,
committee appointed to draw up an address
to the wool-growers of the country for the pur-
pose Of arousiDg them to proper realization
of the necessity that exists for Immediate
and energetic action Il they would revive
the great industry in which they are engaged
from its present depressed condition and from
impending dangers. The undersigned men,
bers of the committee firmly believe that the
existing sad condition of the interest you rep
resent has been brought about largely if not
altogether, by adverse congressional legislation
and that it will not again be prosperous until
Congress shall reverse Its action at its last ses-
SIGN and restore the rates of duty to those
which prevailed under the tariff Of 1867. bv
whlca for the first time IN the industrial his
tory of the country equitable relations were es-
tahlished between the duties on Wooi End those
on wooden goods.
1t can be conclus1vely shown that the tariff act
of that year gave to the American producers
of both woods and wooden goods steady markets
8nda secure expansion of production. It gave
consumers cheaper wCols and woolens than
were ever before known IN America, and
hrpT7 ryb1A YorIo faro oil -
and of many for fine and luxurious wear lower
or as low as are known in Europe CT elsewhere.
The repeal OF the tariff of 1887 on wool and
wOoleDs 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 Sc
curing IN the United States market for for
eiga woods, aided by few parties who desire
to make use of the foreign product as whip
with which to subdue the American market
and q menace to American producers, upon
whom they were necessarily compelled to rely
for nine-tenths Of the wool required IN this
business. These combined Influences, unpat..
riotlc and un-American, led to the passage Of
the unwise, abortive and suicidal tariff act of
1888, to which we firmly believe may be attrib-
uted the present depressed condition of the
wool industry. You have doubtless, gentle
men, heard much of late touching the
soundnesS OF policy OF putting raw materials
OF manufacture, including wool, on the free
list. We trust you will resent such proposition
whenever and wherever made, with the indig-
nation which it justly merits. Wool is the
finished product Of million fock-owners who
have by years Of intelligent and patient labor.
and the expenditure of large sums of money.
brought their product to the present high
standard of excellence. To class it simply as
raw material as something That has been pro-
duced almost without cost CT expenditure of
time and labor, is sa injustice against which
we trust you will enter an effective
protest The arguments made in the
defense Of the principle of production
apply at Least az forcbly to wool as to any arti-
Gle 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, Or of a national militia. primary
element OF national defense in war and of fnan-
cial security and independence in peace the
loss or neglect of which would derange our en-
tire monetary system and place the entire coun-
try in all lis interests IL condition of industrial
and colonial y2ssalage to foreign producers
equally fatal to happiness aud unbecoming r
the dignity and honor of the nation. whose an
nuai Increase IN wealth is now three-fold that
of arv other naGun, and whose population
avlr