Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-05-29
WOOL GROWERS.
'They Hold a Meeting I'm Chicago and
Issue an Address.

At 4 meeting of the wool growers
at Chicago on the Goth inst, the fol
ling address was issued
10 ne ,gool qrotrers and sheep breeders Of the
United Stdtes.--
6rsrLEmEN:-At the national convention Of
wool growers and sheep breeders or the nlted
States held in Chicago. the 18th and auth OF May.
iSs4 and which was attended by delegates from
twenty states, a committee WAS appomteu 70 uIaw
tp an address to the wool growers Oh the country,
for the purpose Of arOuslng them 70 n proper
realization Of the necessity that exists Tor mme-
diate and energetic action. if they would rescue
the great INDUSTRY in which they are engaged,
from its present depressed condition ana from m
pending dangers of a still more serious nature.
The undersigned. members OF SAD coinihlUee,
firmly believe that the existing saq Convltlou pt
the interest you represent has been brought
about largely if not altOg ethtr by ADVERSE CON
gressional legislation, &C that u VIII not AGAIN
be PROSPEROUS until congress shall reverse the
action OF the last session and restore te rates u
duty to those which prevailed under the arm "
which. for the first time in the industrlal history
1 of the country, equitable relations were estaO-
/ lished between the duties on WOOL ana lnose On
/ wooden goods. go
/ Of that year gave TO American producers OF botl
4 wool and wooden goods, steady markets anu 4 So
cure expansion Of production. IL gave 10 con
4 sumers cheaper wool and woolens than We're ever
/ before known in America, and brought the
prices for all goods of ordinary wear ana OF
many of far farer and luNuI1ons wear, loWer OF
4 as low as are known in Europe, or elsewhere:
] The repeal of the tariff of 1861 on Wool ana
4 woNlens was not asked for, as has been auesed,
/ by the conservative business sentiment Vl ule
/ country, or by any considerable numoer OF Amer
! lean people Ii was brought about Whoily through
| the efforts OF importers and Others Interested IN
| securing in the United States market Tor foreign
wool, aided by few parties W no Desired 70 liahe
use OF the foreign product as Wlhp WIN "Aich
| to subaue the American market ana menace
| American producers, where they were necessarily
compelled TO rely tor nine-tenths OF me WOOL re-
/ Quired in their business These com3heu lhliu-
| ences, mpatrOuc and uu- American leu 10 the
massage eff the unWise, ubOrtiye ana SUICIDAL
| tariff act of 1888 to which we firmly believe may
be attributed the present depressed eondltloh Oh
the wool industry
You have doubtless gentlemen, neard much OF
late, touching the soundness OF the poucy O. put
ting raw material Of manufacture, including
1 wool on the free list. We trust you viii resent
such a proposition, whenever and wherever made,
with the Indignation which it justly merits.
/ Wool is the finished product of million hooks
owners who have by years OF intelligent anu pa
tent labor, and expenditure OF large sums OF
! money, brought their proeuct 70 the present hlSh
| standing Of excellence To class IL sIhply as d
| raw material, as something thab mas bech pro
| duced almost thOut cost or expenditure OF tiIne
and labor, is an injustice against when we Truss
/ YOU will enter your effective protest, TIE argu-
inents used In defense of the principle OF protec'
ton apply at least forcibly to WOOL as to any
article on the tariff schedule. Growing wool is
equal with the growing OF food ana forests and
with the manufacture of iron and steel
The maintenance is urged Of commercial
marine and navy, of a national militia as prim.
airy element of national defense. in war, ana OF
financial security and inae pendence IN peace, the
loss or neglect of which would derange our en-
tire mon etary system and place the entire coun,
Try in all its interests in condition OF INDUSTRIAL
and colonial vaSsa age TO foreign prouHceIs'
equally fatal to the happiness and unbecomng To
the dignity and honor of the nation whose annual
increase IA wealth is now three-told that or any
other nation and whose population now gives II
Che second rank among civilized empires ana
first among free selfgoNeInnS ana ehlBhleheu
Finally, believing that desperate diseases re-
qure heroic remedies, we especially ufse you 10
sustain at the polls for LEGISLATIVE oihceS, oIny
such candidates are IN favor OF adequately pro,
tectng and encouraging the Gr7at INDUSTRY OF
sheep husbandry, by voting to restore the wool
tariff OF 1867 rates of duties at least as pfoIec-
tive as those embodied in that act
The growing OF wool in the United states
is not la any sense a hothouse industry or
forced or unnatural production, but ON the con
trary the United States has sou ana cIh i
better adapted naturally to the highest develop
ment OF the sheep, as an an annual, anu ~ Sii9 9
growth Of the finest, strongest, most diversified
! and most serviceabe woods Tor common aho
fine cloths wOrsteds and dress goods, than any
other country on earth. This gr. at interest, uh,
Ike many OF the native industries, has NO local
habuaton it is an important pursuit IN every
state and territory ia the union. In 1883 II yleiI-
100000 OO1 while the value OF the mutton result
Ing from sheep slaughtered for food was $1,000
0O3 THIS industry repreS nts capital OF SOW
| Ol000 invested IN real estate alone.
In view Of these facts, we believe that the wool
growers of the country have the right to ask OF
| congress such measure OF protection as VIII re
! store TINS great industry Is a NouultlOu VI pioo
perity. To cur meii bers of congress alone can
we look for relief We urge you to bring to bear
upon your respective representatives in that body
al the influence you may have in fayorof reSto
ration of the tariff of 1861 or its equivalent, up
on the wool and woolens For the purpose Of
| strengthening your influence and securing united
| action, we recommend the formation OF state,
county and district organizations wherever prac-
ticable.
We desire, in conclusion, to say to all wool
growers in the United States, that by proper ef
fort we may reasonably hope to succeed in OBJ
tanning our rights, and that you may well be en-
coursged to continue in a business in which you
have so much invested of capital, experience and
intelligence.
HENRY MCALIsTER, JR, Colorado.
WILLIAM BALL. Michigan
M j, LAWRENCE, OaiO.
p T.. w. WELLINGTON, Kansas
JOHN NJ. MILLER, Pennsylvania.
The report was unanimously adopt
, ed
The remaining portion of the SEES.
sien was taken up by a discussion OF
methods for united action in the pend
ing national political canvass, in max
, ing the power of the wool growing
, industry felt
Adjourned sine die