The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-18

United States, and contributed largely
to our present social, intellectual aud
moral condition, second to none, we
believe, in the wide, wide world. With
what Jealous care should we guard an
interest so vital to our prosperity, and
that has done 50 much for us in the
past.
But to return to the subject. This
act of 1928 Disseminated in favor of
fine wool and led to- mania for its
production, the price being as high as
one dollar per pound. The next act,
that of 1882, through the influence of
the manufacturers, assisted by the pro-
slavery representatives in Congress IAN
| interest that never favored a tariff,
from the fact that they could not manu-
tacture successfully with slave | Dor,
aud cotton, their chief product, did not
need protection) secured "A slight mod.
ifcatiOn of the tariff, es Pecally ON
cheap wool, which was made free
when of value less than s cents pei
pound at place of expectation.
On wool costin4 more than s cents,
per cent. specific and 40 per cent Ud
rdlorcm was the rate This was again
changed by the tariff act of March 2,
| the I'D rdlOrem rate, ranging from 80
to but 26 cents per pound (with the /
| cents per pound specific renaining)
was elected. This was known as the
Clay Compromise act, aud was enact
ed after long and very heated discus
sion in Congress and all over the cOun-
try. The result to the wool industry
is within the memory OF all our older
men. Wool that brought 81 per pound
under the tariff of 1928, now could only
be sold for from 30 to 80 cents per
pound, and cheaper wool was lower in
proportion. Then came the tariff of
1912, historic in the prominence it had
in the politics of the country for many
years. Its provisions were, on wool
worth cents per pound at place of eX-
port, 3 per cent dd rdiOrem; all other
wool cents per pound specific and 30
per cent. 0d rdIOrcm. The constant
agitation OF the question, and the fear
that each succeeding Congress would
change the rate, neutralized much of
the benefits that would have resulted
from the different acts of protection
that woods and woOlens from time to
time received, and finally led to a
change as effected in the act of July 80,
1916, known as the Walker tariff act,
by which the duty on all woods, with
out distinction, was fixed at 80 per
cent. I'D cdlOrem alone. This tariff of
1916 struck at manufacturers as well in
the reduction on grades, the effects of
which, as we see by the Joint report of
wOol-growers and wool manufacturers
to the tariff commission, was that 500
a al. 1, So, ~,
work. And, further, we might say,
that the Saxon or finer class of our
wool ceased to be renumeratve to the
producer.
But, as if the industry was not yet
sufficiently crushed out, Congress, I'M
der the influence of the slave. holding
States, passed the fatal act Of March 3,
1857, by which all wool costing less
than 20 cents per pound was admitted
free; over 20 cents, a duty of only "a
per cent. dd rdlOrem was allowed. I'M
der the effect of the tariff, fire NX
woods in Washington county, Pa, sold
as low as p cents per pound in 1859.
sheep were bought by the thousand at
one dollar per head, and killed for the
pelt and oil, and the carcasses fed to
the hogs.
Then came the act of March ,, 1861.
by which on cheap wool costing less
than Is cents per pound. there was >
per cent. al rulOrem; over Is to "a
cents, 3 cents specific per pound; over
a cents, cents per pound specific
duty.
| see it stated by one writer that
wOol-growers were negligent in max
ing their wishes known to the commit
tee on ways and means, which formed
the tariff of 1861. Hence The evils OF
cheap woods being admitted at so low a
duty, and by the admiXture of dirt with
the wool to reduce the value Der pound,
good wool was often imported almost
free of duty.
Next came the act of June 80, 1864,
by which wool worth II cents per
pound at port of entry was to pay a
duty of 3 cents per pound; from l. to
II cents, cents per pound; from - to
~ cents, 10 cents per pound, and also
10 per cent. I'D rdlOrem. A new fea-
ture in this bill! was that secured wool
should pay three times the duty inn
posed on wool of like quality in dirt.
The low duty on cheap wool was in
tended to apply to carpet wool only.
But the effect was to let in large guam
titles of Mestiza or Merino wool at the
low rate of ) cents per pound, and al
most wholly neutraliZed the advantage
of the higher rates imposed on the high
er priced woods.
Now we wish to note here that ma.
tional association of wool manufactnr-
ers was formed November 30, 1864 and
that a cordial invitation was extended
to DIR. Randall, the president of the
New York Wool Growers association
to attend the meeting of the Manufac-
turers' association. The result was a
joint convention of wool-growers and
manufacturers at Syracuse, December
| /, 1863. There the National Wool,
Growers association was formed, and
the result of the deliberations Of the
executive committee of these two bod
les was the tariff act of 1867. 1t is said
that the tariff of 1867 was passed in