Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-05-29
THE WOOL GROWERS.
Proceedings of the Mass Meeting
Held at Chicago.

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Held at Chicago.
Address to the WooI.Growers and Sheep.
Breeders Of the United States.
CHICAGO, May 19.-The national mass
meeting OF wool growers of the United
States was called to order at 10 o'clock
this morning, 1874 delegates being pres
ent. Fifty of them we're 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 a recess taken.
After recess, Columbus Delano, Of
Ohio, was chosen president, and r.
7. McCully, Of Missouri, secretary, and
made up a list OF vice-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 will be en-
barrassed, our capacity for production of
meats, breadstuffs and other articles re-
quired by our civilization will be seri-
ously diminished, and our great prosper
ity Impaired. It says tie act of 1888,
reducing duties on foreign woods, has
seriously Injured, and, if continued, will
in the future diminish, if it does 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-
cation, to BIZ aided by state and county
associations, and in thst way and by all
ether legitimate methods, endeavor to
restore the wool tariff OF 1867 or its
equivalent on wools and woolens, and
cause to be repealed the unjust, unwise
and unequal legislation of 1883, reduc.
ing the duties on woods and woolens.
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
'.A.o SonnuAAPtAoA oA 6oooo PAoaASco
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 its or his position in
fav>r OF the restoration of the tariff of
1867.
CHICAGO, May 20.-The national mass
meeting of wool-growers of the United
States resumed its deliberations at 10
o'clock tl.is morning. The committee
appointed to prepare an address to the
wooi-growers Of the country submitted
the following:
10 the Woo Gro,oers and Sheep Breeders Of
the United Stdtes-GENTLEMEN: At the ma
tional convention of wool-growers 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, a
committee was appointed to draw up an address
to the woo.-growers of the country for the pur-
pose Of arouSinS 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 mem
bers Of the committee firmly believe that the
existing sad condition of the interest you rep
hng or, Ipnf h ot,o,, Io, ,ni,,
altogether, by adverse congressional legislation
and that it will not again be prosperous until
Congress shall reverse its action at its last ses-
sion and restore the rates of duty to those
which prevailed under the tariff of 1867, by
which for the first time in the industrial his
tory OF the country equitable relations were es-
tablished between the duties on wool end those
on woo!en goods.
1t can be concluslvely shcwn that the tariff act
Of that year gave to the American producers
of both woods and woolen goods steady markets
and secure expansion Of production. II gave
consumers cheaper woods and woolens than
were ever before known in America, and
brought prices for all goods of ordinary wear
and Of many for fine and luxurious wear lower
or as low as arc known in Earope CT elsewhere
The repeal of the tariff OF 1857 on wool and
woolens was not asked for, as has been alleged,
by the conservative business sentiment Of
tie country, or by any considerable
number of the American people. 1t was
brought about wholly through the
efforts of importers and others interested in se-
curing i'll the United States q market for for
eiga wools, aided by a few parties who desire
to make use OF the foreign product as a whip
with which to subdue the American market.
and menace to American producers, upon
whom they were necessarily compelled to rely
for nine-tenths OF the wool required i'll this
business. These combined Influences, uupat-
riotc and un-American, led to the passage Of
the uuwise, abortive and suicidal tariff act Of
1883, to which we firmly believe may be attrib-
rted the present depressed condition of the
wool industry. You have doubtless, gentle
men. heard much Of late touching the
sonndncss 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-
ration which it justly merts. Wool is the
finished prodnct of million fock-owncrs 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-
.inced almost without cost CT expenditure Of
time and labor, is an 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 as forc!bly to wool as to any arti-
Gle on the tariff schedule. The growing Of
WOOL III equally VIII INC growing OF 1000 and
forests, and with the manufacture of iron and
steol, the maintenance of a commercial marine
aud navy, or of national militia, primary
element of national defense in war and OF fnan-
cial security and Independence in peace, the
loss or neglect Of which wonld derange our en-
tire monetary system and place the entire ocun-
try in ali its interests in condition of industrial
aud colonial vassalage to foreign producers
equally fata! to happiness aud nnbecoming t.
the dignity and honor OF the nation, whose an
onal increase in wealth is now three-fold that
of any other nation, and whose population
now gives it second rank among the civilized
empires, and first among free, self-governing
aud enlightened peoples.
The appeal finally declares that the
wool-growers have the right to ask Con-
g.ess for the restoration of measure of
protection and concludes in the follow
ing ter ms:
Finally, believing that desperate diseases re-
er;rc heroic remedies, We especially urge you
TO sustain at the polls for legislative offices
only such candidates as are in favor Of ade-
uately protecting and encouraging the great
industry Of sheep -husbandry by voting to re.
store the wool tariff Of 1867 or rates Of duties
at least As protective as those embodied in that