The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-16
WOOL rARIFF-sAYERs ANDR RECTOR

The canvass in the tenth congress
5ional district, between Major Sayers
and Judge Rector, has assumed to a ;
very great degree, features of the Ohio
contest. There sheep are taking a
very lively part in the campaign, while
here the republican. or the
independent candidate, Judge Rector,
has been making pretty strong appeals
to the woody Cassius to help shim ere
he sink. The Ohio man generally
wants everything In sight, and hence
we find the wool men of that state
taking stand diss1mular to that taken
by those of any other state. There
are states where the protection Of
wool is nearly, if not fully. as great as
in Ohio, and yet the wool-growers of
these other states make no such de-
mand as the Buckeye cormorants.
Probably this expression may be
unjust; it may be that
they are led to the course they pursue
because wool production with them is
more expensive than elsewhere. Ohio
lands have grown to be of great value,
and pound of wool raised in that
state costs more than two or three
pounds raised in Texas or the other
sheep growing regions. This being
so, the wool men of Ohio insist that
the whole country shall pay them
heavy tribute for raising sheep on
lands worth from fifty to one hundred
dollars an acre, while millions of sheep
are grazing on lands that have not
cost their owners over two dollars an
acre. 1t is in vain to make war
against the eternal laws of ma
ture with acts of congress and in
following the course prescribed for
republicans by these Ohio wool people,
Judge Rector simply went off on a
chase after something unreal, as ap-
piled to the Texas wool growers.
Even if congress should yield to the
clamor of the Ohio wool growers it
must be plain to many of them that
their interests would be injured rather
than promoted by higher rates of
duty. Notwithstanding its great di-
versity of climate, this country does
not produce all the varieties of wool
that are required in manufacturing.
Without foreign wool there are GER
tain classes of goods that cannot be
manufactured here, and the high rates
of duty are serious checks to produc-
ton. In 1880, during the brief period
of manufacturing activity, the impor-
tation of wool increased to 1913, 131, 747
pounds from 39,OO5, 155 in the previous
year. The next year the Importation
of wool fell to 55,964,236 pounds.
Nearly all this foreign wool was
mixed with the domestic raw material
in the manufacture. AS the importa-
ton Of wool declined there was nee
essarily decline in the demand for
domestic wool. In England, France
and Germany no duty is i'm
posed on wool. and as a conse-
quence foreign woods are in demand to
mix with native woods. Free-trade
England exports accordingly one hun
dred million dollars worth of wooden
goods, while the United States, last
year, exported but three hundred thou
sand dollars worth I; importing, how
ever, in the same year, forty-fve mill
ion dollars worth of wooden goods.
The heavy duty on foreign wool pro-
hibits the manufacture of certain
classes of goods, which must, there
fore, be imported, and hence the de,
mand for domestic wool is lesseIed
Is it not clear that low prices of wool
are traceable to lack of demand? Does
not the greed of the Ohio men reach
too far? If it could be shown that
higher duties on wool would benefit
the Ohio sheep raisers, it is evident
that their interests would be promoted
at the expense of the rest of the PEG
pie. 1t IS very properly laid down
that when a government enriches 9
small number OF persons, or a specia.
interest, by sacrificing the general in.
terest, it commits an iniquity. 1t is
therefore the right and duty of voters
to resist this method of spoliation al
the ballot-box. Even if voters of Ohio
and Texas believe that heavy duties
on wool promote the interests of the
wool growers, that is no reason why
they should injure themselves and
their families and everybody by pay.
ing exorbitant prices for clothing anG
blankets. Here is spirit of ultraism
which cannot be endured, and the
man who appeals for votes on such
grounGs is doomed to defeat. Change
the position of our two candidates
and make Maj. Sayers, a democrat
and high protectionists, and Judge
Rector, a republican and low tariff
man, and the latter would beat the
former even in this wool growing dis.
trict. The Ohio men want the duty
on wool increased, or at least by clam.
oring for increase they hope to keeI
the wool tariff as high as it now is
Every lesson in political economy
teaches the falsity of their selfish doc.
trine. The admission of wool free OF
duty in accordance with the policy OF
all other enlightened nations, protec.
tionisJ and free trade alike, would
give great stimulus to the manufac.
ture of woollen goods. With the raw
material thus cheapened, workingmen
in the wooden industry would have a
larger share in the profits of prcduc.
ton. Consumers would obtain better
clothing at less cost. The markets for
American wooden manufactures would
be extended beyond the limits of the
country, as the home wool-growers
would find a larger demand for their
products at steadier prices. The present
system of taxation upon wool and
other raw materials of industry is not
only iniquitous in its spirit but disas-
trous in its result to all concerned.
These.are principles, as sound as that
which teaches that Tie lice use of air
Is necessary to animal life. Freedom
of trade is just as necessary to the
life of nation as air is to the exis-
tence of vigorous animal being. THE
STATESMAN can afford m nrosaDt