National Republican., 1884-04-04
The Duty OH Wool.

What is tho tariff per pound on wool? How
much was taken o q Of 1t by the last congress If
wool was placed on the free list to what extent
would IL affect the wool growers OF tho country?
How many pounds of wool are imported annually
The same as to hemp. VIII you be 50 good as to
answer these questions IN THE NATIONAL REPUB-
IGCAS2 L, A, N.
Tho series of inquiries which L. A. N. pro-
pounds is not so easily answered as might be
imagined, but We will give him such informa-
tion as we happen to have at hand. Under
the tariff act passed at the last session of
congress wool is divided into three classes
class is donominated clothing WOOL" and
the duty thereon is 10 cents per pound, pro-
vided the value of the wool at tho place of
expectation does not exceed 80 cents per
pound. If the value exceeds 30 cents, the
duty is IL cents per pound.
The second class is designated "combing
WOOL such as Leicester and Cotswold, and
the duties are the same as on the first class.
The third class is designated "carpot
WOOL and it embraces the cheap coarse woods
that como from South America. If tho value
per pound at the place of expectation does
not exceed IL cents, the duty is % cents per
pound II the value is greater than 10 cents,
the duty is . cents per pound.
The tariff on raw woods of the class called
Clothing wools," before the passage of the
act of 1883, was 10 cents per pound, with IL
per cent, ad valorom added il the value at
tho place of expectation did not exceed -
cents per pound. If tho value exceeded 32
cents tho duty was l2 cents per pound and 10
per cent. ad valorem. For instance under the
old law the duty,on pound of wool worth
32 cents at Liverpool was 13i cents. Under
the present law tho duty is II cents Sup
pose the wool in each case is worth % cents
per pound at Liverpool, under the old law
the duty would have been 12i cents, while
under the new law it is 10 cents, the ad
valorem duty being taken off. If the value
at Liverpool is 80 cents, the duty under the
under the new law 1t is IL cents.
The duty on class 2 (''combing wools'')
under the old law was the same as on class
| C'clothing wools'D, namely, 10 cents per
pound and II per cent. ad valorem, when the
value at the place of expectation is % cents
per pound or less, and IL cents per pound and
| 10 per cent. ad valorem when the value ex-
ceeds 30 cents per pound. Under the new
law the duty is 10 cents. if the value per
pound does not exceed 80 cents; if the value
exceeds so cents, the duty is 12 cents The
duty on class 3 ("carpet wools'') under the old
law was cents per pound when the value at
| the place of expectation did not exceed ~
cents; when the value exceeded 12 cents per
pound the duty was cents per pound. Under
the new law the duty Is 2l cents per pound
when the value at tho place of expectation
does not exceed L? cents; when the value ex-
ceeds IL cents the duty is 8 cents per pound.
The total amount of raw wool imported
into the United States in 1883 was 7O,575 AIS
pounds Suppose that an average tariff of 10
cents per pound was paid on this wool, the
government would receive S7,O57, 7,5i7.SO in
duties, and the wool growers would be pro-
tected to that extent. The actual effect that
the placing of wool on the free list would
have upon tho wool growing industry in this
country is a matter for the political econo.
mist to figure upon. In tho opinion of the
tariff men, it would be highly disastrous.