McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-05-29
THE WOOL GROWERS.
An Address to Those Engaged in the
business Throughout the Country.


business Throughout the Country.
In the National mass meeting of the
wool growers of the United States, at
Chicago, the committee appointed to pre-
pare an address to the wool growers Of the
country submitted the following:
To the Wool Growers and sheep Breeders
of the United States:
GENTLKMEN-At O national convention
of wool growers and sheep breeders of the
United States, held at Chicago on the 10Th
OF May, 1884, and which was attended by
delegates from twenty states, q committee
was appointed to draw up an address TO
the wool growers of the country for the
purpose Of arousing them to a proper re-
alization OF the necessity that exists for
immediate and energetic action II they
would rescue the great industry In which
they are engaged from its present depress-
ed condition and from the impending
dangers OF a still more serious nature. The
undersigned members of the committee
dition OF the interest you represent has
Deen brought about largely, il
not altogether, by adverse congress
sional legislation, and that 1t will not
again be prosperous until congress shall
reverse its action at the last session and re-
store the rates of duty to those which pre-
vailed under the tariff of 1867, by which,
for the first time In the industrial history of
the country, equitable relations were estab-
lished between duties on wool and those on
wooden goods. 1t can be conclusively
shown that the tariff act of that year gave
to American producers of both woods and
wooden goods steady markets. secure eX-
panslon OF productions, and that through
this expanded production it gave the con.
sumers 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 luxurious wear,
lower OR as low as are known in Europe or
elsewhere. The repeal of the tariff of 1867
on wool and woolens was not asked for, as
has been allowed, by the conservative bust
ness sentiment of the country, or by any
considerable number of the American peo-
pie. 1t was brought about wholly through
efforts of importers and others interested
in securing in the United States markets
for foreign woods, aided by a few parties
who desired to make use of foreign pro-
ducts as whip with which to SUBJ
due the American market and menace
the American producers upon whom
they were necessarily compelled to rely for
nine.tenths of the wool represented in this
business. These combined influences, I'M
patriotic and un-American, led to the pass
age of the unwise, abortive and suicidal
tariff act of 1888, to which we firmly believe
may be attributed the present depressed
condition of the wool industry. You have
doubtless, gentlemen, heard much of late
touching the soundness of the policy
putting raw materials of manufacture, in
Guiding wool, on the free list. We trust
you will resent such a proposition, when
even and wherever made, with the indigna.
ton which it justly merits. Wool is the
finished product of million flock owners,
who have, by years of intelligent and pa
tent labor and expenditure of large sums
OF money, brought their product to the
present high standard of excellence. To
class it simply as raw material, as some
thing that has been produced almost with
out cost or expenditure of time and labor,
is an injustice against which we trust you
will enter effective protest. The arguments
used in defense of the principle of protec-
ton apply at least as forcibly to wool as to
to any article on the tariff schedule.
The growing of wool is equally with
the growing of food and for
ests, and with the manufacture of
iron and steel, the maintenance of COM
mercial marine and navy, of a national
militia, a primary element of national de-
tense in war and of financial security and
independence in policy, the loss or neglect
OF which would derange our entire none
tary system and place the entire country
and all its interests in condition of indus
trial and colonial vassalage to fOreign pro-
ducers, equally fatal to happiness and I'M
becoming to the dignity and honor of ma
ton whose annual increase in wealth is now
three-fold that of any other nation, and
whose population now gives it the second
rank among the civilized empires and first
among the free, self governing, enlightened
peoples.
Fina ly, believing that desperate diseases
require heroic remedies, we especially urge
you to sustain at the polls for Legislative
Offices only such candidates as are in favor
of adequately protecting and encouraging
the great industry of sheep busbandry by
voting to restore the wool tariff of 1867, OF
rates on duties at least as protective az
those embodied in that act.