New-York tribune., 1884-02-21
THE TARIFF ON WOOL.
FARMERS OPPOSE THE MORRISON BILL.
VIGOROUS TALK BEFORE TIE COMMITTEE ON WAYS
AND MEANS

Growers were heard on the Morrison pili ny VIC
Wavs and Means Committee to-day He u'lo'
annihilation of the American wooi-growlhg III
dustry is threatened by this proposition lor oli
zoptal reduction" said j. n. Miller, PonnsyNa-
MIA voo-rrower. ave are alarmed by the propo-
sition to place raw materials on the free hst. IL
strikes direct blow at agricultural interests" de-
clared Master Rhone, of the PennsylVahia 0V"to
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, whose statements
were ndOrsed by other farmers who spoke
Victor E. Pollet, a farmer and Democrat, W,o
remarked that it seemed the oldest thlng Ill INC
world 70 have . farmer given hearing ny 'n0
Wovs and Means Committee said " Relhe'h'oi'
gentlemen. that this ought not to be treateu "S
Marty ouestion. Its right treatment ana proper
solution demand craftsmanship. lhat Vhls "o'ei"
ment has cot TO be used to protect American l"ooi
and indusrries is settled fact and you cahho. go'
ovvov from IT, That is the true sentiment OF the
,aonla of this country and you cannot break 1t
down. To talk of free trade is vain babbing"
Fx-Secretary Delano described the various wool
tariffs from the first in S24 to the last one anu
said that only under the law OF 1867 had American
voo-growerse enioved adequate protection That tar
if received the approval of both growers anu MANU-
facturers The act of 1888 disturbed the equitable
relations which had existed since 1867 between the
duties on wool and those on manufactured goous'
Justice 10 both industries demands the restoration
Of the duties of 1867. The proposed re-
duction would destroy the former III
dustry. Mr.. Delano described the wool-growihg
interest in the United States, which has l'oZoooo
flock propretors besides those on public land
ranches, who employ in addition 1,ooo'ooo men,
The yearly wool clip is worth $lOO, O,OoOooo' lie re-
ceived last night letter from an officer Oh INC Ne
braslo Wool-growers' Association, informing him
that 30 900 of the best breeding ewes IN that Stato
are fatteuing to be sold mutton because the "ool
growers believe they will be compelled to aOandoh
wool-growiug Mr.. Delano also opposed the propo-
siton to admit carpet woods free of duty Ii AiheIl
can wool-growing is abandoned, tho price OF Wooi
will be advanced by foreign growers ana the con-
SINNERS of woolen goods will be worse OH than tney
are now.
Mr.. Hewitt read a letter from a Connecticut man
faeturer of fine woollen goods, complaining OF the
bicb duties on his raw materials and asking for
= reduction or the placing of wool on the Tree ist'
He thinks. If Americans cannot grow Wool without
2 tariff. j. would be better for the Government 10
nav them a bounty of p cents head On every
sheep aud repeal the wool tariff altogether.
HIGHER NOT A LOWER RATE OF DUTY.
President Mcdowell of the Pennsylvania WOOL
growers Association, who has been Wooi-.Io"oi
since 1917 declared that the existence OF the III
du.try demands higher duties in order to permit
successful competition with Australia In tho iaS'
few months he has organized numerous local asso-
ciaiions in Pennsylvania, the total memDerShip u
which is H. 400. Within the last Weei ne has It.
ceIvcd requests to organize sixteen ne" locai 'Sso
Citations Irrcspoctive Of past party affiliations the
members of these organizations are here 10 ask lor
Justice.
Mr. Mills seemed rat her pleased with the condl-
lion of affairs in PENNSYLVANIA, Ohio and other
Northern States and suggested that the WOOL
orovers there ought to transfer themselves ana
t1air busne,s to Texas where lands are cheap tho
sou GOOD the climate congenial and the grasses as
nutritious as IN Australia. Messrs. Deiano, Nc
no veil. Miller COwden and other wooi-grOwers
declared at wool of the fine quality and strong
fibre necessary TO compete with Australian woods
cannot be produced N Iex2s. h3re , WIS Nm nll'T f
breedlug purposes, but il has most wholly ceased
! indicating depression there also Inc caplal III
! vested in the wOOl-grOwlng industry I'D IenhSJf
| wanna exceeds $i0,0OOOOO. .,
Secretary COwden of the Ohio Wool-growers
Association said that .ocal associations nave re,
Gently been organized in all parts o. that state ana
all of them have adopted strong RESOLUTIONS lnIaNor
| of n restoration of the WOOL duties. S9ld ne
"Tbeep are not cut-and-dTed resolutions, bat the
earnest spontaneous expressions OF those assoCla-
| tious The members in dead earnest. lhey
| mean 70 intrcnch themselves behiud the b3l0t-DoX
! and strive for Justice. | am Democrat ana not
| oshamed of it, There is no demand, so far as |
/ know. among the farmers for reduction OF duties
hey are not opposed TO the protection OF American
| iDdHstry nor do they complain OF the prices whlci
thev nav for wooeii goods" Mr.. Ilurd interrupted
! hin, 10 read the taIitf resolutions from the ONO
Democratic platforms for seues Of years III favor
! nf free trade and asked hIm whether he Thought
fbev or The resolutions adopted last year IN taYOr
| of protection 70 wOO-Growcrs best expressed the
| entiments 0fthe Democratic farmers OF ono. 800
! hose adopted last year, am very certain ! ne
! f,r71ers made themselves felt m tire Convention"
| Mas Mr. Cowdens prompt and emphatic reply.
THE HOME PRODUCTION OF RAW MATERIALS.
.l..I
Mr. Piolett thought il might be regarded as out
of Mace for the farmers of the country to appear
! here i'm behalf of their own interests, but as the
| Ioroe,t consumers OF wooeu, iron and other manu-
cacured goods perhaps they had Alright to be heard
| The Peunsylvanian farmers do not want to be
| forced into such position that they will be com
| nelled 10 erngrate to Texas Home production
! of raw materials is as much necessity
/ ~ n country like this as are man
uCsctmers. The farmers desire the protection
of both manufacturers and 50 called raw materials
II yyoud be silly 10 put iron ore on the free list.
! The production of a hide is as mach an American
! industry as the tanning OF Il hide turning TO
! Colonel Morrison, Mr.. Piolett said: Now about
suCgrs We say keep the duty where II is and III a
few years the nited States Will produce from cane
/ and sorghum all the sugar needed for home con-
sumption No. nay good 55endiny n n.y. pe9ocIa,c EN-
/ You will make "A great mistake II you do.' MT.
Pi0let's quaint expressions caused great meIrlment
! and bis earuestDess evidently produced some M
| nression uDOu one or two Democratic members Of
! The committee He favored the abolition of in-
ternaI taxation " want to be able 10 send thirty
| two bushels of wheat abroad III thrty-tw0 gal
! Ion ca5kn said he
What will you bring backl" asked Democrat
| C member.
MIR Chapman, of Vermont, spoke in behalf OF the
pnre blood MerlnQ sheep industry, and MIR. Curtis.
of New-YOrk, in behalf of the wOOlgroweIs OF that
state. , an. y,
Thomas g. Sherman and other "Revenue Re-
formers" will be granted hearing Tomorrow.
The Louisiana sugar men desire day, but 1t has
not vel been decided when they Will be heard.
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
1nIr