The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-01-21
" nv ! NAYs 81 " WI N
THE OHIO WOOL-GROWERS.


At the last meeting Of the Ohio Asso-
citation of Wool-growers, Mr.. David
Harpster, Of Wyandot County, who
owns the largest flock Of any man east
of the Mississippi was reelected Presi-
dent. In his annual address he said:
In accepting the trust by you confided to
my keeping one year ago, l then realized but
part of the many embarrassments connected
with the presidency of the Ohio Wool-grow-
ers' Association under the now existing cir
cumstances.
From the tariff act of '6T until that of 'S3
the duties on foreign woods had been suff-
cient TO enable the wool-growers of the Uni
ted States to realize u reasonable profit on
the necessary investment of labor and cap
| ital required In the production of wool, and
| as q natural result the hockmasters. of our
country In 1888 numbered more than million
| -ninety-threo thousand of whom were In
| Ohlo-and the annual yield of wool of the
| United States Increased from 90, 900 pounds
| in 1860 to more than 320,OOOOOO In 1888 and we
| even yet were growing less than the actual
yearly consumption In our own markets.
The principles on which the wool tariff of
| 1867 were based were just. They recognized
Wtbout Se nnd tSa
| each should be placed on an equal footing
| with their foreign competitors: Sound pub
4 lie policy not only requires that domestic
productions and manufactures shall be pro-
| tected, but II demands that the duties be
| properly adjusted This had beer well done.
| All Industries were thriving under judicious
protection, and though In 1850 we Imported
| about ninety per cent. OF the manufactured
commodities used in this country, In 1880 we
| were importing less than ten per cent; from
| 1850 to 1850 tho number of sheep increased
| but three per cent; from 1860 to 1880 they
increased forty-three per cent. Also from
| 1860 to 1850 the value OF farms and farm prod
| ucts had each increased more than one hun
| dred per cent. Hence, there was no serious
complaint, no material reduction was asked
| for. And the manufacturers themselves, In
| their statement to the Tariff Commission,
| dated October 10, 1892 answer the question,
Whit is an equitable duty on wooll by say
ing, "It Is such duty as will render the price
| of foreign wool, laid down on our wharves,
so much greater than the ruling price of like
| grade domestic wool, that consumers VIII
not purchase the former except for peculiar
| and exceptional wants, so imperative us to
| permit the paying OF the higher price" and
add, this is eifectual protection. And when
such price is reached, the difference between
the cost at last port of export, plus the cost
of importation, and such price constitutes an
equitable duty"
notice that in their statement they rec
commend II reduction of duty on carpet
woods. Yet when we consider that more than
ninety per cent. of the carpet woods are i'm
ported, from the fact that cheap labor in
Asia, South America, and portions OF Russia
|
ferlor quality, we find little, IL any, compe-
titiOn In carpet woods by American pro-
ducers. So that, outside of this slight change,
which would not have been serious under n
continuance of the act of 1867, so far as our
woods were concerned, legitimate competi.
tion and demand were controlling prices and
the united interests of producer, mnnufac.
turer and consumer were guarded. And
though the full force of the tariff reduction
had not been felt ut the time OF our lust an
nual meeting, prophetic predictions were not
even then necessary to fOretell the disaster
" our Industry that surely would follow, un-
iess'thc coming storm could be stayed Yet,
we of Ohio, strengthened by promises made
10 us by those who had been chosen TO legis.
late in our National Assembly, were induced
10 believe, and TO advise others TO believe,
that In the dim distance tho star OF hope had
not yet set, and thnt VIC would again have
the tariff of 1857 or its equivalent. Thus en-,
couraRed, he who now stands at the head
of our national organization, the pres
idents of Pennsylvania and other state
associations, and many other leading
/ woOlgrOwers, went TO washington
during the session of Congress, sought and
finally obtained a hearing before the Ways
, and Means Committee. You all know the re
suit. Converse, Mckinley, Robinson aud
others OF the House deserve the thanks oi
| our organization for their labors In our be
half. Yet after postpOnement and delay
when tho vote on the bill was finally reached
I'm April, 1884, II was defeated by lS for and II
against Its passage. And in fact the Morrison
twenty per cent. cnmo nearer passing thar
did the Converse bill. Considering these ex
pressions of the present House as indicating
tho real intentions of the majority, fear the
wool.growers viii seek In vain for relief al
| their hands.
When we consider the value of the lands
on which we grizo our fiocks. the labor neces
sary to attend them, the cost of producing
, or purchasing feed for at least fiye months
per year. the high rate ofintcrest that money
commands, our taxes, and other expenses
that civilization require of capital, and ther
realize that we shall be forced to compete In
price with wool grown In countries requiring
limited II any Investment In grazing lands
no labor except that OF the herdsman, nc
, taxes or other expenses of civilization, ant
having no winter-it seems that this actua
condition of affairs would of Itself be sum
cient proof that the American wool-growel
must be protected
Varied as are our national industries sta
tistics prove TO us that forty-four per cent
OF all persons engaged In Rrnin.producinl
occupations arc agrlculturists, and from lSIi
, 20 1870 the number engaged In agriculture IN
the relative number Of farm laborers dimin
ished the proportion of proprictors increased
, aud that there nre now about 100000 o
fnrms In the United States valued at $ll,OOO,
, OOO,OO0 The entire producing power OF thu
American people Is now about $l60OOOW,OO
annually, Of which about Sl0,0OO,O0O,OOO be
longs 10 the farm. And yet Of these entlr'
productions. while the cry Is that we are de
home consumption Is fourteen times create
than all foreign trade. Agriculture, then, Il
the foundation interest on which all other
arc based, and upon which all others arr
supported. And yet important as are tn,
agricultural interests, l would not ask tina
one single per cent OF protection be takei
from any other industry; but by united nc
ton each should strengthen and support Thu
other. And Just as an interference with th'
market for manufactured goods destroy
profit and depreciates the value OF the fac
tories, so tho prostration of the wool marke
, by unwise legisntlon-reduce the valu,
OF land on which sheep IRE grown, and rs
natural result lessons tho value OF oil adjoin
Ing lands
The entire experience OF the past ha
proven that competition OF our own trades
men and developed American skill has mad
all grades OF goods cheaper in our market
when produced In this country than wheI
only foreign goods were sold. And whateyc
The present tarlH rates may be on wool, o
any other commodity produced In the UnitcI
States, those rates are too low IL they ALLOW
foreign goods brought into this country an,
sold at price less than the actual cost o
production hero. And this the present rat
on wool has allowed.
The Security of any nation rests upon II
ability to be solf-suppOrtlng, and no natlol
capable OF maintaining within its borders
Ynrlcty OF Industries can afford 20 buy II
foreign markets that which It's citizens cai
produce at home.
And another statistical truth and argumcn
In favor OF protection IL. that prOtectiv,
| duty has tendency to reduce the price o
foreign goods NJ the port of export, rathe
than 10 Increase II In our markets-thu
tends to add TO our revenue part OF the profit
: Of the foreign, producer, as the following