Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-01
PKorEcr1Ne WOOL.

PROTECTING WOOL.
In the past month the wool growers OF
various States have been holding their
conventions. One Of these conventions
has lately been held in Pennsylvsnia and
another in Ohio, both of which had rep |
resentasion from West Virginia. The In
terests of the wool growers of the three
States of Ohio, West Virginia and Penn
sylvania sre indeed almost identical.
One question Of common interest dis
cussed was the tariff on wool. About
this there was great diversity Of opinion as
to the proper mode Of procedure In order
to secure the favorable action Of Congress
Some wished to stoutly demand restors-
ton Of the high tariff Of 1857; others
thought it better to bear the ills they have
than risk flying to others they know not OF.
This was particularly the case at me con-
ysntion held at Burgeltstown.
Another thing thst called the attention
of these conventions was the small attend
ance as compared with some other years
and q seeming lack OF interest on the part
of many to unite in seeking legislation
from Congress. Bat it cannot be denied
that the wool industry is not prosPsring as
/ it should. 1t may be tina. the seeming
lack of enthusiasm may be accounted for,
not on the grounds that men are taking
less interest in wool growing, but because
they fear we may have had too much lesis-
latiou already and that to expect aid from
Congress is hopeless.
This industry is very important one to
all this section of country and any decline
in its prosperity is greatly to be dsplored.
But 1t seems that if the restoration Of the
tariff of 1861 is necessary for its success,
the outlook is not very bright. The gen.
ersl tendency is to reduce the tariff on
nearly all articles that belong to
the necessaries of life. Important
! as the wool industry is, yet to secure an
! advance Of tariff powerful reasons must be
shown and the cooperation Of the &C.
} herents Of other industries must be secured.
! To secure this cooperation, the wool
! growers must pledge themselves to assist
, | in raising the tariff on other products.
, Asthers seems grave doubts upon thspros,
/ pect of the tariff on wool being raised, the
t statements made by Mr.. HAZARD, great
{ WOODEN manufacturer of Rhode Island, may
; have some consolation for wool growers
he has analysed the prices back to the year
i Is4T, gaining his information from the
r books OF two leading merchants, one from
3 Boston and another from New York. The
: The Boston Herald says this Of his argu'
ment:
What he shows is that in the years
1851, SO, SO and so, during which wool
was on the free list, the prices of this eta
pie in this country, were, on the average,
higher than at any other similar period
either before or since that date. Now the
ground taken by those Who urged the
adoption of the high wool tariff of 1867
: was that the effect of this would be to slim
ulats prices and to largely increase the
= production of American wool. So far as
the stimulus to price is concerned
the result has been entirely
contrary to the expectation o!
those who were chiefly interested
in pushing this measure forward. Ever
: in the matter of increased production
there is a great deal left to be desired
The men who were most influential In Oh
tanning the duty were the wool growers Of
Ohio, Mi, higan, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia; but since 1867, not only these
farmers had to content themselves with q
lower average price for their wool than
they obtained before this high tariff went
into effect, but the number of their sheep
and the amount Of annual clip have under
gone decided reduction. To them, there.
tore, the protective tariff has been meas
ure, not of questionable advantage but oil
no advantage at all.
While neither we nor the wool growers
may accept Mr.. HAZARDS arguments, yet
the statements he makes in regard to
prices are worth investigating, and il
found correct reasons for the falling of
should be assigned.