The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-07-24


Pounds Value Duty
o3,OlG, slO,3s3,35S "a $3S5O,6o4 sc
53,Oi9977..............,o ,49looS % Sl74,977 81
$780, 3l.57........" lS,5oa,2oa o5 i.5sa,825 50
M'M'o vs. minimum 6,5s?G9! On LOS, l41 90
l9,Jlo, CO., ............. 2,l2l 5G 90 G94 ,0i9 90
79,9B,i42 Ss,5O4,956 90 S2,776, 1gs OO
For the first three quarters. Estimate for
the last quarter.
The importation of wool was 3d.
800, OS2 pounds during the first three
quarters of 1855 if the importation
during the last quarter is in the same
ratio, then importation of wool for this
year will amount TO 79, 1893 ,442 pounds,
or in round numbers, 80 ,000, 900 pounds.
AS one of the curious facts, | would
mention that the revenue thus far re-
ceived for the importation of wool this
year is 81 ,OS2, l49, and during the en-
tire year, calculated upon the same
basis which | suggested moment ago,
the revenue for the entire year upon
10000, 900 pounds will be S2,776, 1875.
Gentlemen, bear these figures in mind
II you please; two million and three
quarters in round terms.
"Let us 60 back and see the impor-
tations of last vear-S7, 703, 931 81
pounds-only 100000 more than the
importation this year. The revenue
derived during last year was S4,532,-
S25.S2. Compare the revenue for last
years importation with the revenue
for this years importation and what is
the lesson! Over 100000 last year
and 100000 this year upon nearly the
same importation. 1t is as plain as the
nose upon mans face that the reve-
nue. laws of the United States are being
perverted to the destruction of the
wool interests of this country. The
revenue laws are not enforced as
they ought to be. The wool
that is being imported now is not
paying even the revenue which the
laws of the country require it to pay,
and | think that this association ought
to call the attention of the officers of
the government to the fact that the
wool interest is surely being destroyed
by the ineficiency of its own officers
in the administration of the laws as
they now exist, although these laws
are insufficient for the protection of the
wool interests of this country.
And perhaps it is proper to explain
here. l understand that large quanti-
ties of wool are being imported and
brought in as low-grade wool, when,
after they are brought in, they are
either assorted, or, perhaps, cleansed
or manipulated in some way, so that
large proportions of the wool go into
the combing or carding wool grade
that ought to pay higher revenue. |
am strengthened in this conclusion by
going back TO the preceding year. In
the fiscal year 1888 the importation of
woods amounted to 53,049,977 pounds.
But the revenue derived from these
100000 pounds, as compared with
the 81 200, 900 for last year and so, 0O0,-
900 for this year, showed that the reve-
nue. in that year was 1914, 977 .35,
showing that the $4,000, 900 pounds OF
imported wool paid three-fourths of a
million more dollars than the S0,000,-
600 pounds will pay the present year.
Go back still another year to 1882. The
importation that year was 63,0l6,7
pounds and the revenue derived from
it was 1886, G74.96. There was over
100000 more paid for the revenue in
1882, with 63,000,000 pounds of wool,
than is paid now with $4,000 900
pounds of wool. 1t requires no reason
ing, gentlemen, to show that as the
amount of revenue decreases, the power
to import increases. Competition from
cheap wool abroad is increased in pro-
portion as the amount of revenue is di-
mlniShed, so that the Ol.DrOwerG nj