The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-04-15


the agricultural interests OF the country. seek
ing ont from the 1000 articles in The tariff Their
leading products, to be driven out by rulnous
competition from abroad.
The minority then point TO the fact that the
metal, glass, pottery, sugar, rice, and other i'm
portant interests affected by the original bill
were given due notice of the changes proposed,
and had ample opportunity to make a success
full defense through their well organized asso-
Citations The we'll organized associations of
the iron and steel, the pottery and glassware
manufacturers and the workingmen engaged in
these industries appeared before the committee
Ind these schedules were stricken from the bill.
The coal and ore PRODUCERS appeared and thene
items were taken from the free list where they
had been originally placed. The sugar and RICE
interests did the same with the same result.
In this connection the report says:
STRIKE AT THE WOOL GROWERS.
The wool growers of the country were led to
believe from the bill first before the committee
that no adverse action would be had touching
their interests. They were therefore not be-
fore the committee in any official way, and
those who were heard spoke for the restoring
of the duty OF 1867, without dreaming that the
Inadequate protection they now enjoyed was
to be swept from them, and their vast interests
left to the mercy. Of a competition with wool
South American states, where the principal
cost Of production is the heTding required by
shepherds; where laDOf Is cnetsP, aENt AlGfe
feeding, either in winter or summer, does not
enter into the cost of sheep husbandry: y,
The first effort, therefore, IN the dlfection OF
free trade is aimed at the unorganized farmers 1
Of the country vino, removed from the centers
Of trade. busy on their farnis and plan tet1ong,
unused to meeting committees Of Congress-
and unadyised that their interests were TO pc
dealt an unfriendly blow, they are to pc the
first victims of the British policy, Through the
agency of the American OQngresss Ihelrs ls3
large interest; few in the country are larger i
it IS found in every State in the Union, and, in.
deed, in most countries; 1t is in the hanug OF
the many, not the concentrated few. The
flock masters and their worlxmen number at
least 100000 persons, the number of Hooks
Ni1lreaoh ]; lQ0,Q0n and the capital invested mas
been estimated BY competent authority at
more than ana the az annu pfodt,e
duty of 1867 the industry has grown to large
proportions.
In 1866 the saeap n the United States num-
bered little over " oQQ, 900 IN fss ghe nlunoer
had Raced 50 100000. In 1850 the Clip vas w
of 1867, which gave to wool-groWlng It's greatest
encouragement and induced the farmers to in
sFeass t.ieia tloc1s and eypend their means 70 for
and Improvement, and which finally made tue
American wools the best in the worlq, adapted
to ali the Gaes Of m2nufactnfers even the Nigh
added nothing to the cost Of wool to The naiu-
facturer or consumer; on the col tfarv; thai
cost has been greatly cheapened. In 1867 the
Price was 81 cents; in 1870 it was 46 cents; in
1875, u GENTS. There has been steady reduce
bio1l,: with occasional Guotuations, Ginep the
act of 1867, until now il is So low as to be- teIa-
pprarilF unnsofltabie. Free wool will be OF no
consumer, but positive loss to both ana great
loss to the flock-masters and those depending
upon them for employment. The decay of
sheep husbandry in the United States would be
q national calamity; 1t would place our man.
Il faetureTS at the mercy of the foreign pro-
ducefs. This is an industry which cannot be