The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-17
THE TARIFF ON WOOL.
REASONS FOR THE ADVERSE
REPORT on
Representative GrOsVenOr's ResOlu.
ton Restoring the Duty Of 1867
The wilkins Resolution.

IAllN6 6IObNcDOT ECtOluAiOn pIONiu-
ing for the restoration Of the tar fl OF
1867 upon wool, the Committee on
Ways and Means submit that the
duty on imported wool is proved by
testimony derived from both argu-
ment and experience 10 be injurious
10 all classes and Der eficent 10 none.
1t drives from our market many
kinds OF wool not raised here, but in
dispeL sable to the successful manu-
fsciure OF wooden goods. 1t gives the
European manufacturer the exc uslve
u>e of these woods, snd therefore a
monopoly of goods male OF them snd
consequently of The markets OF the
world. II confines American manu-
fscturers to restricted choice OF
materials, snd 81 u the production of
a lin ted class of goods with which
the homo market is periodically glut.
ted. 1t makes it impossible for our
manufacturers to EXPORT wooden goods,
and by combining them to he home
market leads to ruinous fluctuations
in price', resulting in frequent cos
ing of mills and their sales at disas-
troUs Sacrifices. 1t ippes the
Oul1 GuslOuOlD VI Ou' hAOA kiOh CAN
so seriously that the market for wool
is periodically in an unhealthy con.
dition. II prevents the home mrnu-
facturer from buying the foreign wo)ls,
which could be used in mixture with
American woods, aud thus lie sens the
demand for American wool instead OF
Increasing it, as intended. II gives
the European manufacturer control Of
all foreign woods. 1t thus causes the
importation of foIegn wool to come
in q manufacture form, and the more
the duly has been raised the more DIS
astrous has been the result TO the
American wool grower. 1t hes fut-
nished q good excuse for heaping
heavy taxes upon the clothing of the
people, and 1t has taken from The wool
grower an amount tar exec ding any
benefit which he might have imagined
he would derive from the tariff, with
out giving him that imagined benef
1t has reduced the wages of the work
ingmen in the wooden manufactures;
it has ruined investors who were en-
ticed into this manufacture by the de-
lusive promise of high tariff; it has
RICdlll Aul AlduO Nllu Nll
natural customers in South America
it has made clothing dearer in Ameri-
ca and cheaper in Europe; it has in.
jured all c Asses and helped none.
The committee thereflre recon-
mend that the resolution lie on the
table, but thst the prayer of the tex
tile workers in Philadelphia should be
granted, that the duties on wool
should be repealed and the duties on
wooden manufactures be reduced to at
least an equal extent.
The adverse eport OF the committee
on the Wilkins resolution declaring
against any reduction of the duty on
wool is based upon le ter written to
the chairman by Johu Q Smith,
formerly a member of Congress from
Ohio, a d at enc tine Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. M. Smith CON.
ments severely upon the letter wiitten
to the Secretary of the Treasury by
committee pu'pJrtiOgt to represent the
wool. growers Of Ohio, in which they
strongly favor restoration of the duty
OF 1867. Mr. Smith says: They are
not ashamed openly t. assume and
DuUlltll w utCl tllhl lli7 u X fGlhllN II
of the coun ry is, If possible, 10 be
controlled by the combina ion of two
selfish Interests wool growers and
wool msnuiaCturers). That this com.
mittee is ut erly insinCere in its pre-
tense that it is lahorlpg to secure
the prospect Y Of American industries,
is made manifest by the open and
bitter threat that in case they fsil to
get high rate of duty on wool, they
will enjoy the compensation of baviOg
free goods. In other words, it is a
menacing threat (not without a pur-
pose) that il they 90 not get their
share OF the pluuder, they will see 70
it that the manufacturers shsll not
longer enjoy theirs, 1t is to be de-
voutly hop'd that wool viii be mace
free, and that these men may grow
madden and madden until the whole
abominabe BUSH ess is swept out Of
existence, and the millions OF poor
people Of America msy be allowed to
clothe themselves in the sCftest and
warmest garments that money will
buy in any market of the world.
l hope your committee will give
not only the wool ,arif, hu tie whole
pTote ctive system, a searching exam
ination, to see whether it has not been
a Tremendous Gu Sc to the American
people, and especially TO the American
farmers"
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Representative Mckinley OF Ohio,
on behalf of the minority Of the Com
mittee on Ways end Meaus, submit;ei
to-day a report on the wool resclu-
ton" reported adversely by that CON-
mittee. The minority report gays
that the majority report, while cstens'
IDLY made upon the resolution, is in
fact a suppl. me0tal report OF the gem
eral tariff bill, and evident y intended
as a defense for the action If The COM
miltee in propi sing to place WOO upon
the free list. The minority 60 into an
exhaustive Argument, bristling with
figures, to demonstrate that the g'owth
and development Of agriculture have
not been obstructed by protective
tariffs, and the report then con-
tinues: Our polit'cal system diff
fers from all others. UOiversal
citizenship and equal suff age con-
6uluJe the lOuuOauon upon WHICH
our Republic rests, and thu real and
wider quest n, therefore, OF the tariff
is what will best maintain our indus
trial pursuits and labor conditions
suitable to the high political duties of
our people asd tie exalted trust
which ave confded 10 them That is
the real quest on in its comprehen-
sive view. It touches the health and
progress of the Repub ic, for it touches
the condition-moral, physical and
intellectual-of the ctize1s from
whom it must draw is force aud cher
acter Of streug h. You cannot affect
the citizen, either for good. or i'll,
without the nation feeling it. The re-
lation OF the people to the govern
ment and the government to the
people is 50 close and int m te that
you cannot tluCh the one without it,
being quickly 'elt nv the other. So
long as American protective tariffs
operate to foster and cherish Ameri-
can enterprises which are enab ed to
q u 4 a.