Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-05-22
COMING DOWN TO THE PRACTICAL.

dawn upon them. The proposition
to abolish the duty on wool, which
is now before Congress-, is already
bearing it's legitimate fruit. Deal
ers who have been accustomed to
purchase largely, now hesitate to
make investments. and as a conse-
quence this important product of
the farm is already drag on the
market. The protests that have
gone up from every assembly Of
farmers where the wool growers have
been represented as an organization
have so far had little effect. At
the recent meeting of the National
Wool Covers Association at st.
Louis, a vigorous protest against
the reduction was unanimously
adopted and like action has been
taken by State Associations. So
far these protests have proven un,
awaiting. Messrs. Morrison 81 Co.,
are not so deferential to the farm
ers as they were to the representa-
tives of the iron interests. Under
the original bill as prepared, iron
ore and coal were put upon the free
list, but when it was ascertained
that the representatives of those in.
terests not only protested but were
in position to make their protest
effectual, the tariff tinkers took a
back step and concluded to let iron
and coal severely alone. Not so, how
ever, with the wool movement. They
seem determined to open the door
to the cheap Australian and South
American product, whatever the
consequences may be. Under the
present rate of duty there came in
to this county in 1884, over SIS, 000,-
900 worth of wool and woolens. In
other words s1S,OOO,OO0 were taken
from the pockets of the farmers dur
ing that year to enrich foreign com
petitors, and the purchases made by
the money were thrown upon the
market to still further depreSs the
domestic product. If $4,000, 900
worth came in under a duty of 10
and II cents per pound, how much
more will there be when all restraint
is removed?
And who is it that is asking for
this reduction? Not the farmers
certainly. Wherever they have had
an opportunity to be heard, they
have spoken with no uncertain voice.
Do the manufacturers desire it Not
at all. The Wool Manufactures
Association have unanimously pass
ed resolution against the Morri-
son bill and free wool, and have sent
thousand protests from separate
firms against tariff tinkering of any
kind. The merchants and dealers
in woolens of New York stand should
er to shoulder with the farmer, and
are proclaiming their position with
an emphasis that cannot be miStak-
en-. The reduction on wool and
woolens has wrung protest from
the manufacturers which is voiced
by the leading ready made clothing
dealers in a letter recently written
by Messrs. Browning, King & Co.,
of New York, in which they say;
We are satisfied that if the Nor
rison bill should pass, it would en-
tirely destroy the manufacturing of
ready made clothing in the United
States. This would occur from two
causes: First, from a popular idea
that an article manufactured in Eur
ope is better than one manufactured
in this country: Secondly, and chief
ly from the great difference in the
price paid for wages. We are EN-.
ploying several thousand persons in
manufacturing clothing, the average
wages of whom, last year, ran from
nine to ten dollars per week this
includes the labor of men, women
and children employed, simply for
manufacturing and sewing garments.
Now the same wages paid in Berlin
is S2.02 per week for males and 81
AZ per week for females; in Leipsic
the same labor receives 1896; in
Frankfort it receives SO. While at
the same time if this bill was carried
out it would ruin our business in the
United States, there would be for
tune in it by transferring it to the
other side, and if we were satisfied
this bill was to be permanent law
of the land, we would most assured
ly be compelled to do this. This
would be a bonanza to those who
have sufficient capital and are will
ing to transfer it to the other side,
but it would bring to grief an indus
try running into the hundreds Of
millions.
And yet in the face of these pro.
tests from every class interested in
wool, the tariff thinkers persist in the
program they have marked out, and
the people are made to suffer- Val
ley Virginian.