Omaha daily bee., 1886-06-17
TALKS ON TARIFF.
Two Reports For and Against Free
Wool.


WASHINGTON. June l6.-In reporting to
the house adversely Representative Gros-
venor's resolution providing for the restora-
ton OF the tariff Of 1867 on wool, the commit
tee on ways and means submit that the duty
upon imported wool is proved, by testimony
derived from both argument and experience,
to be injurious to all classes and beneficial
to none. 1t drives from our markets many
kinds of wool not raised here but indispen-
sable to the manufacturer of woolen goods.
1t gives the European manufacturer eXclu-
elusive use of those woods, and therefore a
monopoly of goods made of them, and con
sequenty OF the markets of the world. 1t
confines American manufacturers. to re.
class of goods with which the
home market is periodically glutted. 1t
makes it impossible for our manufacturers to
to horne markets leads to ruinous fluctuations
in prices, resulting in the frequent closing of
mills, and their sales at Il disastrous sacrifice.
The committee therefore recommended that
the resolution lie on the table, but that the
prayer of the textile workers in Philadelphia
should be granted-that duties on wool
should be repealed and duties on woolen
manufactures be reduced to an equal extent.
wilkins resolution, declaring against any re-
duction of duty on wool, is based upon
a letter written to the chairman by John y.
Smith, formerly member of congress from
Ohio, and at one time commissioner of In
dian affairs. Smith comments severely upon
a letter written to the secretary of the treas.
ury by committee purporting to represent
| the, wool growers of Ohio in which they
strongly favor the restoration OF the duty Of
| 1861 Smith says, in conclusion: ut is to be
| devoutly hoped that wool will be made free,
aud that the millions of poor people
| of America may be allowed to clothe
thpmGn
buy in any market of the world. | hope your
| committee will give not only to the wool tar
| if, but to the whole protective system, a
| searching examination, to see whether 1t has
| not been Il tremendous curse to the Americai
| people and especially to American farmers
REPRESENTATIVE Mckinley of Ohio, on be
half of the minority OF the con committee .a,ol on
| on the wool resolution reported adversely by
| that committee. The minority go into an
exhaustive argument. bristling with figures
to demonstrate that the growth and develop
obstuctcd by protective tariffs, and the re
| port then continues: "Our political system
| differs from all others. Universal citizenship
and equal suffrage constitute the foundation
upon which our republic rests, and the rea
and wider question, therefore, of tariff IS
What will best maintain our industria
| pursuits and labor conditions suitable to thu
| high political duties of our people ant
the exalted trusts which are conlided to then
so long should American tariffs be uphelt
and defended whether assaulted from in
| huences at home or abroad Free trade will
every other nation of the world means to us
| either the substantial abandonment of many
| OF the chief industries of the country, or i
| they are to survive, it means an equal cost IL
the manufacture of competing products. On,
of these two things must inevitably resul
| from Tree trade. Either, in our Judgment
it is most undesirable and who'll!
unnecessary. Comparisons cannot be mad
with other nations. This is a nation of citi
zens, not subjects Whatever, therefore, viii
secure to the laborlng masses their full shar
in the joint profits of capital and labor, pro
mote the highest intelligence and largest in
dependence, should be adopted and become
| nrrmaneutlY a nart of our national policy.