The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1888-04-04
wool GROWERS CONVENTION.
A Highly Interesting Meeting Held at Fort
Benton March 31st, 1888.

The meetings we're cOnQucUtu Oy VIC
president Of the association, Mr.. j. +.
Bower. of Stanford. The sessions were
held il the parlors of the First National
Bank.
President Bower in opening stated that
the meeting had been called primarily to
nrotest against the Mills tariff bill, in
which it was proposed to place wool upon
the free list; that the matter OF tariff on
weol was of much wider import to the
welfare Of the country as a whole and to
Montana more particularly than most
people appreciated. That it had become
necessary for the wool growers of this ter
ritory to make an authoritative statement
concerning the effect free wool would
have upon one Of Montana's greatest in
terests, and that the attention OF mer-
chants and others interested in the devel-
opment of the territory should be called
to the Importance of their taking action
in the shape of protest to congress con-
cerning its meditated action. He asked
how With herders at So per month IN
South America and with a freight rate OF
&c. per pound on wool from South Amer
lea to European ports We could be ex-
pected to pay herders $50 to $40 and the
railroads cents per pound freight and
continue ia the business He said that
free wool would effect first, after those
engaged in conducting the business, those
who are engaged as laborers, and next all
mechanics merchants, transportation
companies and all others who now receive
more or less support from the proceeds OF
this business. Tt is wages and the ex
pense Of supporting help that makes it
impossible to raise wool in this country as
cheaply as in Australia and South Amer
lea. The president in finishing stated
that he could most emphatically state
that wool could not be grown at profit
here without protection, unless labor,
merchants, bankers and transportation
lines received the compensation for their
money and services which was given to
those engaged in similar occupations
abroad Hence every one is interested in
this matter.
Mr. Conrad who owns sheep in Montana
and in the Northwest territory Of Canada,
gave a good illustration Of how free wool
would effect the price. He said that the
sheep in the two countries were the same
in breed and character; in fact, those in
the N. W. Territory sprung from the Mon
tana focks. There is duty of 2 cents IN
Canada and of 10 cents here. The Cana
dian wool sold last year for just s cents
per pound less than the Montana. While
he did not think that free wool would
lower the price of Montana wool an
amount equal to the tariff, he did believe
it would lower it over 5 CENTS and thus to
figure below which it could be grown to
profit in the territory
The secretary read paper in which he
called attention to the manner OF men
who ask for free trade and in which he
objected strongly to the theories they
built upon their false premises.
On February 10Th, Mr.. Mills went to
ProvidencessR T., and at banquet given
at a great manufacturers club, told the
woolen manufacturers that all they need !
ed in order to prosper was free wool Mr..
Mills of Texas said that no one had any
idea Of removing the protective duty
from manufacturers; that there was not
a man living who would see woolen goods |
admitted free of duty; that they need
have no fear-if they would unite with
the free wool party they could carry the |
day.
Mr. Mills, of Texas, then went to great
length to show the Rhode Island manu-
facturers that at every reduction Of the
tariff on wool that commodity had in
creased in price-in fact, that wool was
highest at those periods when there was
no tariff upon it, and at it's very lowest in
price when the tariff was highest. And
then Mr. Mills, of Texas, from these prem
ises deduces the following very logical re-
suit: That with free wool, manufacturers
could sell goods at one half the price now
asked This Is the man who poses as
the chairman Of the ways and means com
mittee; and this is sample of free trade
logic.
/ will now give, from this same speech,
a sample of free trade dense ignorance or
malicious Justification. Mr.. Mills, of Tex
as, drew very touching picture. The
girls Of our knitting factories, he said,
had to 60 from these mills that could only
make stockings With seams in them, and
buy imported seamless stockings thatpay a
duty. He did not blame the girls if they
wanted seamless stockings, but he knew
no words strong enough to condemn this
duty on an article we could not make.
He said we had sent skilled men to try to
find out how these stockings were made,
but the process was a secret SO we'll
guarded that no American had ever been