New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-17
WOOL GROWERS AND THE MILLS BILL.
GENERAL ROBINSON SHOWS WHAT THE EARxxA
WILL DO IF 1T BECoMEs LAW.

WILL DO IF 1T BECoMEs ALAw.
General James s. Robinson, OF Ohio, Is veteran
OF politics He s at present Secretary Of State Of
that Commonwealth He has held other state posi-
tons, has been chairman Of the Republican State
Committee and served several terms IN Congress.
He member of Congress in 1883 during the 'ariH
agitation in which the duty on wool was involved,
and made National reputation as tho especial
champion Of the wool growers Of the country. Tho
General has been In two National Conventions as tho
friend and advocate Of Senator Sherman for Presi>
dent. lie Is almost a giant In stature, with snow
white hair and beard which give him patrisrchl
air, but cast Of cOunenance moulded for q born
tighter. lie asked the other day for his Judgment
about the Minis bill in its relation to wool and replied:
The effect of the passage of the Mails bill, as fst
as it relates to WOOL would be to reduce the price OF
treble woods In the Boston market from 80 to %
or % IL cents per pound You have only to quots
these figures any wool grower IN the country 70 let
him see the situation. lie will himself tell you what
the result Will be. 1t would virtually drive our Ohio
wool growers out OF the market, because 1t would
prevent them flum raising treble woods at profit"
What are treble Y voos''
"Treble wool is the standard wool now raised
in Ohio Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois,
what would the growers in these States do undor
the Mills tariT!s
They would be forced TO raise cOarser WOOL In>
stead OF breeding the present grade of sheep they
would be obliged TO grow what IS known the milton
sheep from which long combng wool is shorn-an
Inferior quality
What makes the treble wool better than ofheu
grades ?"
Principally for the reason that the clip is fahen
from improved stock that has been grain fed. Ths
sheep require grain to give wool fibre and strength
The popular strain is known Vermont sheep. Thd
wool is not the finest In the market, as the nnese
Mcrno woods developed In South America and not
grown TO any extent in this country
How widely would the Mills bill affect tho country
In the wool matter''
1t would affect all the Northern States that have
named large extent, and most OF the others to
considerable degree. 1t would strike West Virginia
and Kentucky severely II would be serious also in.
California Oregon AID Washington Territory where the
Industry would be crushed. oregon has already Inc
dlcated her opinion the subject by rcuslng Re-
publican victory in the face OF strenuous Democratic
effort TO capture the state. The sheep on the coast
are Of larger grade than is general over the country,
but the bill would affect their woods the as ours
When the wool industry Of this country is destroyed
a great industry is destroyed. the value of which We
VIII not realize until We begin to buy woolsn geods
from England"
what are farmers doing about the wool industry -
Some OF them already drifting into the growing
Of long-woo mutton sheep under pressure. They
have had 20 fight long that they getting both
mad and discouraged. They protest universally and
vigorously against the passage of the Mills bill II
| may use a farm phrase OF homely strength, they
kicking Ike pr0Gded steers. II Is rot alone tho
Pending legislation that mas injured the wool growing
Industry and affected prices, but tho rulings OF the
Treasury Department IN favor OK tho Importers az
against the farmers, by which the Government II
admitting secured woods washed woos-that is wool
that should pay 30 cents duty at 10 cents This
discrimination Is unfair and unjust that there can
be only one opinion about ~
You saw considerable OF Mr. Mills while In Con-
grcss, did you mott
:" Yes. and want 10 tell you an incident that con-
WINGED mo at the tine %. his utter inccmpetency 10
deal with tie wool tariff question The incident Is
as pointed "a the famous seamless sock matter.
When the tariff law Of 1859 was under consideration
in The WAYS and Means Committee, the wool ealer3
and importers went before that committee 10 mako
sn argument for the reduction OF duty In order 10
make out Intelligent and for the proper pres
SAMPLES OF all Kinds o. woolS-each sample placed on
tab. iLcy Lad treble X. long combing, South
American Territorial and other woods thus arranged
Mr. Mills looking over the samples picked up a card
on which there sample Of South American w0oI3
lndilereniiy az u he threw IL down exclaimina 4,
WHY that Is the coarse wool OUT OF which carpets
arc made We raise finer wool than that In Texas. :
Yet this Is the man who Is put forward by tho Demo-
cratic party having the intelligence and capacity
To revise the tariff laws"
.what about National politics y
"The Republican party Will win the coming clec-
ton OF course Mr.. sherman's friends regret very
much that he did not get the nomination OHIO g
solid for the Republican ticket BY large ma1Qy1tyX