The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-09-06
THE WOOL QUESTION.

% The Vermont election is a thing G
u the past, but the discussion of the woo
question" had in our columns during
the state campaign would be incom
plete without summary of the argu
n ments. This we find in the following
s from the pen of Mr.. Abner S. Haight
] Mr.. Haight, as is well known, is tn,
gentleman who markets or sells nj
inconsiderable portion of the knit good!
+ manufactured in Bennington. His re
/ view of the wool question in its relation
to the proposed Democratic free trade OF
the Mills bill, therefore, will be ofabsorb.
ing interest to the men and women en-
plOyed in making the goods he sells,
We commend it to the careful reading
of all our patrons. 1t is in reply to a
Free Trader in Columbia county, N. Y,
and printed in the Chatham Courier.
Mr.. Haight says
In your issue of Aug 9Th appears a
letter signed George L. Powell, who is
personally a stranger, although the fam
lily name is familiar, to which with your
permission wish to make reply in part
but not in spirit of controversy, nor do
| wish to become party to the general
discussion going on in your paper. His
questions are addressed to your read
ers" and am one.
In speaking of the depreciation of
lands it seems to me a most important
fact has been overlooked, viz : The de-
probation is local not general. Twen-
ty-five years ago the lands of Columbia
county were undoubtedly marketable at
higher prices than today, and that may
be said to be true to some extent as far
W est as Rochester, but moments re-
| Election will convince any man that the
average valuation of lands in the United
States today is many times greater than
25 years ago. Since then they have been
developed with unparalleled rapidity,
partly because of the facilities afforded
by the railroads for transportation,
partly because of and through the immi-
grafton of millions of sturdy men and
women who could better perform the
labors incidental to an agricultural life
than anything else.
These and other influences have re-
suited in depreciation of lands in the
east, but they have also multiplied many
times the average value of the whole
country. Do those facts prove immi-
grafton failure
The state of New York raises less
potatoes today than 20 years ago, Why?
Because they are imported as ballast,
that is, no freight is paid, or if any a
nominal amount, from countries where
the average wages for agricultural labor
is probably not over One-third of the
amount paid in Columbia county. Will
any man for one moment contend that
the territory within radius Of200 miles
of New York city would not be benefit
ed if the tariff was sufficiently high to
keep out this competition, that, all other
things being equal, can and will control
the market because of the difference in
fire. ;ght alone.
Taking the number of farms into ac-
count L must question the statement
made as to the number or proportion
that are mOrtgaged, and certainly the
value of the lands is immensely greater
and disproportionate to the amount of
the mortgages as compared to the same
20 years age. If the question is confined
to Columbia county, Mr.. Powell may
be correct, but he is discussing national
questions and will not object to a ma
tional application.
The decline in the price of wool is ex-
if he has the patience and time to con-
slider the subject further. More than
one-half of the wool raised in the world |
comes from four countries. The num- |
Der of sheep in each is said to be as |
follows
Argentine Republic t1SS5)............so'GO o, 900
Russia in Europe iiSS8) 4ST2i,73G
United States 1SS0. ,750 ,3l4
United States (lSSS) 54 1855
The percentage of increase in four
years in the United States after 1879
was % per cent.
The percentage of decrease from 1883 |
to 1856 was 25 per cent. Why ? Because
of the change of tariff in 1888. Reduce |
it again and the result will be precisely |
similar, although it is probable not so
great, for the reason that we have suf- |
fered incalculable loss by system of I'M
dervaluations through consignments,
also because Of the classification of
worsted goods as wooden.
Nor is this all by any means. I'm
mense quantities of wool have been i'm
ported in the shape of rings, broken top,
slubbing waste, yarn waste, thread
waste, ETC., all of which by and through |
various processes are made to take the
place of fleece wool of the finest quality.
Several of the above are worse than
free wool could be because of the per-
centage of waste in manufacturing is
even less than secured wool, and they
all pay duty of ten cents per pound.
1t is well known fact that mills in
Europe have been run for the produC-
ton of some of the above mentioned
kinds of waste, so called, preparing the
same for the evasion of the regular du-
ties on wool, yet supplying its place
when sent TO this country. These are
some of the reasons why wool has de-
clined in value here, but there is another
of which we must not lose sight, and |
which has surely effected the Eastern
wool growers.
The grazing lands of the west, many |
of which are still held by the general
government afford fine opportunities |
for raising sheep on large scale, and |
1t is plain to see that farmer owning |
100 acres of land worth $4,000 Cannot
compete with herdsman who can pas
ture 10000 acres and yet does not own |
one, and furthermore because of elm at |
ic reasons is not forced to provide for
his tlocks in winter. Add to this state
Of things the competition of Australia
and the Argentine Republic where lands
are still cheaper and climate more fav-
orable and we shall see clearly why
wool has deprecated.
In common with all fair minded men
Mr.. Powell deprecates the fact that
trusts and combinations exist, but he
must not forget that excessive profits
always result in over production and
while the consumer must pay it out at
one time he surely will receive it back
at another, because il is truth that
action and reaction are equal. Home
competition will eventually regulate it
all, and it is better the money should
in this country than go out of it
to enrich another If the price of one
commodity is advanced those engaged
in IFS production are benefited and
sooner or later it must extend its in
tluence until all are reached, and the
reverse is equally true.
During the past ten years we have ex-
ported 81 800, 000, 900 in value, and have
drawn to this country more gold than
has been mined in all the world. Will
Mr.. Powell contend that anything but
protection to home industries has done
it If so let him mention a country
where free trade has produced like re-
suits. viii he please tell us how it is
that 1884, 900 laborers in New York
state have to their credit in savings
banks S469, 623, 900 while Is, 1871, 900 lab
Orers in Great Britain have but $780,
900, 900 How is it that since 1860 the
increase of deposits in New York state
has been 800 PER cent, while in Great
Rritoin H. was hut II8 nor cont In