Evening journal., 1888-07-18
NEwsPAPHa OPINIONS.
free Wool.

EANN - @NAa
New York Press
For the iir.t time ia 70 years tho Congress
of the United States hae voted 20 pus wool
On the free list. In ali the vicissituaes that
have from time 70 time ovsrtsken our pro.
tectiee tariff, ibis is the boidest and most
decided move toward free trade over taken
hy the Hoaea of Representatives. Revenue
tariffs we have had, but they have recog.
nizsd the rights OF tho wool growers 20 q
share 10 The protective syetem, aud though
the duty was reduced no statesman until
tho day Of Grover Cleveland ever proposed
the total abolition OF the duty on the pro.
duct OF this most important American in
dustry
The meaning Of this step cannot bc mis-.
understood or underestimated. Il isA ire
mendous blow at ths whole protective sys.
tenn and declaration OF war that will be
carried on with allthe force the Democratic
party can muster, until onD after another
our industries are smitten down and the
American laborer ia nc the mercy Of tho
foreigner. The argument which applies TO
the duly on wool applies with equal force
20 the duty on woolens, on iron and steel.
on cottons and on euy other product Of
American Industry. IL the duty on wool
Is Illogical, iniquitous and vicous,n then
tha duty on wooiena Is equally had, and
ought TO be repealed. The argument chat
sustains one sustains the other Ia tho
same way both fall 20 the ground together
The facts in regard 60 the production OF
wool 81 this country are simply these:
When the present duty was placed upon
wool We produced Ia this country abour
go O00,0O0 pounds annually, and that Of the
inferior grade. What did protection &C
complahl In less than twenty years the
homo product had inc creased Go $4,000 600
pnuuds, tbs breed Of sheep had bean greatly
improved aud tho weight OF the aaecs raj
increased from snmsthinE under two pour d.
10 almost Ave pounds. Tlia prograss Il
almost wholly traceable to the tariff on
wool.
Aud the benefit did not cease hsrr.
Uader this 'yslem a woolen Industry has
bean developed IN this country 10 brief
period which ia annual output almo.t
rivals the wooden and worsted Industry of
England. From a dependence on Great
Britain for w0olen goods we have devol-
oped our own msnufac ures until to dav
our blankets. our hannsls, our worsteds.
our woolens aud our dress goods G. mpare
favorably 10 quality and price with tho,,
made in Yorkshire. The prices OF thess
goods land the Press has the samples and
the price for a series OF yeorsl have steadily
declined and she consumer has been greatly
benefited
Great are these results, ths story has not
yet been told A carpet industry has been
founded and developed here that has no
equal in the civilized world. There wss a
time whom England and France prided
themselves on tbis Industry; to-day those
two great manufacturing countries com
biued cannot equal the Uaited States either
in quality, design OF quantity OF product
Ia price, too, we can beat the wor d, and
the Press has it on the word OF the Dobsors
and sloaues and B'gelows that carpets cell
in this country as eheaply as anywhere on
earth.
And all this has been acoomplished With
a duty on wool To repeal tais duty in the
Interests and az the bebests Of foreigners Is
an act that should consign the party re
sponsiole 70 political death. Il il cruel.
senselsss, ,unpatriotie blow at 900 90 wool
growers Il is more than this. Ii isa
mean. contemptible, underhHnd trick 60 de-
ceive the manufacturers, while pretending
to reduce the duty on wool for their bene-
fit It takes from them a relatively greater
percentage OF protection. snd thereby nulh
hes any advantage that frte wool might
give them.
TIE msa who voted yesterday to destroy
cur wool Industries ara e-slll-s - ~
industrial progress 10 this country. Nay.
more. they are cowerdiy enemies, for had