The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-10-06
wooL-GRowERs FAVOR IT.
They Believe That the Mills Bill VIII n
of Considerable Reneff.


| WOoL-GROwERs FAVOR 1T.
They Believe That the Mills Bill VIII he
of Considerable Benefit.
In view of many assertions that the
passage of the Mills bill, which puts
wool on the free list, would injure the
domestic growers of that staple. and
that it was therefore opposed in sheep
raising States, a reporter made some
inquiries on this subject of Mr.. George
I. Malone, who is vice-president of
the Texas Trading Company, of LAM
pasas, Tex. This company handles
wool in consignment direct from the
grower, taking the bulk of the clip
which comes to Lampasas market.
When the clip is full the quantity that
1t handles annually is some 1850, 900
pounds. Its dealings arc extensive in
number as well as in amount, most of
the growers with which it does busi-
ness having clips of 5000 to 10000
pounds each. In reply to the questions
put to him, Mr.. Malone said: 1.-The
present price of wool, which is very
low, could not be deprecated by the
passage of the Mills bill. / have not
come in personal contact with the
growers since last fall, before the in
PRODUCTION of the Mills bill. but know
that some very prominent growers in
Texas have taken the same stand that
l do, which is that their interests would
suffer no permanent harm by the pass
age OF that measure. If this bill had
been brought forward a few years
since. when the prices of wool
were very high, the growers would
have felt differently. Lately, how
ever, they have become much dissat-
isfied with the determinations and in
CAPABILITIES of the existing tariff. |
Formerly they regarded the tariff as a |
protection to them, and believed it |
was that which kept up the price of |
WOOL If the Mills bill had been in
trcduced year ago. they would have
attributed it to that and to the agita-
ton connected with 1t the low prices
which have since prevailed. For
years the price Of wool has been very
variable. Last season it opened ex-
tremely high and then shrinkage fol-
lowed which still continues. The con-
dition is better now, however, than be-
fore the introduction of the Mills bill,
prices having touched bottom pre-
viously. The decline of wool was due
to the unhealthy condition of the man.
interests. 1t is now seen
by many of the growers that the man.
nfacturcrs need free wool. and the
manufacturing industry would receive
} stimulus which would cause q steady
and uniform demand for wool at staple
prices. With wool on the free list.
growers would know just where they
TODD, whereas, with the present tariff,
hey can never tell when it may be
Uttered or what the conditions of
may be. Carpet stock
md the finer grades of wool are not {
'rown in this country at all, and
heir importation duty free, while
ot In any way interfering with
ne domestic wool-grower, would tend
widen the range of manufacturing,
nd thereby open new avenues of en-
loyment to the working classes. In
~ opinion free raw materials of every
ind would increase the prosperity of
ne working classes by consequent ex-
snsion OF manufacturing in this coun-
y, in new as well as old directions. 2
far as l can perceive, there is no :
ass OF wool which, put on the free
st, is likely to be imported in suf- a
cient quantities to depreciate the "
resent price Of any trade of American z
DOL. The class of wool that we do y
reduce is not raised here in sufficient q
iantity to fill the domestic demand. u
admit that it would be
advantage to them to have free b,
DOL and believe that in the long run SC
g interests ofthe wool manufacturers 70
I'd wool growers are identical. There th
certain kind of fine wool which Al
ust be imported to mix with our own w
Dol, in order to compete with the
oducts Of foreign manufacturers. vi
he cxaction Of duty on this hurts mr.
domestic grower as much as the an
nestle manufacturer, because the lat Sc
to make up for the enhanced cost of DC
foreign wool has to secure his ma ST,
q wool at cheaper rate than he wi
nld otherwise afford to IN y Ki
=. Cincinnati Enquirer.