Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-31
Free Trade Falsification Concerning
Wool Exposed.


1t is about time to stick pin in the state
me Mt made by Congressman Mills in his New
York speech, and since reiterated in various
forms by the New York Post, the Spring
field Republican, the Providence Journal, the
Boston Herald and other free trade papers,
to the effect that "more than half the wooden
and worsted goods consumed in this country
are manufactured out of imported wool"
We find this assertion in the Providence
Journal in the following form:
1--WE import more than half the wool we
consume. In the last fiscal year, for which
couplete statistics are accessible, the impOr-
tations of wool in the raw state amounted to
ia 900 900 pounds in round numbers. In
the same year we imported manufactured
wool and worsted goods to the value of S44.-
235, PA. representing, on half estimate, at
least 200 100000 pounds of wool. On the
other hand, the domestic wool produced in
that year was estimated by the department of
Agriculture at 265 100000 pounds. Private
statisticians are inclined to put these figures
somewhat higher. But SOC, 100000 pounds
is as high figure as can safely be accepted.
Out of total consumption, therefore, of
or another, 3l4 ,000, 900 pounds"
And in the Boston Herald, under the head
ing "A Question of Fact" the assertion is, made
in form still more extreme, as follows:
1--WE are constrained to disallow the hear
say evidence of Mr.. Beard and one or two
other protectiOnists and, taking up the state
ment of large number of manufacturers,
we find at the rate of four pounds of wool
to one pound of cloth very much the greater
part of the wool, as of the sugar, used by the
American people, is imported from foreign
countries, and is not of domestic production.
If upon the protectionist ground, this is a
reason for abolishing the duty on sugar, it is
equally reason for abolishing the duty on
wool. Sugar on these grounds is quite as
much entitled to protection as wool is, while
on the other grounds the arguments that can
be advanced in favor of sugar are much
more potent One can well understand why
it is that, with the illogical and contradictory
principles in the way, the Republican ma or
| ity in the Senate have found it so exceeding
ly difficult to agree upon any plan for tariff
question"
The Boston journal justly remarks that
'.this assertion, whether fathered by Mr..
Mills or by any of the free trade organs
which we have named, is false and mislead-
which the Providence journal puts it. Ac-
cording to that paper, ''out of a total con-
sumption of GA ,00O, 900 pounds we import in
one form or another 3l4 900 900 pounds"
This figure is reached by adding to the inn
ports of raw WOOL amounting to 1000 900
pounds, the wool entering into the manufac
tured WOODEN and wOrsted goods imported,
which the Providence Journal says, repre-
! SCENTS Ion fair estimate at least 200 900 900
pounds of wool" This estimate, therefore,
of the wool in imported wooden goods is the
corner stone on which the whole case of the
free traders in this matter rests. This esti-
mate, we are prepared to show, is egregiously
and preposterously exaggerated.
In 1889 the entire value of all manufac-
lures of wool in the United States was S267,
o529l3. If the 1000, 900 worth of i'm
ported wooden and worsted goods in 1887 rep
resented, as the Providence Journal says,
sat least 200 900 900 pounds of WOOL" how
many pounds would be represented by the
s267, 900, 900 worth of domestic manufactures
of wool in 1880? 1t is a simple question in
proportion On the same basis on which the
Providence Journal estimates the wool in the
goods imported in 1887, the wool which en-
tered into manufactures of wool in this coun-
try in 1880 would represent the enormous
total of ,2l3 ,00s 900 pounds.
But, in 1880, the total wool clip was 1884,
500 900 pounds, the imports of wool were
l2S, l3l,1i7 pounds, the exports were $780,
OIL pounds, and the total amount retained for
home consumption was S56, s9l $40 pounds.
That is to say, this is all the wool We had out
of which to make S267 100000 worth of
goods which ought to have represented on
the figuring of the Providence Journal, "at
least l,2l3 900 900 pounds of wool There
is discrepancy here which we respectfully
invite the Providence Journal, the Boston
Herald, the New York Evening Post and the
other free trade organs which have made use
of these figures to make haste to explain"
| CLEVELAND'S SUMMERSAULT