Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-03-23
MIR. VIII SON ON THE WOOL TARIFF.

Below will be found an interview
with Congressman Wilson of this dis
trict by a representative of the Wheel
ing Register. We recommend a care
full perusal of it by all our readers
especially the farmers:
Congressman w. l.. Wilson was asked If he
could tell the exact reduction in revenue eX-
pected from the Mills bill il passed. He said
the question could only be answered on the
basis OF last years returns. On that basis the
free list would reduce twenty-five millios,
other reductions thirty zone millions, making
fiity-three millions on the tariff, add TO this
twenty-five and one half millions from The
internal revenue and the entire reduction
foots up over seventy millions
There are one or two schedules as TO
which 1 would like to have information for
the Register and first of all the wool rates
"The present tariff" said Mr.. Wilson, be
gins with "a duty OF 10 cents pound on WOOL
in the grease, 20 cents on washed wool and 30
cents on secured. am not now speaking OF
the cheap carpet woods, nor OF the highest
priced wools OF which we import very little
or of manufactures of wool. We have there
two duties. For example, a blanket valued
at not more than 30 cents a pound pays 10
conts a pound and 80 per cent. ad-valorem,
making Il tax of 50 per cent. in all. This 10
cents is the manufacturers compensation for
his tax on wool and the 80 per cent. is his
protection. We put wool on the free list, and
reduce the tariff on wOolens about the equiv
alent OF this compe lsating duty
Ill. laxT N~fIrI n
wool on the free list ,"
"My answer in "A few words would be to
help the American wool grower and save tie
American manufacturers
what do you mean by that?'
81 mean this, with tax OF - cents on il
dollar blanket, with tax OF Sl.Oj on yard OF
common cheviot that costs Sl.2j, and with
tax of 20 per cent. on the cheaper dress goods
of our women and children, could any man
ask for increase of taxes? think not. Hence
we were met by two alternatives, either TO
see our wooden manufactures die out as they
rapidly doing, or give them free wool.
Look to-day at the condition of our wool
en- mills; their machinery is steadily decreas-
ing. | visited in the holidays the great Pacific
mills at Lawrence, Mass. The cotton print
works were running to their full capacity.
The great wooden mills adjoining, with
yearly capacity of 3.OOO,O Opounds-more than
our entire West Virginia clip-had one-third
of its machinery idle one-third making cot
ton prints and the other third running at
heavy loss. l asked the manager how much
American wool he would buy next year with
the tariff unchanged. He said: "Hali mil
lion pounds" "How much with free wool?'
a million and a half pounds" other mill
owners have told me substantially the same.
Look at our imports and you see the reason.
We brought in last year Sl5,OUO.UJO worth of
WOODEN manufactures, as against 30 5000 two
years ago. This represents l5jOOj,OJJ pounds
of wool and this importation will increase
unless we put our manufacturers on the same
footing with their competitors, with freedom
to get their wool from all parts of the world.
ave do not produce more than half the
wool we need, and our manufacturers cannot
buy home woods unless they can get others
TO mix with them. The simple question then
is shall our wooden mills close, and this inn
portant industry be transferred across the
sea, taking with it the wool growers market,
or shall we put the American manufacturer
as to his material on an equality with his
competitors? BY free wool and great reduc-
ton on the tariif on WOODEN goods, we can
save this industry, restore it to the same
vigor that boot and shoe and the cotton in
dustries enjoy with untaXed material thus
retaining employment for American labor
and a steady and good market for American
wool"
'Will free wool in your judgement lower its
price!''
~ answer that by asking if there has ever
been worse year for Merno wool than 1887,
and if the uniform history of the past has not
shown better prices under free wool and low
taxed wool than when there wasa high tariff.
and finally whether it is better for the wool
grower to have diminishing demand for his
product, or a steady and increasing demand"
l do not believe free wool will impair values,
and could give many other reasons for this
belief"