Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-10-08

under the GRIPPING conditions CT the
tariff, whether the rates of duty Shall he
25 or 40 per cent. No one, we believe,
disputes this. The manufacturers Of
certsin WOODEN fabrics mus have foreign
woois, st .nY rste Of tax, or shu. up their
mills. How long would the carpet
isctories OF Philadelphia run bat for
abundant supplies CT foreign wool?
Hsr1ly Tor DAP. Hence, upou the
foreign market for raw materials not
only YES. amount OF capital is depend
emf, but-Whatts O. much more coacerE-
also the well being OF multitudes Of
American workiDgmen and women.
Yet there are manufacturers snd work
ingnen SO blinded By prejudice and SO
perverted by false economy that they
geek TO obstruct and to make scarce and
desr the supplies OF their own materials
Of the means without which ihsy could
no! turn spindle. Let any man tes.
this plsn in the business Affairs OF LIE,
free from tariff fallacles and sOphistries,
and how quickly would his common sense
repudiate II! But American workingmen
and manufacturers hug with satisfaction
policy which gives every manufacturer
OF England, France sad Gsrmsny sn sd
vantage over Them in sll the wool markets
OF the world. While the foreigner can
range ever the markets and make his
choice OF raw materials, the American
must take what Is LET'S and pay high tax
upon i: in the bargain. So ensmored are
our manufacturers CT this, policy thst they
denounce the President and representa-
tives in C1DgFess who are making an ear
nest effort to reform it.
OF course, repeal Of the duties would
inc hn
late production, The markets CT the
manufacturers would be extended, there
would be more employment fer WeaveTs
a. better wages sld American Consumers
would have coespeT clothing, blankets and
carpets. With the increased production
there would be greater demand for
domestic wool. But Mr. Shellanbargar
predicts thai free wool would destroy Iha
sheep Industry CT the U3iLed States. If
he could produce & solitary instance Ct
the kind IL shy ege of thu worlds indus.
trisl experience MS prophecies migat
merit some consideration. Every indus
trial nation IN the world save our own
admits wool free CT duly, SID every one
OF them-under far less favorsbl5 condi-
lions than those which prevail in the
United States-is large grower Of sheep.
Against assertion ard prophecy my be
set the dictates Of reason and the lessons
Of experience.
Mr.. Shellenbarger talks II the Inability
OF this country to compete in shsep grow
ing with Au5tralia ard South America.
But 1t does compete with them. There is
no region uader the sun better adapted for
raising sheep prcfitablY than the vast
mountain rsnges OF Calf 2rnis, New
Mexico and Neyads, and the cheap lands
CT Texas and Oregon. This country, i. is
true, cannot compete with Australia and
South America in the sorts cf wool that
are peculiar to those countries. Nor can
they compete with this region OF the
world in its varieties Of sheep. In the great
work OF supplying m.nEind with clothing
all the varieties of wool which kindly |
Nature produces must be employed By the
art and skill Of the manufacturer; and |
long experience hiss demonstrated that
free trade in this material is the only rs-
tional law. Nothing bat a prohibiSory
tariff would make II impossible 10 raise
sheep probably on the plains of Ohio, |
any more than on the dear lands in Ian
caster and Berk5 counties in Psnnsylya-
mia. But there can be nc more piti.ble |
object than g rich farmer, possessing
broad acres capable of producing aoun- |
dant crops Of wheat, corn and tabscco, |
yet bleat!ng before Congress for tsx to |
make desr and thin the poor mans |
olsnket and the poor women's shawl!