The Republican journal., 1888-05-17
Wool Growing.

We have received copy of an excellent ar
ticle entitled ''The Industry of Wool Growing
In the United States" by Washington Belt.
| The author adopts new line of argument,
carefully avoids all references to political ques-
| tiOns, and what he says is worthy of careful
perusal and study. Mr. Belt says:
careful estimate places the number of wool
| growers in the United States at about seven
hundred thousand, and fully five hundred
thousand men are employed by them to assist
in caring for their flocks and doing other farm
labor. A majority of these tlock-masters. as well
as their employed help, are heads of families;
therefore, il you add to their number their
wives, children and other dependents, YOU will
have apopulaton Of at least four million persons
more or less interested in the growing of wool !;
or about one-tifteenth of the entire population
of the United States. There are no doubt fully
one hundred and fifty thousand other farmers
who keep Il small number of sheep. but these
could not lie fairly classed as growers of wool.
These seven hundred thousand farmers will
average to own or possess at least one hundred
and sixty acres of land each making a total
of one hundred and twelve million acres !
devoting the more desirable parts of their
farms to the raising of grain. hay. etc, Ga good
share of which is required for the feeding of
their horses, cattle. hogs and sheep during the
winter season. and selecting the poor rough
and hilly portions for the pasturing OF their
sheep thus putting to profitable use their en-
tire farms.
The number of sheep i'll the United States is
now estimated at fifty million head. and the
crop of wool at about three hundred and fifty
million pounds and worth on the average of
last years prices about twenty-five cents max
ing the total value Of the wool crop Of the
country seventy-seven million dollars.
There are sold annually for export and home
consumption from thirteen to fifteen million
sheep for their mutton. bringing on the average
about three dollars per head: making the total
value of wool and mutton sold each season
II
dollars.
If YOU remove the duty from wool. and 50
make growing Of it an Improbable business. it
would render almost valuecss the portions of
these farms devoted to sheep raising. ard there
by would decrease the average price of the
whole farm at least two dollars and a half an
acre. making a loss from this source alone of
two hundred and eighty million dollars.
Sheep would also decrease in value fully fifty
cents per head, making another Shrinkaec OF
twenty-five million dollars
Wool would decline from seven to eight
cents per pound from the average price of the
last fifteen yearS.-adaing another loss of
twenty-five million dollars, and the farmers
would be Impoverished hy the low prices
Ohtainabie for their wool. that out Of actual
necessity they would be compelled to reduce the
wages of these five hundred thousand persons
employed to assist in the caring Of their iiOckS
and the doing of other farm labor to the extent
of at least fifteen cents per day or about fifty
uoiEtr> per year: hlthlli- Il Stli itlIhtf loss tl
twenty-five million dollars from this source
alone.
Now. for the sake of rc,lucin. oar revenue
between five and six million dollars, We must
virtually impoverish onc-tiftccnth Of the entire
population of the United States. and 50 force
this large body of people to follow business
that will yield no profit. and compel them to
raise wool in competition with all the poor an,!
poverty stricken nations on the earth, where
land and labor are fully onc-lialf less than III
this country; and in doing this we nl!irt upon
this most honorable and respected American
industry the following losses. VIZ:
Sh1inkA-c in 1hn y;llur of lnn.lS saen AltI.NLM