The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-07-25
Free Wool.


For the irst time in seventy i've years
the Congress Of the Uniied states hsS
voted 70 pat wcoi on the free list. In al
the vicissitudes that have frorn time .e
time 0vertaken orr protective tariiT. this
Is the boliess and most decided move
toward free trade ever taken bv the
House Of Representatives. Revenue tar
lis we have had. but they have recog-
nized the rights Of wool groEers TO
share in the protective system, and
though the duty vas reduced no states
man until the day Of Grover Cleveland
ever proposed the total abolition cf the
duty OF the product OF this most impor-
tAnt American industry.
The meaning Of this step eaznot BE
misunderstood or underesiina;ed. II $
: tremendous blow a. ihe Whole pGoiec-
tive system and deeiarasioa q var that
vii be carried on with al the fo-ce the
Democrats party can muster. until one
after another our industries are sulitten
down and the American laborer j. al the
mercy OF the foreigner. The argument
which applies 70 the duty on wool ap-
plies with equal f5rce'to the duty on wool
ems, iron and steel. on cotton and on any
other produc; Of American industry II
the daty on wool is Illogical. inlquitous.
and vicious then the duty On woo,eus
is equally bad and ought 10 be repealed.
The argument that sustains one sustains
the other. In the sane way bo;h Eu 20
the grouEd together.
The facts in regard 20 the production q
xool in this country are simply these.
When the present duty was placed upon
WOO we proiucei in this country about
100000 pounds annually, and tha, q
the inferior grade. What did protection
acco;nplish In less than twen-y years
the home product bad increased b 515.-
W0000. the breeds Of sheep hld been
greatly improved. and the weight ofthe
feece had increased from something un-
der two pounds % almost hye pounds.
This progress is almos; wholly taceab'e
10 the tarif on wool.
And the benef. did not ca1se here.
Under this system a vool industry has
been developed IN this country in brief
preioi which ia output almost rivals the
woo,su and worsted ministry of England
From q dependence on Great Briiau f'r
wooden g11Is We have dsgelapci our
own manufacturers until today our hIau-
kets, our dannels, onr w0-sieis, our wooi-
ems and our dress goods compare fayora-
bly, in quality and price with those made
in Yorkshire. The price of these goods
and The Pros has the SAMPLES and the
price for a series Of years have steadily
declined and the consumer has been
greatly benefited.
Great a. are these results, the story has
not yet been told A carpet industry has
been founded and developed here that
has no equal in the civilized world.
There was a time when both Englaud
and France qrided themselves in this
industry to-day. however. those two
great manufacturing countries combined
cannot equal the United States either IN
quality. design or quantity of product.
In price. too. We can beat the world. and
Tn Pras has It on the word Of the Dob
sons and Sloanes and Bige.ows that car
pets sell in this country a. cheap a. any
where on earth.
And al this has been accomplished
with a dgiy on wool. To repeal this duty
in the interests and AZ the behes.s of for-
eigners a. an act that should consirn the
party responsible 20 political death. It
Is a crueI, sensele-s. uupatriotie blow az
I.o00Oo0 xcol growers. It j. more than
this. 1. is a mean. contemplate. under
hand trek to deceive manufactures.
while pretending to reduce the duty on
wool for their benefit. Il takes from
them a relatively greater percentage Of
protection. and thereby nullifes any ad-
vantage thaf free wool might give them.
The men who voted yesterday o. de-
stroy our wool industries are enemies 20
al industrial progness in this country.
Way, more. they are cow1riiy enemies.
for hsi they the courage and the power
they wouil as Willingly cast the vote %
strike down any other American indus
try. Il Is the beginning of the great eight
before rs. Those who have the interests
Of this country AMI the welfare Of she
wage Garner at heart should lose 10 time.
The free traders mean free trade this