Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-02-02
THE WOOL TARIFF,
And Dangers Threatening Wool Growers.
Paper Read Before the Belmont County Far
mers' Institute, January 9th, 1888, by
Hon. John Mcdowell, Washing
ton, Pennsylvania.


two divisions, viz: The wool tariff and
the dangers threatening the wool grower
Wool was admitted free up to 1924 The
duty was then fixed at Is per cent on
woods costing less than ten cents pound
In examining the Tariff Compilation re-
port of 1885, page 100, line so, we find
the duty as just stated, but we also find
in special report issued by VIM. F. Switz-
Ter, Chief of Bureau of Statistics of the
Treasury department, page 81, he speaks
of the tariff of 1924, fixing the duty at
20 per cent. on woods costing over 10
cents. l will not undertake to account
for this discrepancy, but by going back
in history, from a careful examination
of the different tariff acts, wool contin-
ued from August 10, 1890, to be free
through eighteen tariff acts, up to 1924.
Manufacturers had some protection pre-
yious to 1924, and this gave market
for the few f1eeceS the farmer could
spare. About the years 1919 and 1920
the depression was so great up to 1924,
as to call for first wool protective tariff,
which was enacted that year; this was
improved in 1925 by a 25 per cent ad
valorem duty, and again increased to 80
per cent. in 1926. After the passage of
the act of 1924 business at once sprung
up and prospered; new mills were erect
ad ohaan inoraaCa6 in numhar aD6 nrioa
Without speaking of each tariff act sep
arately, and the effect each one had, we
would simply state we have had thirty
tariff acts relative to wool 1t is true,
during the war of 1912 we had home
demand for sheep, and wool people ran
wild for sheep; that MerinO rams sold as
high as $1,000 each; commerce was in
terrupted, or 1 might rather say suS-
pended, and the demand was so great,
made so by the war, that prices ran up
ON both sheep and wool, but at the close
of the war disaster followed, and these
high priced sheep were slaughtered for
their pelts-as many as 1000 were killed,
their fieeces not paying for their keep
ing. 1t was this depression that led to
to the passage of the act of 1924. What
few of our old sheep men who yet live,
look back on the tariff of 1924 as the
beginning of the industry of wool grow
ing, and we, their descendants, receive
and emphasize this fact in the history of
our sheep 1t was from this date that
other industries sprung newmills were
erected-our sheep increased-we had a
ready home market for our wOol-pros-
perity followed, employment for all was
had.
The tariff of 1928 also gave a great
stimulus for the production of the finest
grade of wool, regardless of every other
consideration, as to the condition of the
sheep. The cry with the wool grower
then was, give me the finest ram or eve,
no matter about what size or quantity of
wool or condition or constitution; all
these were overlooked as of but little
consequence, so long as wool continued
to advance in price. In June or July,
1880, weol reached its highest price. |
regret that | have not the figures before
me at which wool was sOld-but CLAWS
compromise act of 1888, began to tear
down prices; this was followed by the
free trade act of 1916, known as the
Walker tariff. The effect of this tariff
was so disastrous that every one of the
eighteen hundred broad-cloth looms in
the country had to shut down. OF course,
our wool market was then gone.
In the general summing up of all the
wool tariffs, we have had thirty acts rel
ative to wool. The history of these is
that when they were such as favored
wool growing, business prOspered, espe-
cially that of 1924, starting the industry
and reaching its highest point under the
act of 1867 The acts of 1924 to
1884, were protective; from 1884 to
1912 the opposite; up to 1847-this is
the time the Walker free trade tariff
went into operation, and this continued
up to 1861; from 1861 up to the present
we have had protection. Well, l should
say under the act of 1888, the third class
carpet woods, does not give us protection;
this part of the act is only for revenue
and fraud-if l may so speak.
But to return to the act of 1916. I'm
der this tariff the fluctuations in the
price of wool were more than under any
other tariff. Perhaps this was in part
owing to the Mexican war. Under this
tariff, from-1850 to 1860, the increase of
wool is only Is per cent; but from 1870
to 1SS0-taking the census report-the
increase is SIS per cent.-about four times
more than under free trade. OF all the
tariff acts passed none have been so sat
isfactory and acceptable to the wool
grower as the act of 1867. This was the
only tariff that fully protected the wool
grower. Six years before the passage of
this act, sheep numbered in the United
States, 22,471 ,225; in 1870, 28,477,951;
in 1884 the number reached 5O,626,6
the highest we ever had; in 1860 the
wool clip reached 60,264,913 pounds; in
1870 it rose to 100,102,37S pounds; in
1883 it advanced to 800, 100000 pounds;
but under the present act of March 3,
1888, the price of sheep and the demand
have fallen off, and our flOcks have been
reduced 100000 or more. Had the
rate of increase from 1878 to 1888 con-
tinued (which was z per cent? up to
1887 it would have given us in 1885, So,
600, 900; in 1886, 59,900,000, and in 1887,
64,000,0O0. Irepeat, at this rate of in
crease, if it had continued, we would to-
day have nearly 70,0O0,000, but how is
it? Sheep began to decline in numbers,
and in price, Immediately after the pass
age of the act of 1888. Our statistics
show the following decline in 1885, So,
360, ,243, a decrease of 200 1888; in 1886 we
had 1892, ,33l, decrease of 2,304, ,367;
in 1887 we had A, 4,759,314, decline of
5,S57,3 ,312, and we may safely conclude
or predict that when we get the statis-
tics for the first of this month, 1888, the
decline will be still greater, and we also
say if wool is put on the free list our
sheep will be kicked out of existence.
John Randolph said he would go one
mile out his way to kick sheep. Pres
ident Cleveland in his message, singled
out wool and the wool growers, and not
only gave them kick, but he has called
on Congress to do the same-and Eng
=. II, 20 ha1 NTH IN ftplN