The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-08-02
Free Wool.

For the first time in seventy-five wears the
Congress of the United States has voted to put
wool on the free list. In all the vicissitudc.
that have from time to time oycrtakcu our pro-
tcctive tarill. this is the bodest and most decd-
ell move toward free trade ever taken by the
House Of Representatives. Revenue tariffs we
have had, but they have recognized the rights
of wool growers to share in the protective sys.
TEN. and though the duty was reduced no
statesman until the day of Grover Cleveland
ever proposed the total abolition of the duty on
the product Of this most important American
industry.
The meaningof this step cannot be misuner-
stood or undere>timate,l. 1t is a tremendous
blow at the whole protective system and dec
laration of war that will be carried on with all
the force the Democratic party can muster, un-
til one after another of our industries are s,nit-
ten down and the American labcrcr is at the
mercy OF the foreigner. The argument which
applies TO the duty on wool applies with equal
force TO the duty On wooIens, on iron and steel
on cottonS and on any other product of Ameri-
can Industry Il the duty on wool is ''illogical
lniq,litOuS and vicious" then the duty on wool
chs is equally bad and ought to be repealed.
The argument that su>tainS one suStans the
other. III the -anie WAY both fail to the ground
together.
The fact il regard to the production of wool
present duty was placed upon wool we produc-
e'l in thi, country about 60, 100000 pounds an
nuaIly. and that of the inferior grade. What
did protection accomplish: In les, than twenty
wears the home product had increased to :}25,-
100000 pounds. the breeds of sheep had been
greatly improved, and the weight of the fleece
hai increased trom something under two
pounds to almost live pounds. This progress
is almost wholly traccabc to the tariff on wool.
And the benefit did not cease here. Under
lttn,,
opcd in this country in a brief period which in
ahnua output almost rivals the woolen and
Worstcd industry of England. Fvcm depend
ente on Great Britain for wooen goods we
have developed our own manufactures until to-
day our blankets, our lannels, our worsteds.
our Woolens and our dress goods compare IA
vorahly in quality and price with those made
m orkShirc. The prices of these goods (and
me Press has the samples and the price for
series of years. have steadily declined and the
consumer has been greatly benefited.
Great rs are these results. the story has not
yet been told. A carpet INDUSTRY has been
founded and developed here that has no equal
~ tie civilized world. There was a time when
England and France prided themselves on this
industry; today those two great manufacturing
counties combined cannot equal the United
states either in quality. design or quantity of
produrt. In price. too, we can beat the world.
and The Press has it on the word of the Dob
sons and s!oanes and Biylows that carpets sell
Ill lhl> country As cheapiy As anywhere on
earth.
And all this has been accomplished with a
dGty OF wool. 10 repeal this duty in the inter
c>tS and at the behc>t> Of foreigners is an act
that should con>isn the party responsible to
political death 1t is a cruel, senselesS, lnpat-
riotic blow at 900 900 wool growers. 1t is more
than this. 1t is mean, contemplate, under
hand trick to deceive the manufacturers, while
pretending to reduce the duty on wool for their
h@n'lt. II takes from them relatively great
cr percentage Of protection. and thereby null-
lies any advantage that free wool might give
them.
The ncn who voted yesterday to DESTROY our
woo! Industries are enemies u all industrial!
progress IN This country. Nay, more, they are
roWar''!y enemies, fer had they the courage
and the power they would as willingly cast the
Vote to strike down any other American indus
try. 1t is the beginning of the great tyht be-
fore Us These who have the interests of this
country and TIE welfare Of the wage Garner at
heart should lose no time. The free traders
mean free trade this time. THE n. y. Press