The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-05-05
SATURDAY. MAY. 2S. 1888.
WOOL. SHOULD 1T BE PRoTECTED2
BY wAsHIs0Tos RELT.


ave hundred thousand more are employ
cd by them to assist in caring for their
hocks and doing other farm labor.
majority Of these flock masters, as well
as their employed help, are heads OF
families; therefore, if you add TO their
number their wives. children and other
dependents, you will have population
Of 1T least four millions more or less in
terested in the growing Of wool or about
one-fifteenth Of the entire population Of
the United States. There are no doubt
fully one hundred and fifty thousand
other farmers who keep a small number
Of sheep, but these could not be 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 millions acres ;-devoting the most
desirable part of their farm to the raising
Of grain, hay, etc, Ia good share ofwhich
IL required for the feeding Of their horses,
cattle. hogs and sheep during the winter
season. and selecting the poor. rough and
hilly portion for the pasturing OF their
shsepj thus putting to use their entire
farms.
The number Of sheep in 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 making The total
value Of the wool crop of the country
ssventy-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 about one hun
dred and twenty-five million dollars.
II you remove the duty from wool. and
30 make the growing Of il an improbable
business. II would render almost valueless
sheep raising, and thereby would de-
crease the average price of the whole
farm at least two dollars and half an acre,
making 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
shrinkage of twenty-five million dollars.
Wool would decline f. ON seven to eight
cents per pound from the average price
Of the last fifteen years,-adding another
loss Of twenty million dollars, and
the farmers would be so impoverished
by the low prices obtainable for their
wool. that out Of actual necessity they
would be compelled to reduced the wages
Of these FIVE hundred thousand persons
employed to assist in the caring of their
hocks and the doing of other farm labor
10 the extent of at least fifteen cents per
day or about fifty dollars per year making
. still further loss of twenty five million
dollars from this source alone.
Now for the sale of reducing our
revenue between FIVE and six million
dollars, we must virtually impoverish
one-fifteenth of the entire population Of
the United States, and 80 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 and poverty stricken nations on the
earth. where land and labor are full one
half less than in this country; and in
doing this. we inhict upon this most
honorable and respected American in
duatry the following losaes viz.