Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-30
The Wool Question

The Wool Question
Mr.. Washington Belt of New \ Ork
has recently published small pam
phlet in which the magnitude of the
wool industry in this country is clear
lv set forth and the effect of placing
wool on the free list is candidly con-
sidered. Mr.. Belts facts, figures
and deductions appear well ground
ed. He places the number of wool
growers in the United States at about
700, 900, and fully 100000 men are
employed by them. A majority of
the fock-snasters, as we'll as their
employed help, are heads of families
therefore, if you add to their number
their wives, children and other de-
pendents, you will have a popula-
ton of at least 100000 persons
more or less interested in the grow
ing of wool, or about one-fifteenth
of the entire population of the United
States. Besides, there are fully
100000 other farmers who keep
small number of sheep, but who are
not classed as growers of wool. The
100000 wool growers possess al
together about 112 100000 acres of
land. The number of sheep in the
United States is now estimated at
$4,000, 900 head and the crop of wool
at $50, 200, 900 pounds, worth, on the
average of lasr years prices, about
twenty-five cents-making the total
value of the crop ST. 10000 There
are sold annually for export and
home consumption from 10000 900
to Is, 10000 sheep for their mutton,
bringing, on the average, about So
per head.
If you remove the duty from wool,
continued MIR. Belt, it would render
valueless the portions of farms adapt
ed and developed to sheep-raising,
thereby decreasing the average price
of the whole farm at least ST. per
acre, making a loss from this source
alone of $3.50, 900, 900. Sheep would
decline in value fully fifty cents per
head, making another shrinkage of
S25, OOO,O 900. Wool would decline
from seven to eight cents per pound
from the average price of the last
fifteen years, adding another loss of
| $50, 900, 900. The low prices of
wool would doubtless compel the
growers to reduce the wages of the
half million persons employed by
them, and this would probably in
volve a shrinkage Of S25, 200.
Mr.. Belt figures the probable total
loss to the wool industry by making
wool free of tariff duty at $3.50 ,O00,-
900.
In regard to the alleged advan-
tages to the country of ''free wool,
the writer says: eff wool be placed
on the free list, our wooden manufac.
turers will obtain their raw materia
for $50, 100000 less than they now
do under protection. Will the people
of the United States get the full
benefit of this sum in the cheaper
ing of their wooden goods? We
think not; but at least one-half o.
this amount will go to the manufac
turer and merchants in the way Of
increased profits, and this small sun
of S25 100000 is all the saving which
the manufacturers and people car
possibly make to offset the enormou:
shrinkage enumerated above" Very
few carpet woods are grown in thu
United States, and no great harm
would be done by placing them OF
the free list. But we are growing
in this country nearly a full suppl,
, | OIL Gl6 uu6I SOIUS VI WOOI, duo Jill
, require to import about 33, 000,O0'
, pounds to give US a full supply
Continue protection few years ant
we shall raise all the wool we require
carpet woods excepted. Competen
, Judges claim that the estimates o
. loss herein given might be Incl ease'
500, 900, 200 without exaggeratin.
the facts. In conclusion, Mr.. Bel
says: ''These two great companion
industries, the growing of wool ant
the manufacture of wooden goods
are inseparable and should be pro
tected equally-the manufacturer t
the extent of the difference in tn
cost of manufacturing in Europe, a
i compared with that of America, an
the wool-growers to the extent Q
V the difference in the cost of raisin
> wool in other countries and that @
, raising it in the United States, wher
= land, labor and living are so niue
Il higher. "-V. WdtchmGT1.
Mr.. George Kennan will tell in the Ma
S Century how he came to go to Siberia o
h the Century expedition. Mr.. KEENAN, ha
1 oil Aryi