The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-07

on imported wool Il necessary for the benefit o.
those who have sheep 10 shear, IN order that tn,
price Of their wool may be increased. They OF
course nrc not 70 minded that the farmer VII has
no sheep Is by this scheme obliged, In his purchases
OF clothing and woocn goods, 10 pay n tribute Ia
his fellow farmer, ~ well MS to the manufacturer
and merchant; nor is any mention made OF
the fact that the shecp.owners themselves and
their households must wear clothing and use
other articles manufactured from the wool they
sell nj tariff prices, and thus as consumers must re.
| turn their share OF this increased price 10 the
! trndcsman.
think II may be fairly assumed that a large pro.
! portion Of the sheep owned by the farmers through.
/ out the country are found In small nocks number
/ Ing from twenty-five to Rity The duty on the
grade Of imported wool which these sheep yield. Is
10 cents each pound II Of the value of 20 cents or
les, aud u cents II Of the value OF more than 80
cents. II the liberal estimate Of six pounds De
allowed for each fleece, the duty thereon would
DO 90 or ~ cents, md this may be taken
~ the utmost enhancement Of is price to
the irmcr by reason Of this duty. Eighteen
dollars would thus represent the increased
price OF the wool from twenty-five sheep.
and SO that from the wool Of fifty sheep: aud ut
present values this addition would amount 10
about 0ncthird of is price. II upon its sale the
farmer receives this ora less tariff profit the wool
leaves his hands charged with precisely that sum
which In all It's changes will adhere 10 II until IL
reaches the consumer when manufactured into
cloth and other goods aud material for use lis cost
II not only Increased 10 the extent Of the farmers
iarin profit but u further sum has beca added for
the benefit Of the manufacturer under the
operation Of other tariff laws In the
mean time the day arrives when the
lnrmer hnds II necessary 10 purchase wool
en- goods and material 10 cOthe himself
aud family for the winter when he faces the
tradesnan for that purpose he Discovers that he Is
Obliged not only 10 return In the way Of increased
prices, his tarin profit on the wool he sold, aud
which then perhaps lies before him In manuiac
tured form but that he must add a considerable
sum thereto 10 meet further increase In cost
caused by tariff duty on the manufacture Thus
In the end he Is aroused to the fact that he has paid
upon moderate purchase, as a result Of the tarliI
schcme, which, when he sold his wool seemed No
profitable an Increase In price more than sufficient
To sweep away all the tariff profit he received upon
the wool he produced aud sold
when the number Of farmers engaged In wool.
raising is compared with all the farmers In the
country aud the small proportion they bear to our
population Il considered. when Il n made apparent
that Ia the case Of large part Of those who own
sheep. the benefit of the present tariff on wool 4
illusoryi and. above ALL when Il must be conceded
that the Increase of the cost Of living caused by
such tariff becomes u burden upon those with
moderate means aud the poor the employed and
unemployed. the sick aud we'll aud the young aud
old, aud that Il Constitutes tax which, with ~.
lentess grasp Il fastened upon the clothing Of
every man, woman aud child In the land. reasons
arc suggested why the removal or reduction Of this
duty should be included In revision Of our tnrn
laws
This is an Interpretation Of the tariff
plank Of the platform Of 1884 that every
Democrat will appreciate and indorse, and
they will also indorso Mr.. Clevcland's
denunciation Of the present tariff as "tho
" vicious, iniquitablc and illogical source
"oi unnecessary taxation" and that $50
"stubbornly have all efforts TO reform the |
present condition been resisted by those |
q" OF our fellow-citizcns thus engaged fin |
manufactured that they can hardly COM
"plain Of the suspicion entertained, TO a |
" certain extent, that there exists an or |
ganizcd combination all along the line |
" to maintain their advantage" That
combination Is represented by the Ropub. |
licnn party, and TO defeat il in November
is TO defeat the proicctonists and secure a |
victory Tor the unprotected wage-workcrs
Of the country.