Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-01-06
MARBLES ON WOOL.
A Montana Wool Growers
Statement OF the Effect of
the Wool Tariff.
Cleveland's Recent Attack on
Their Irterests Explained
and Condemned.
TARIFF AND THE WOOL INDUSTRY
A Montana Rancbmsn's Plain Statement of
the Case Between Them.

A Montana Rancbman's Plain Statement of
the Case Between Them.
In view 0f President Cleveland's re-
cent attack on the wool growing inter-
ests, want to say word for th.
sheep men in Montana. The wool
grower IL In most cases tied TO his
ranch and Fl ~k.. il not within resch
Of Influential Newspapers, and is far
away from the mail station, 50 that he
Is obliged to await his fate In silence
while others decide whether he will
be able to support his family IN the
future or whether he will be ruined.
The latter Is unavoidable IL the tariff
should be taken off the wool. 1 have
myself a sheep ranch IN Montana, on
Swe.t Grass river, aud have lived
there ,hree years in a section of the
coJntry where woUl growing is the
chief occupation Of the iDhabltsnts.
The President said in bis message
that The farmers have generally from
twenty-five to fifty sheep. II he was
In any way acquainted with the busi
ness, he would know that the smaller
flocks number from $50 to l,0O0 head
the larger five. ten or twenty thou.
sand, the numbers fitting the means
of their owner. The former are In the
majority, therefore Mr.. Cleveland
ought not have stated facts until he
was thoroughly posted on the subject.
| be wool grower has to depend on the
proceeds of the wool which his sheep
yield. II is the only income which he
has. On account Of the tariff question
the price of wool has been unsettled
for the last few years, VIII ch makes
wool buyers timid and most of the
wool has to be sold through commits
sion houses. Manufacturers buy only
enough to supply their immediate
wants.
During the winter Of 1885 Z the ther-
mometer here registered from 4je to 50'
below zero, and terrific blizzards
caused loss Of Sky per cent Of the
stock, which it will take at least two
years to make up. From the follow.
ing facts il will be clearly shown that
the ruin of the wool growers and OF
many others who make their living
from this business il assured II the
tariff on wool should be abolis red.
We received this year sixteen cents
per pound for wool. A Sleeps fleece
weighs six pounds, so that flock OF
l 200 sheep would yield $500 in wool
The herder for such q flock receive.
$40 per month and his board, which
makes $3.50 per year. Now deduct the
tariff Of ten cents per pound from lhi,
amount, and there remains balance
Of $3.50 for ], 900 sheep, not enough tc
pay the herder's wages without count.
ing provisions, clothing and general
wear and tear. Under such circum-
stances 1t would be impossible to carry
on the wool growing business in this
country any longer. Great Britain
aud other nations would derive the
benefit from il, and in the end Ameri.
cans would have to pay more for their
home manufactured goods than they
are doing now. Besides hard work
Ing class o. American citizens, who
are now only by close attention to
their business, perseverance aud self.
denial, able to make both ends meet,
would be completely ruined.
hope this correct statement OF al
fairs will enllghten the public on the
wool question and thus will help the
wool grower to continue 10 business
NJ. Stocker, in N. Y. Tribune.
II