The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-10
THE EFFECT OF FREE WOOL
What Wooden Manufacturers Say of the
Probable Result of the Mills Bill.
1t Would Destroy the Wool-Growing Industry
and Greatly Cripple Home Manufactures
Its Effects in the Interior States.

-lto LucClS III Tie Interior OLdtSSs
A leading free-trade paper recently made the
following assertion:
There is not a WOODEN manufactures in the
United States who does not know that, with the
Mills Dill a law, our wooden employers would
double their employment of home labor, pay la
Dor better wages, pay larger profits to capital,
ana relieve the wooden consumers of the coun-
try-which embrace the whole people-of at
least $40, GOO, 600 annually for the neeessaries of
life
Another free-trade paper said:
The wooden manufacturers know perfectly
well that free wool would be nothing what free
hides have proved to the leather industry.
They have not openly advocated free wool.
however, because they fear that any demand
they might make, or any precedent they might
esta olish In lowering duties on raw wool might
De used against them hereafter In securing a re-
duction of the tariff on manufactured wooden
goods"
In order to ascertain the real views Of men en-
gagged in the business the Journal addressed let
ters to a number of wooden manufacturers. call
ing their attention to the foregoing and asking
them to state briefly what, il their opinion,
would be the effect of the repeal Of the duty on
wool upon the wool producing and WOODEN manu-
featuring industries of this country; also, the
probable benefit, if any, to the people In the way
Of reduced price in wooden goods
To this inquiry the following replies have been
received. Henry ". Barrett G. Co., proprietors
Of the Eclipse WOODEN mills. Louisville. Ky,
say:
THE wooden manufacturer of the United
States know that without protection to the WOOL
raiser, the industry is destroyed. Under the
protection afforded the Industry since 1867 the
annnlr in fha II nttad Sfcfao hoe ~ nm "a n r1u
equal the consumption, except in carpet woods.
OF which we produce little.
Under protection the weight of the fleece has
increased to 6 pounds In 1887 from 2.6S in 1850,
aud the quality improved to equal the wools pro-
duced anywhere. With the increase in wool
production, the price has diminished, aud en-
Ables manufacturers to reduce the cost of their
goods.
Free trade means the destruction of the wool
industry, aud dependence of our manufacturers
upon foreign countries, and that means high
prices abroad.
sheep husbandry for many years has been
profitable TO our farmers, their wool product
bringing them over seventy million dollars an
nually. in addition Is which several million
dollars are realized from the mutton. This
money remains In our country and enters into
general circulation. In our opinion free wool
will be Of no advantage to the manufacturer.
1--WE believe that the extension Of the free list,
"a proposed by the Mills bill. is the beginning
OF a system OF free trade warfare against our
manufacturers-the first blow being struck at
raw materials, to be followed by a combined
assault on manufactures.
Full protection to both raw materials and
manufactures insures the extension of both in
dustriss, q lowering of the price of both. and
prosperity to our country. The passage of the
bill means restricted employment, reduced
wages and unremunerative capital.
r. p. Gettys, Knoxville woolsn-mills, Knox
Vile. Tenn: 1--WE are doing very we'll under
the existing condition of things and are willing
that they should continue"
". A. Hedden & Co.. propritors of the New
Albany ho~siery-mills, says: ''Ths Mills bill
has been a serious injury to the wooden interest
in all its branches as all connected with it know
to their sorrow. The wool production steadily
increased until the tariff reduction of 1883 went
into effect. Since then it has steadily de-
creased, falling from 337. 900, 600 pounds per
annum to less than 300. 600, 900. Making wool
free would only accelerate the down ward course
until manufacturers would have to depend on q
foreign market for their main supply. This
would be q serious detrlment and would uu-
doubtedly stop a great many mills. The ques-
ton comes up then, who would profit by free
wool. The farmer would not, because taking 10
cents a pound off cuts the purchasing power of
his wool from 81 to less than % cents, while the
price of goods would only be lowered about 10 per
cent, varying of course according to weight and
fiosness. Any farmer can weigh the wooden
goods in his house and make his own ca'cu!a-
tons. This leaves him % per cent. out of pocket.
"Mr. Edward Atkinson, who is undoubted au-
thority, says 5 per cent. is fully as much as cap
ital gets out Of goods. Suppose the manufact-
urer gives up his 5 per cent. entirely. the farm
er will still be 20 per cent. worse off. The only
other chance for reduction lie in labor. To make
the farmer even this would have to be cut 20
per cent. By referring to Dir. Atkinson's esti-
mates Of the living expenses of a New England
narrative wa ind that food final and rant = *
per cent. of his total outlay. Suudry expenses
are 10 per cent, and clothing OF all kinds 10 per
cent. No one expects food. fuel or shelter to be
cheaper than IL Is now. The tariff reformers
don't cry cheap sugar; their battle-cry is cheap
blankets, and the reduction is aimed at wool
clothing. which is not 10 per cent. of the annual
living expenses. No one doubts or denies that a
reduction of wages will follow a reduction of
tariff; yet a reduction Of 10 per cent is sufficient
to wipe out of tho yearly earnings q sum equal
to the entire amount of the wool clothing bill.
By the reduction in tariff he has saved q dol
lar and lost two. II free wool wipes out the
farmers margin. the manufacturers profit and
the laboring mans clothes. who will profit by iti
1.-THE tariff on wool and on wooden
goods was reduced in 1888. To get
. fair test OF it's workings We Will take the
figures for three years under each tariff. The
imports of wool for 1881. 'S2 and 'S3 were one
hundred and eighty-three million pounds The
imports for 1884, ;85 and sc were two hundred
and sixty-thres million pounds. an increase of
eighty million pounds. cropping carpet
woods out of the case and usiks for comparison
only those competing with Indiana woods, we
find that 10 81. $50 and '83 the amount imported
was $40. ga. 875. and in the threa years following,
Sl5. l25, 453, an increase of tive and a half mill
ion dollars. The imports of Unit WOODEN goods
jumped from three million TO six million dollars.
while total value Of .woolen goods for same per-
iods increased from one hundred and thirteen
million dollars to one hundred and twenty-eight
million dollars The total increase on wooden
goods and wool for clothing for time mentioned
10 seventeen and a half million dollars.
MANY mills and thousands of operatives are
idle to-day because of this loss. II they will
look away across the sea they may learn who
profits by o reduction of the tariff. If above is
rssult of the 1883 reduction. what will it be I'M
der the Mills billl'
French, Hanna & Co., wooden manufacturers,
Of Fort Wayne, Ind, say: w certainly
think that with free wool a speedy reduction in
manufactured wooden goods would follow. Our
markets would DO flooded with foreign goods
and we should have the same times that pre-
coded 1861, when all of the gold and silver woula
be exported. We think that the repeal Of duty
on wool and the sure reduction on WOODEN manu-.
features that would follow would be ruinous to
sheep-raisine and wooden industries. and then
labor must sympathize with the above indus
tries. The writer can recollect back to the dis
tress and ruin of 1886. and hopes not to see such
times again. AS 20 the price of wooden goods TO
consumers, they are cheaper than at any period