The new North-west., 1888-10-19
Our Democratic Candidate.

L DIAA AoD1l
Our Democratic Candidate.
Montana Wool Gvosuer, October.
Hon. w. A. CLARK, the Democratic candi-
date for Congress, opened the campaign at
Missoula on Septe mber 20, and in speaking
of wool said:
"Turning next to the wool, which Is IN
important production, and like al Of our in
dustries demands our jealous care, l sincerely
believe that careful study of the question
- related to this product will remove all
apprehension Of danger to the prosperity Of
sheep husbandry. 1t Is . we'll known fact
worked by an admixture of foreign wools Of
both coarse and fine variety, the former in
the manufacture Of carpets, the latter In the
production of fine cloths. The wool produc-
tion of this country amounts to about 1885,.
900, 900 pounds, and We are obliged to import
in addition to this over SOC, 0,C0) pounds.
We export very little WOODEN goods because
of the high duty on raw material, which
prevents US from selling them in foreign
markets in competition with England, which
gets her raw material free of duty. Bear in
mind that We import from SIS, ,OO0, 900 to
$50,00O,00O worth of wooden fabrics on which
We pay duty from 40to 80 cents, and this
duty is very little changed by the Mills bill.
Now, If we get our raw materials free, 1t Is
apparent that by the high tariff on foreign
manufactured articles we could stop their
importation almost entirely, and thereby
labor, extend our foreign commerce and
croatia 1aruar doynAnd and N0naonuontlv
better prices for our woods. cloud cheers.)
Not only that, but with our superior ms
chinery and more efficient labor we would
be enabled to ship our wooden fabrics to-
South America, with whom We have at
present scarcely any commercial relations,
as we'll as to other markets of the world,
which now receive their supplies from En-
gland, cheaper than they can purchase them
here, and pay in exchange their own pro-
ductions, which our tariff prohibits them
selling here, and the articles we would get
from them in exchange are usually such as
we do not produce ourselves"
lfMr. Clark's figures and reasoning are so
grossly at fault in other matters ss they are
in regard to the wool Industry, he is no fit
man to represent Montana at Washington or
anywhere else. Mr.. Clark says: SIT is
we'll known fact that our wool can only be
advantageously worked by an admixture Of
foreign woods of both coarse and fine variety
the former in the manufacture of carpets;
the latter in the production Of fine CLOTH"
This is not true. We can grow in America,
and do grow, wool suited to the finest of
cloth. So, far as the coarse carpet wools are
concerned, there is only nominal duty on
them now, and American growers, who do
not care to produce these woods, do not COM
plain of that fact, but do most bitterly pro-
test At the action Of hostile Democratic ad-
ministration, which lets in at this low duty
clothing wools under fraudulent entries a.
carpet woods. .u..~
Mr.. Clark Is figures above say that we i'm
port more than half of the wool that We use.
The report of the chief Of the bureau of sta.
tistics for 1887 shows tha. we produced 1885,
000,0 900 pounds of wool. That we imported
ia, OBS, ,030 pounds of wool. That we ex-
ported 257,940 pounds of domestic wool, as
we'll as 6,728,2 ,292 pounds of the wool that we
had imported. That is, We retained for
home consumption 392,051,70s pounds Of
wool, Of which 29.1 per cent. was imported.
imported, and of this amount over three
quarters is carpet wool, of which there is not
. pound grown in Montana. We grow in
the United States, therefore, over 80 per
cent. of the woods that we make into cloth,
and there is no excuse for Mr.. Clark not
knowing this. If he does know it, he is
letting party prejudice sway him and not the
interests of Montana. If he does not know
it, he would make dangerous representa-
tive for Montana. :.
But let us give him the benefit Of the
doubt and say he knows no better. Ignor.
ance concerning our industry is hard to ex-
cuse in man who would represent us in
Washington, still We might do this much
out of charity. But the imputation that we
are fools, we cannot excuse in Mr.. Clark or
any one else. Think of the monumental
cheek, of the insult to the common sense of
the people of Montana on the part of man
who will stand up before US and say, Now,
if we get our raw material free, it is appar-
ent that by the high tariff on foreign manu-
featuring articles we could stop their impor-
tation almost entirely, and thereby extend
our manufactures, enlarge the field of labor,
extend our field of commerce and create q
large demand and consequently better prices
for our WOOL" That is what Mr.. Clark de-
liberately says to the wool growers of Mon
tana, and to the people of Montana, all of
whom are more or less interested in the
success Of this great industry, that free wool
will decrease the purchasing price to the
manufacturer, while it will increase the
selling price to the grower. What can be
Mr.. Clark's opinion of a community who
will believe that? It is very certain what
the community will think of Mr.. Clark if be
believes it. If he says it and does not be-
lieve it-well, Montana has no use for such
men.
Again, Mr.. Clark says: awe export very
little wooden goods because of the high duty
on raw materials, which prevents us from
selling in foreign markets in competition
with England, who gets her raw material
free of duty" Mr.. Clark, and all people
who believe that duty on raw material
prevents our manufacturers from exporting
goods, should refer to sections 3O19, 1920,
3021 and 1922 of the United States statutes,
which provide that all articles manufactured
for export from imported materials upon
which duties have been paid, shall, when
exported, be entitled to drawback of 80 per
cent. of the duties paid on such raw material.
That is, our woolen manufacturers can use
imported wool at duty of one cent per
pound (four cents on a suit of clothes) in
all cloth that they wish to export. With
wool thus practically free for this purpose,
they do not export such goods. The tariff
laws of the United States do not throw
single obstacle in the way Of our manufac-
turers doing an export business, aud it is a