The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-04-26
WoOl-Should It Be Protected ?

A careful estimate places the number
of wool growers in the United States
at about seven hundred thousand, and
fully five hundred thousand men are
employed by them to assist in caring for
their flocks and doing other farm labor.
A majority OF these fock-masters, as
well as their employed help, are heads
of families; therefore, if you add to
: their number their, wives, children and
other dependents, you will have popu-
:; lation of at least four million persons
more or less interested in the growing
of wool; or about one.6fteenth of the en-.
tire population of the United States.
There are no doubt fully one hundred
and fifty thousand other farmers who
keep small number Of sheep, but these
could not be fairly classed as growers Of
wool.
These seven hundred thousand far
mers will average to own or possess at
least one hundred and sixty acres of
land each making total of one hun
dred and twelve million acres ;-devot-
ing the more desirable parts of their
;faymes to the raising of grain, hay, etc.,
!. Ia good share of which is required for
the feeding of the horses, cattle, hogs
and sheep during the winter season.
and selecting the poor, rough and hilly
portions for the pasturing of their sheep;
thus putting to profitable use their en-
tire farms.
The number OF sheep in the United
States is now estimated at fifty million
head, and the crop of wool at about
three hundred and fifty million pounds,
and worth on the average of last years
prices about twenty-five cents making
the total value of the wool crop, Of the
country seventy-seven million dollars.
There are sold annually for export..and
home consumption from thirteen to
fifteen million sheep for their mutton,
bringing on the average about three dol
lars per head; making the total value of
wool and mutton sold each season about
one hundred and twenty-five million
dollars.
If you remove the duty from wool, and
~ make the growing of it an unproita.
bic business, it would render almost
valueless the portions of these farms de-
voted to sheep raising, and thereby
would decrease the average price of the
whole farm At laast two dollars and q
halt an acre, making loss from this
source alone of two hundred and eighty
million dollars.
Sheep would also decrease in value
fully fifty. cents per head, making an
other shfinkage Of twenty-five million
Wool would decline from seven TO
eight cents per pound from the average
price of the last fifteen years-adding
another loss of twenty-five million dol
lars, and the farmers would be 20 inn
poverished by the low prices obtainable
for their wool, that out of actual neces-
sity they would be compelled to reduce
the wages Of these i've hundred thous.
and persons employed to assist in the
caring Of their fiocks and the doing of
otbsB farm labor TO the extsnt Of ct least
hltasn cents per day or about fifty dol.
lajA ~ ysas; mailing , still further loss
Aepaty-Ays million dollazs from this
sohrce alone
Now, for the sake OF reducing our
rsvsnus between i've and six million
dollars, vs must virtually impoverish
cas-hftssnth Of the entire population Of
The United States, and 20 force this large
hody of people to follow business that
IN yis'd no proAt, and compel them to
Sulgs vol in competition With al tho
~ povesty stsieksa nAtioas o. The
oog1h, vhne lad nd labes ase tnlly
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