The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-14
MoDEsTY OF THE WOOL TRUST

|
months ago, the Harrises, Hazards, and
other leading New England wooden manu-
facturers, said repeatedly and strongly, that
II congress would remove the tariff on
wool they would engage, with very MOD
crate tariff on wooden manufacturers, to
double their present product and at such
reduced price as TO enable them not only
to supply the home demand, which they
are now unable TO meet within. $40 OOO oOo
worth year, at much lower than the pres
ent figures, but would be able to compete
with European manufacturers in the mar
kets of the world.
While the press, however, was ventilat
Ing these expressions and boasts OF the
WOODEN manufacturers, y joint meeting OF
the leading wool growers and manufact-
urers Of the country was called at Wash.
ingtOn and ii was very fully attended
| The meeting was in session over a week
and its deliberations took place in secret;
but the grand result was made known soon
after It's close by a memorial addressed to
congress, la which il was revealed that the
whole, body of wool growers and wooden
manufacturers of the country had organ
lied themselves into a society," combina
ton, or, to put 1t plainly, " trust" and
this is what they demand congress shall do
In their demand
First The duty on wool shall be In
creased from 60 to 90mll2 per cent, 80 as
entirely to prevent the introduction here
after of any and all foreign woods
Second The duty on all wooden and
mixed cotton and wooden goods, goods of
foreign manufacture shall be increased
from the present rate Of 40 to 60 per cent.
to S0Ml20 per cent, so as also entirely to
exclude their future importation.
1t is noticed that since the organization
of this trust and the formulation of this
modest demand on congress, the whole
brood of New England wooden manufact-
urers have " gone back" on their recent cry
or free wool, and now deny that they ever
said they needed foreign wool for mixing,
or that they were ready with free wool to
compete with European manufacturers in
the markets of the world
They admit, however, that this demand
on the present congress is only tentative,
and that they have no idea it will be
acceded TO- Yet they promise that every
one of the million of farmers that own
sheep in the country, and all the wooden
manufacturers of New England and their
| 100000 operatives, shall vote for such
presidential candidate and for such con
gressmen MS shall favor their scheme, so
that in the next congress it shall be given
full effect.
As the present manufacture of wooden
goods in this country is sufficient 10 supply
but about half the home demand, and $i0,-
100000 worth, at an expense OF $7O,OOO,OO0
year to the people, is imported, well may
the house committee Of congress ask, ii
the modest detnand of the wooden trust is
acceded to, what are the people to do for
clothngY Must they exc out the other
half until our own mills can make enough,
by wearing cotton goods in winter?
But what would be the effect Of this
gigantic scheme of tariff robbery, in favor
of which the whole republican party 10y its
press already stands virtually committed,
should it be put through Wool would
at once go up 50 to 70 per cent, and the
wool growers in year or two would double
their product. At the same time carry
every class of wooden aud mixed cotton
and wooden goods would so up Is to 100
per cent, and the manufacturers would
have tremendous boom. Were competi
ton open and free, new farmers by the
thousand might engage In wool growing
and new wooden mills by the hundred
might spring up In all parts of this coun.
try and share In the profits of the BOOM
until overproduction In few years would
so glut the market that goods would fall to
thin old prices, and half the growers and
manufacturers would go by the board,
while meantime the consumers--the peo-
le,-would be paying about $4,000 600
year TO sec the fun.
Blu. the latter outcome of the scheme
the overproduction and ultimate cheaper.
ing of goods-is happily" guarded
against for have not the growers and man.
ufacturers In advance organized themselves
into gigantic trust So all overproduction
and future fall in prices Is guarded against
When the home demand, at the duplicated
prices Is met, the mills will fall back on
half time or shut down for a season, and
the big wool growers will lessen their
focks until the threatened glut is past.
Is thus simply and wholly forty thou.
sand thieves" plan of robbery-no more,
no less-a plan to rob the people at the
rate of slOO,OOO,OOO to $l5e,OOO,OOO year
with no let up or mercy as long as the trus,
Is disposed to put on the screws. With
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