Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-15
ABOUT THE WOOL DUTY.
Some Arguments agAiHstit s RemoVa'-mr'
PolIock's Views.

AAA
PoilocS's Views.
To Ne Editor Of ne Register:
Taking advantage of your remark a ie"
days g that tine bars were down. ! wish
to ofer q few points contrary to the usual
line of argument in your paper concerning
the tariff on wool.
To begin it is a favorite argument OF
free wool men to the farmers that wool
will he higher in price under free trade
than it has been under high tsriif, quoting
columns of figures dating back forty
years to prove the assertion-onthe face OF
the figures il is a TACT; but they ian TO In
form the reader that under free trade we
produced only thirty million pounds OF
wool while now under tariff We produce
three hundred million pounds, or ten times
as much SIS We did under free trade. Now
the Question is, WAS it the high tariff, or
the increased production that cheapened
the wool. and, would the increased pro-
Iuction have occurred without the tarln!
Is Il not plain enough that the tariff ell
coursged production and increased nome
comDstiticn, which redu2Gh prices 10 q
reasonable basis.
At The same time that the free traders
are endsayoring TO convince the farmers
that free wool means high wool they pre-
claim 70 the laborlng men that tree WOOL
means cheaper clothing. What i~nconslSs-
ancyl Can the manufacturer make cheaper
clothing out OF dearer wool? Can the
miller make cheaper flour out OF higner-
priced xEeat9 Certainly not.
Al the same tiue that wool has declined
in rrice under the tariff the tariff still pro-
tscts and the reduction is only the legltl-
mate result of healthy home competition.
Allow me- 10 present O few figures conpll-
sd nv Messrs, Justice, Bateman q Co, OF
Philadelphia, and which l copy IN part
rom the PittS6urg StOcEmaH. They are a
compaIison Of prices on the same grades o.
wool in Philadelphia and London last De
c.nber end ere reliable. The original
table IA quite large and compares about ali
grades with the same unvarylrg result
Int here are the figures: Washed combine
Ob;o and PenIayiganiS due de!alne, n,
Xxx and above, in Philadelphia, 50 cents
per pound; competing wool Is u
%traIian, in London, % cents. Washed
clothing, Ohio and Pennsylvania, M ana
above in Philadelphia - cents. COmpes-
inv wool is Montevideo prime, l6 cents III
London. Average tubwashsd in Phliadeiz
nhia 9 cents; in London 81 cents. Fine
nnmsrchsntabls M and above in Phila
delphia "a cents; in London 10 cents, ana
go on. until we come to our Territorial
wools where the difference Is not marked
II will he observed that intbe few exam
niles given the advanced price in Philadet-
pbis about Tepresf nts the tariff; n Terri
torial woods on which the tariff is low the
difference is eo~rIespon6iugiy small. To use
the words OF the StockmdD, The reader can
make his own analysis and deductions, but
10 US il presents a powerful argument lor
retaining an adequate measure OF duty on
foreign woOls."
But to make a long story short, l think
the following deductions can be fairly
made from what has been here briefly pre-
seuted. First-Free wool in the United
States means lower wool at the beginning,
say IS per cent, enough to more than alb
sorb the producers profit; 1t may
mean cheaper clothing, but not 81
per cent, for MUD you, the manu-
~fseLurer is still protected, a manifest
Injustice. Again, lower wool means fewer
sheep, and, consequently, less wool You
NAV now comprehend that the esSn VIII
90 TO foreigners to make up our deficiency
in wool. Our wool men, their occupation
zone, will be compelled to stock mp with
cattle, OF raise more grain, making bad
worse. Coming in competition with other
farmers in already oyercIowded markets
the wool producing business once crippled
in this country, the foreigners viii put mp
prices, and then our cash viii leave MS icr
Sure. That's high wool under free trade,
and still clothing no cheaper, and the once
reasonably prosperous wool raiser ruined.
We might then 90 into sheep again, but 1t
cannot be done in one, two, or three years
besides, we can never successfully compete
o. land worth $50 an acre and i've months
Of winter to feed Though, with free Aus
tralian and south American pastures and
mild climate, EXCEPT With the assistance Of
a tariff. 1t is generally conceded that
variety of home industries is productive o.
independence end comfort; 1t l.
not coed for us all to DO nanufsc
tnrers. nor all wool r~aiSers, nd
all cattle ~raissrs, nor all merchants, 81
why not encourage as many home indus
tries as possible, with a tariff If need be
ard who can doubt that wool needs 1t
Nv keeping the duties on foreign woods M
one will he injured, as it is selfsviden'
fact that u present cheap clothing is TIT
result Of our own industry encouraged o.
a tariff. and not the nagu9nimous y spin
of our foreign competitors. BY maSio;
wool free five millions of our better elias
of eitizeps will be seriously embarrassed
and many bankrupted. Which now
the better eourse? E h. POLLOCK.
Padea'S Valley, March II
EonCOuShs and thrOa. troubles use BroWH'
2 R~roaehIeal Troehes."-"Ihey stop an a.