Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-06-09
FACTS ABOUT WOOL

From figures given IN the Albany, N.
Y, Argus, we judge that what the wool
growers east of the Mississippi need ID
protection against the wool growers west
of the Mississippi. The Argus has been to
some pains to investigate the subject and
gives the actual facts printed in the
census, regarding New York, county by
county. and the totals by Congressional
district. Says the ArgEs:
SIT is sometimes claimed that the num-
Der of sheep is not fair test as, under
protection" sheep bear more wool than
they did before. Any farmer knows that
there is just about as much truth In this
claim" as in most Republican campaign
stories, but to avoid even this foolish
criticism the actual pounds OF wool raised
are given. The decrease in the number
of sheep has already been given. The
wears 1866 and 1880 are chosen because
they are the years nearest the enactment
of the tariff of 1867 and nearest its modi-
fication in 1888 of which full official figures
are printed by the government. They
show Just how the high wool tariff work
ed for thirteen years out of its sixteen
years duration. 1t msy have been a
protective" tariff, but it didn't PRO
tect.,- at least in New York State, what
ever its effect in the territories may have
beer.
''In farm economy nearest resembling
sheep are cattle. As the sheep produces
lambs, mutton, wool and taliow, and the
farmers gain depends on all these, so the
cow produces, OF course, calves, milk, but
ter, cheese, hides and beef. Cattle do not
have cents worth of protection, and as
far back Is 1872 the tariff duty on hides
was repealed. In q recent speech Congress
man Buckalew, of Pennsylvania, gave the
following information on that subject:
"About sixteen years ago what occur
red2 Our tanners and leathermen came to
Congress and they were influential IN
securing law for the importation OF hides
into this country duty free, thereby ex-
citing the same character Of clamor against
tree hides that we now hear against free
wool. Why, the farmer was to be ruined,
the butchers were To be ruined, by taking
of 81. %, On an average, from the value OF
every animal slaughtered in the United
States; our industries were TO be very great
ly injured by decreasing the market value
Of domestic hides. But Congress passed
the law for free hides. Now our exports
of leather and leather manufactures are
eight or ten times greater than they were
before the passage Of that law and the
farmers and butchers are not injured, be-
cause thsy buy cheap boots, shoes, and
other articles which they need. Every
body is benefited by the change.
ave are not now concerned with what
Congressman BUCEALEw says Of the gen.
eral effect OF that act, although it is both
important and true. What was its effect
in New York State? The total number Of
mich COWS in the State was l, 147, 251 in
in 1865; in 1870 it was I 1850, 66I and in
1890 it was l, S24, 221-a steady increase.
Other neat Cattle-not including draugh!
oxen which are not used to considerable
extent in this State now for reasons which
every farmer knows-increased from 612,'
32S Cincludirg calves in 1865 to 630, 52z
in 1870 and to s62, 233 in 1880 These
figures show that what Mr.. BUCEALEw
said of the whole country holds true Of this
State. The number of cattle did not de-
crease. 1t has steadily increased without
the aid of Republican protection" The
number Of sheep with that protection
has steadily decreased and the wool clip
has rapidly fallen off. The comparison is
the fairer because it shows that while with
ont protection" the cattle herds OF New
York have more than held their Own against
western competition, our hoeks have
steadily been reduced against like competi'
ton.
Without fear of successful contradiction,
we assert that if the wool tariff has any
effect on the country, it is to develop the
sheep ranches Of the territories at the ex-
pense OF the farmers of New York State.
Under the protective wool tariff Of 1867
to 1882, the sheep Of New York, Ocio,
Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota decreased
from %, SO, 222 to IA, 761 $50, more than
hall, while in the territories and sheep
growing States west of the Mississippi they
increased, in four years, from 1880 to 1884
from 17,71O,351 to 25,319,s77. If the
protection" to wool has had an effect, it
has been to break down the wool growers
of New York State. With the large
amounts of government land to be had fol
almost nothing in the west, with immense
ranches and flocks, numbering from 5000
to ), coo, and more sheep in a flock than
whole counties raise here; with warm
climate, which makes the winter keep
sheep nothing at all the ranchmen of the
the territories, in the opinion of the Argus,
have no right to ask that clothing be
taxed
What is true of New York is true Of
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
ParkersburG Notes.
SDcrfrI TS,rCrrrl 10 The Rooster