Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-06
OF such protection" they will have no

decided stand taken by great western
journals. The Chicago Tribune, the recog-
nized leader Of the weetern press, and a
Republican organ, is outspokcn
and persistent in demanding q reduction
of war taxes. On the wool tariff, which
has been made the bone of chief conten-
ton, the sentiment of western wool grow
ers and consumers is alike unanimous.
The following article, taken from the 7ri.
buRe, is an able exposition Of the views of
western revenue reformers on that ques-
tiCn:
The Tribune says: McKinley's report on
behalf OF the minority Of the Ways and
Means Committee shows that the ultra
protectionists in Congress representing
Columbus Delano, William Laurence, and
other sheep ranchmen OF the Southwest
will concentrate their energies and make
their main assault on the free wool pro-
vision OF the Mills bill. Do they realize
that in taking this course they are only at
lacking the ''hig ship of the revenue re-
formers, and forcing the fighting just at
that point where the tariff monopolists are
most certain to encounter defeat at the
polls next tall? The nonsense thSt the
wool duty il n peculiarly for the pro-
lection OF farmers has been thoroughly ex-
posed, and Congressman like Mckinley of
Ohio and Burrows of Michigan need to
have their attention directed to the
fact that Farmers Alliances in various
Northwestern States have recently made
emphatic and unequivocal demands for
free wool as the only way OF obtaining
cheaper wooden clothes. Figuring the mat
ter carefully, the farmers of the Northwest
lad hat "a a class they spend dollars for
artifcially high-prieed wooden goods where
they yet dimes on account OF the tariff duty
on raw wool. Even the majority Of the
comparatively few farmers who keep sheep
with any view to profit from wool find
that if the duty is added to the price Of
the fleece il il taxed back to them twice
over when they come to buy wooden goods
for themselves and their families. When
the wool comes back to them in the form
of cloth and woOlens they not only have to
repay the tariff tax on raw wool, bat all
the incidents Of the tax-the profits of
manufacturers and middlemen on the orig
inal tax inYestment-and hence only the
big hOckmasters find their tariff profit on
fleece greater than their tariff increased ex-
pense for wooden goods fer themselves and
families.
Conceding what is not true, for the sake
of the argument, the claim of the ultra.
proteCtiOnistS that the full duty is added
TO the price Of raw wool, the average farmer
who keeps sheep with q flock OF q few
dczan canuot derive a profit from the wool
tariff that will meet ;he tariff enhanced
cost OF the wooden goods no buys, but on
the contrary suffers a large loss. AZ for
the vast majority of farmers who own no
sheep they belong in the same rank with
the workmen, the manufacturing, com
mtrCial, aud professional classes ef the
towns, and are feeced absolutely for the
full amount of the duty and all its incl
dents, with no pretense of q comFensating
benefit.
In the cold climate of the Northern
States wooden clothing, blankets, bedding,
and carpets will cost the family Of the
average workingman or farmer at least $50
per 9nnum for each member-an expense
that could be met with $40 each if wool
were on the free list and duties on wOOlenS
were reduced one-third, as they might be
with great advantage both to manufac-
tuIerS and consumers. The policy OF free
wool ia a distinct and great benefit for the
Northern States, where wooden goods con-
stitute q prime necessity. With free wool
and the duties reduced one-third, the forty
millions of people north OF Mason and
Dixon's line would save 160 millions a
year on their wooden wear, blank
goods ftF their money. Even the
Mills bill as it stands would insure
a reduction Of ut least one-fourth in the
Of WOODEN goods. Is such an enOr-
benefit as this, which would extend
to all classes of the Northern people, in
niue-tenths Of the farmers, to be
denied in order to give a bounty to n
handful Of ranChmen whose immense
tlOcks Craze on public lands in the South
west and are guarded by shepherd dogs
aud Mexican ''Greasers" employed at
nominal wages? In McKinley's Own dis
trict his constituents will lose half a mil
liOu = JtaI III INC piISo u thSh nOOlSh
wear by the defeat of the free wool pro-
vision. Aud the same is true Of Michigan
Burrows aud of Indiana Brownies dis
That is the issue the bounty monopoly
advocates present when they propose to
iIee wool the test question in reve-
nue. reform and TO oppose it with all their
strength.
With wooden goods reduced One-fourth
in cost the people would buy much more,
increasing the demand and fur
greater employment for labor and
in the wooden mills aud tailor
shops, and the manufacturers, supplied
with the foreign woods needed for mixing,
turn out better goods at the cheaper
rate and stop using shOddy material. In
opposing free wool the ltra-prOtectiOnists
will plant themselves squarely On a plat
'Orm Of h~igh-pIiCsd wooden clothing, small
poor goods, and limited employ
nent for operatives in the wooden indus
Moreover, they will a~ntsgonize the
best feature OF the Mills bill, which is in
tended as n distinct benefit to the people OF
ihe Northern States. They propose to
teny one OF the greatest bOons that could
De afforded to the working classes by any
act OF tariff reform, and TO do it
D~retendedly for the advantage OF a hand
al OF wool growers in Ohio and Michigan, |
put chiefly to bonus the big sheep syndi-
who have taken advantage of The
mild climate and cheap lands OF the far
Southwest TO raise a destructive competi-
ion against sheep husbandry north OF New
Mexico and east OF the Missouri. How
many Western Congressman will play into
heir hands and vote TO fleece their con.
~ the average rate of $50 for
'ach member of the family in the price per
.nuum of WOODEN clothing. Ii true DemOc-
acy means the greatest good to the great
st number, how can they vote against les
ening the cost Of that prime necessity of
lie wooden clothing?
CURRENT NOTES.
CT = Il :. TIL