The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-04-19
SHOULD WOOL BE PROTECTED.

SHOULD WOOL 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 emplOyed
by them to assist in caring for their
tlocks and doing o,her farm labor. A
majority of these flock 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 a population
of at least four million persons more or
less interested in the growing of wool;
or about one-filteenth of the entire popu-
lation of the United States. There are
no doubt fully one hundred and fifty
thousand other farmers who keep a
small number Of sheep, but these could
not be fairly Classed as growers of wool.
| These seven hundred thousand farm
ers will average to own or possess at
least one hundred and sixty acres of
aud each,-making a total Of one hun
dred and twelve million acres ;-devot-
ing the more desirable parts of their
farms to the raising of grain, hay, etc,
"a good share of which is required for
the feeding of their 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,
an al To-,
prices about twenty-five cents; making
the total value of the wool crop Of the
country seyenty-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 so make the growing of it unprOiit-
able 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 ut least two dollars and
half an acre, making loss frUm this
source alone Of two hundred and eighty
million dollars.
Sheep would also decrease in value
fully fifty cents per head, making an
other shrinkage Of twenty-five million
dollars.
Wool would decline from seven to
eight cents per pound from the average
price of the last fifteen years, adding
another loss of $50, 100000 and the
farmers would be so impoverished by
the low prices obtainabe for their wool,
that out of actual necessity they would
be compelled to reduce the wages of
these 500, 900 persons employed to assist
in the caring of their flOcks and the
doing of other farm labor to the extent
of at least fifteen cents per day or about
$50 per year; making still further
loss of S2j,OO0, 600 from this source
alone.
Now, for the sake of reducing our
revenue between $4,000, 600 and SG.O00,-
900, we must virtually impoverish one
fifteenth of the entire population Of the
United States, and so force this large
body of people to follow business that
will yield no profit, and compel them to
raise wool in competition with all the
poor and poverty stricken nations on
the earth, where land and labor are
fully one-half less than in this country;
and in doing this, we inilict upon this
most honorable and respected American
industry the following losses, viz:
Shrinkage in the value of lands, $3.50 100000
labor,...... 2jloO 900
"" HSsii:'..,,. %%di.,..... 3 55.SSS,oS5 SSSoSS
Total loss to the wool industry, Sa5juuOOOo
If wool be placed on the free list, our
wooden manufacturers will obtain their
raw material S25, ,OOO. 900 less than they
now do under protection. Willthe peo-
pie of the United States get the full
benefit of this sum in the cheapenng Of
their wooden goods? We think not but
at least One-half Of this amount will 90
to the manufacturers and merchants in
the way of increased profits, and this
small sum of 5000, 600 is al, the saw
ing which the manufacturers and peo-
Pile can possibly make to offset the
enormous shrinkage enumerated above.
Very few carpet woods are grown in
the United States. and as their low
value makes it rather unpruti able to
raise them, no great harm would be
done if they We're placed on the free list.
We are now growing in the United
States nearly full supply Of the finer
sorts of wool, and only require to i'm
port about 10000. 600 pounds to give us
a full supply' Continue protection for
L few wears and we shall raise all the
wool we require. CARPET woods excepted.
The importation of worsted goods at
I the present low and unjust rate of duty
| has inflicted very serious loss on
manufacturers of this class of goods.
This should be corrected. and worstcd
should be made to nav the same duty
as woolens.
The admission of ring. thread, rowing
and slubbinr waste under duty of ten
cents per pound. has caused a most