New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-08
Av.2yrs 652les SIS Q e5 et, Av.2yrslll. l57 8el 4.

Under efficient protection the production of wool
rose from 60 000, OOOib in 1860 to 30S 600, 000lb
in 684, the year after the change Of duty. 1t has
since declined to 2s5, 1000, O0Otb in 1886 and ac-
cordinG to estimates Of the Agricultural Bureau
to 265 900, 0O0ib in 1887. Meanwhile the stocks oil
domestic wool unsold at the close OF 1887 arc
greatly increased 81 ,974, 600 pounds are on hand
an increase Of 6G20,l57 pounds, at Boston alone.
To The mischief done by reduced duties there is
added first, the great fraudulent importation of
DOnSlIOi and other washed wool, under pretcnce
that it is unwashed, q systematic fraud by which
the United States Consul at Odessa reports to the
State Department that the Government has been
defrauded for years. and of more than SIS, 600 900
in duties. Each pound of foreign wool thus
fraudulently imported, already secured and
shrunl1en, takes the place of two TO four pounds
Of American wool in natural condition.
The imports of wOolen rags, shoddy, mungo,
waste and foclIs rose to 4 a02, 3sl pounds last
year In 1882, when the duty was 2 cents per
pound the imports were only 81 ,621 pounds.
The reduction Of duty to cents is not the chief
cause. The Treasury Department decided that
articles must be admitted for duty under the
classes by which they were commercially known.
The anufacturers in Europe proceeded to manu-.
facture finely prepared article which they caused
to be commercially known as ring waste
In condition and value superior to the
finest secured wool on which the duty
is 60 cents per pound. manufactured IN
great quantities for the express purpose OF evad-
ing American duty it is admitted under the rul-
ing of the Department waste at only ~ cents
per pound duty. This ruling, moreover has
been sustained by decision OF the United States
Court at Philadelphia, and 1t efcctually destroys
a large measure Of the protection which the re-
duced tariff was intended TO give wool growers
In like manner, decisions admitting worsted mix
lures as being, not woOllen cloth, but as worsted
manufactures, have greatly increased the imports
at low duty OF fabrics which take the place OF
home manufactures from American wool. Thus
20. 100 035 pounds of woollen goods and waste,
dutiable by the pound, were imported in 1887,
against 1883, 99s pounds in 1888 and each
nound displaces more than one pound Of American
wool.
The wool growers who appeal to other farmers
,,rouobout the country show that the prostration
~ their industry is imminent; that they number
more than one million, and if forced To give up
wool growing must devote their land TO other
branches of agriculture in which compeuuoh ID
already severe enough that the prosiiation OF The
manufacture would also deprive American iarm-
ers Of considerable part OF their home market
and that. with woollen goods worn by nine-tenths
Of the people cheap now as in any other country
quality considered the consumers have only TO pay
higher prices II the enormous consum ton OF this
country is TO be supplied wholly or in part by
foreign looms. They therefore ask a united effort
Of all farmers TO obtain from Congress such action
that this industry may receive the substantial
protection enjoyed under the tariff OF 1867; that
the dividing line between woods paying the highest