The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-12
EXPERTS TALK FREE WOOL
VIEWS OF COLORADO RANcHMEN
The Absurdity of the Howl Against Put
ting Wool on the Free List Pointed Out
by Some OF the Greatest sheep Grow
ers In the Country.

DENVER, COL, Sept. ESPECIAL. THE
Rocky Mountain Ne,rs is the oldest and
most influential paper west of the Missouri
river. Until the st. Louis convention ii
belonged to the New York Sun and Gin
cinnati Enquirer class of alleged democratic
papers. Since then, and especially since
the Chicago whisky platform was adopted,
it has been stanch advocate ofCleveland's
reelection and tariff reduction. Published
at the wool center of the West, it is natur-
ally solicitious for the welfare OF the
wool industry and lately detailed its range
editor to investigate the effect the Mills
bill would have upon one of Colorado
main interests. He interviewed the wool
! growers and dealers from a business view
OF the question. In summing up the re-
suit of this investigation, the NelUs comes
out emphatically in favor of free lrooi, be-
lieving that the miners would get better
and cheaper blankets and clothing, and
that the wool-growing industry would not
be disturbed. This investigation | wish
tho few wool-growers. the manufacturers
and consumers of Indiana could read, and
| clip from the NcrS the statements OF the
four largest dealers in Colorado, who
demonstrate conclusively that feee wool
Will give the consumers better and
! cheaper cloths.
VIII benefit the manufacturers.
viii not injure the wool-growing in
! dustry
That America cannot produce a fine
| grade of wool, and manufacturers must
import TO make all the fine cloth.
a vote for wool protection is a vote for
the privilege OF wearing shoddy."
Forty per cent. of all wool manufactured
! in America must be imported regardless
OF home production or tariff.
Dealers combined to depress the market,
| pending the Mills bill.
Immediately after the passage of the
| Mills bill wool went up several cents.
| Wool has a better market and sells sew
/ eral cents higher this year than last year,
when there was no ''howl OF free-trade. "
The wool industry is increasing west OF
| the Missouri, and that it is not profitable
to grow wool on valuable lands, whether
under free wool or protection, Mr.. j. l..
Brown, one OF the largest dealers in wool
in the state, said
"The wool industry OF Colorado and the
VESTS steadily increasing from yearto year.
OF course when the tariff was lowered and
the present agitation has reached the
point it has, few locks were reduced in
numbers by Tightly Olrners, 1Cho shipped lcool,
mutton and all 10 Chicago; but this has been
| a splendid year for lambs, and the vacancy
made has been more than filed up, and
| the number OF sheep now in Colorado is
greater than ever before There were
about 100000 pounds in the clip for
| 1881 and il was sold at an average price
of IL cents per pound The clip for 1883
will average Is cents. 1t will he seen,
| therefore, with a large increase Of sheep,
with cleaner wool and much better prices
| there is no cause for grumbling."
Mr.. Frank G.. Willard, an extensive
dealer who has been in the wool business
in Colorado for the past fifteen years,
spoke at length on the situation OF the
wool industry in Colorado at the present
| time. His words will be food for thought
| for those interested. He said:
- have tried TO keep abreast OF the
times and the situation on the wool ques-
| ton, as wool is my business and has been
| for the past fifteen wears The tariff, free
wool and the present administration are
| charged solely with the present condition
/ OF the wool trade. An unbiased look al
/ the industrial and commercial facts in
! the case will not carry out the allegation
| -Four years ago when Mr.. Cleveland
! stepped into the presidential chair wool
| was a scarce article and sold for 10 cents
| per pound. The year following was a
better year; wool was more plentiful and
| of better quality and readily sold from
| IL to Is cents per pound. Last year was
] another off year and wool sold down as
/ low as cents and as high as II cents, &C.
! cording to the condition of low grade
wool. This year is better and low grade
brings Is cents, with the better grades on
up to is cents.
"Now, throwing aside all political OF
partisan feeling and viewing the situation
| from purely q business point OF UieW Il Is my
| candid opinion that tie country acW be better
! off nth free lCool. You must strike right
at the root of an industry if YOU would
| hope to better or in jure it, and the matter
| is settled on but one issue with the wool
| industry as with all industries-supply
| and demand. With free wool the demand
! will naturally be greater. 4 tirst-clGss sui
of clothes cannot be made Of american lCooI
lCe do not grolO the 1COoL and therefore cannot
make the cloth. When you 60 to tailor
shop and want a good suit OF clothes, you
| find that the cloth is imported; it is made
! from either New Zealand or Australian
wool.
SIS il not, therefore, patent on the face
| of the issue that if we let foreign wool in
without having to pay So or 10 cents duty
! that we will have better goods made
! cheaper and there will be a demand ac-
cordingly? And is it not the natural Sc
quence under all circumstances that the
| price is always regulated by the demand ?''
Mr. Willard warmed up to his theme
and continued his convincing argument as
| follows: American wool will always have
! its market; there will always be, as there
! always has been, ready sale for every
| pound that is raised at a market value
! quite equal to its worth. Foreign WOO
| will always have its market; it is a higher
/ and better grade and will in the future, as
! it always has in the past, different field
/ in the commercial world. The American
consumer who wants a suit OF fine clothes
one that is serviceable as well as
ornamental-will wear it whether he pays
more for a suit or not.
ANY candid man can readily see the
absurdity of the howl against free wool
| The poorer classes might have better op
portunity 70 wear better suit OF clothes
with free wool, for igheR they tote for pro
lection on Vool they uote for the pririlege D
continuing to rear American Shod9y. You
never hear of a glut in the wool market
do you? You never hear of the marke
| being overstocked2 And as an example
of this fact every pound of wool raised in
Colorado this year has been marketed
| right in our own state. No one had Il
take trip east 10 find sale. The loca
markets OF Denver alone have handled
nearly every pound of 1t, and will I'm
doubleday handle it all.
| fsI do M n, O.-arlno1-