Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-16
WOOL AND THE TARIFF.

Interesting Debate In the House Yester
TsrinRsgulatot the Price Scott Sets Him.
self Right.
WASHINGTON, d. c., July 14.-The
House went into Committee Of the Whole,
Mr. Springer, Of Illinois, in the chair, on
the tariff bill, the pending schedule being
that in relative to wool. Mr.. Outhwaite,
of Ohio, ridiculed the assertion that the
effect of the tariff had been to increase the
number Of sheep in this country. He
thought that the natural fecundity Of
the focks had something to
do with the increase. There had
been an increase in the number of COWS.
Possibly some protectionist would claim
that this was because cheese and butter
had been protected. The number of horses
had increased, possibly on account of the
tariff on eurled hair. Swine had increased
in numbers. The tariff on bristles might
account for this. But mules, upon which
there was no protective tariff, had also in
creased. How did the gentleman account
for that?
Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, suggested that
the increase was attributable to the de-
mand for mules in Indiana.
Mr.. Outhwaite, proceeded to argue that
the high tariff had no influence upon the
price Of wool, which was regulated by the
law of supply and demand. He quoted
satisfies to show that under q high tariff
the price Of wool had steadily declined.
He did not claim that the decline was at
tributable to the tariff, bat to the increas-
ed supply of wool.
Mr.. Lsfollete, of Wisconsin, took mp
and criticised Mr.. Carlisle's speech upon
the bill, especially that portion in which
the speaker endeavored to chow the pros
perity of the country during the low tariff
from 1850 TO 1860
Mr.. Scott, of Pennsylvania, referred to
the rscent speech of Mr.. Kelley, giving an
account of the interview between himself
and Mr.. Carnegie, in the committee room.
Mr.. Scott pronounced the statement made
by Mr. Kelley to be a tissue OF misrepre-
sensations from beginning to end, and
made out of the whole cloth. He
then proceeded to give his YER
sion of the interview, which be
said touched upon Mr.. Csrnegie's citizen
ship, and not upon the tariff He also re-
peated the substance Of conversation he
had with Mr.. Carnegie, in which the lat
ter admitted the truth of the statsment
that be had made one and a half million
dollars in one year under q protective
tariff.
Mr.. Ford, of Michigan, said that
it was for the country to
choose between cheap whisky
or cheap clothing The wool tariff was
burdensome. There was scarcely breeze
when the iron and copper schedule were
p used upon; but now, backed up by a
subsidized press, the Republicans tumbled
over one another to get to the front
aud denounce the wool schedule.
He did not believe that the ef-
iect of the bill would be to
decrease the price of American wool. Put
all of the protective tariff you please on
wool and you could not produce all OF the
needed varieties of wool. But it taxed
the manufacturer aud thereby hurt the
farmers best customers. The manufsc-
turers of the country asked the farmers to
work and stint and pinch, while they
took their ease. This was the feast that
the farmers of the country were invited to
partake Of by the Republican party, bat
he predicted that they would reject it on
November 9th next. [Applauss on Demo-
cratic side
Adjourned.