The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-31


government report, the highest au-
thority on the matters in question. The
Republican insists that its dictum shall
be the proof of its statements, and
having retreated to the seclusion of its
"hole" pulls in the orifice by decin-
ing " to further instruct primer classes
in the A b C's of the great wool prob
lem" To enlighten the public is one
important function of true journalism,
and if people are ignorant and hun
gering for knowledge the faithful in
structor will patiently feed them.
When it has undisputed facts the Re
publican has shown an eager willing
ness to instruct even "primer classes"
In respect of -" the wool problem" we
have lurking suspicion that it should
take a course in some well-regulated
! kindergarten before it assumes to de-
cline a task for which it seems to lack
the primary qualifications.
But it is of triiing Importance
| WHtlu6E VI HOb llc htDuUttCUB has
exaggerated the facts in respect of the
number of sheep in the eight states
named at the time of the adoption of
the high wool tariff. The real question
is the effect the tariff had on wool pro-
duction. The Republican claims that
it did not protect wool-growing, and in
proof of its claim maintains that in GER
tain states, right after the adoption of
the tariff of 1867, sheep event down
like grass before prairie fire." In
Ohio, it says, according to the article
of George William Bond, in the gov
ernment's special report on wool, there
was a loss Of some three million be-
tween 1868 and 1870. Iu its use of the
facts and phases of the wool problem
between 1867 and 1870 the Republican
displays the moral obliquity that has
characterized its whole treatment of
this question. BY suppressing certain
facts and distorting others it makes out
a plausible case. What is the testi-
mony of its own witness, Mr.. Bond, as
to the facts of the wool industry during
the period in question? Writing of
the effect of the proposed tariff of 1866,
he says:
Confident of the passage of the tariff in
troduced in 1866 and which had been
passed by the house of representatives, the
farmers of the country increased Their
hocks especially Beyond the Mississippi
and the growth of wool rapidly increased
in the expectation of great rise in prices
consequent upon the high rates of duty i'm
posed In this they were disappointed, fol
others as well as themselves anticipated
improved values of wool, and both manu-
facturers and spectators had sent orders
+ abroad. The long delay between the incep
t ton of the bill and its final passage re
I suited in large importations under the oil,
, tariff. Consequently when the tariff actu
E ally went into operation the market wa
overstocked. In addition to this, larg
/, quantities of army clothing, accumulate
L during the war, were thrown upon tn
o market at exceedingly low prices an
# added to the dullness Of the demand fo
. work from the manufacturer TIL
-, depression of the wool market continue
until 1871, when the production had falle
u off 900 pounds since 1868 The su
/. plus woolens, which had weighed upon I'll
= market, had now been consumed, the mani
d featuring business, which had been dull an
y Improbable, had now greatly improve,
:, and the manufacturers looked forward TO
season of great prosperity"
. Comment can hardly increase tn
g force of Mr.. Bonds statement of gu
- side facts that bore ,pon the wo
~ problem at and Immediately after II
j passage of the tariff act of 1867, IL
consequences of which the Repubicc
disingenuously attributes to the a
itself. The immediate favorable c
ee fects of the act were discounted
he large importations under the o
'e- tariff" made during "the long del
lc- between the inception of the bill al
u its final passage so that when t
X, tariff actually went into operation t
an market was overstocked." The du
n, ness of the wool market was furth
IN aggravated by the government sale
zee large quantities of army clothing {
lie. cumulated during the war. Mr.. Bo
nd says the wool clip for the entire cot
M try fell off 3O,000,000 pounds in
On three years between 1868 and Is
he The average weight of fleece at Il
he time is stated at three and one-h
cts pounds. That would indicate, in
ess worst aspect, that the diminution
on the focks for the entire country
ION not exceed eight and one-half millio
hat whereas the Republican would have
1t" believe it was fifteen millions in o
D." eight states. The probability is t
ich there was not so great shrinkage
the the wool crop and no such destruct
nth of sheen. Wool was naturally hOar,