Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-07-11
THE NORTHWEST
The Question of Wool.

The Republicans of Ohio declare in
their platform for higher duties on
wool. 1t is a buncombe declaration in
tended to "pull the wool over the eyes"
of the sheep raising farmer and blind
him to the way he is being tieeced by
the party of trusts, monOpolies and high
taxation.
The managers of the Republican
party are playing double. To the wool
grower they talk higher duties and in
creased protection on wool. To the
wool manufacturer they whisper a
promise of cheaper raw materials and
even intimate possibility of free wool.
It is not unlikely both will be deceived
and in the impossbility of keeping
their conflicting promises Of higher
duties and free wool nothing will be
done. That would be in accordance
with Republican precedent.
If the Ohio wool growers imagine
they will get the support of the woolen
manufacturers in putting the wool
duties higher in Republican tariff bill
they are doomed to bitter disappoint-
ment. We have already furnished evil
dence of the fact that the manufactur-
ing interest is working for lower duties
or no duties on wool as an absolute
necessity to their keeping at work: The
number of Wade's fiber and fabric for
June 30 again shows the drift of that
interest. 1t is Republican trade paper
flying the flag of protection and tenn
perance" and therefore what 1t says on
the tariff question should have weight
with Republicans. 1t denies that the
political campaign which began year
ago is over or that the Republican party
''can yet fairly claim its victory and
gain the confidence of the whole Ameri-
can people," and it goes on to say:
If the coming congress is equal to the
emergency and can place on the free
list raw materials it will rob the Demo-
cratic party of their last strong plank
and must bring to the support of the
administration the many able papers
that have so persistently and consist
emily agitated for the free raw materi-
ais. The bugbear ''free trade" did very
well for campaign cry, but those who
believe in free trade in the United
States to-day are in a very small and
helpless minority. The time has gone
by to cry "free trade" to every one who
is honest and earnest in asking for free
raw materials for our manufacturing
industries. There is no denying the
fact that very many of the ablest pa
pers in the United States favor free raw
materials; some of these are Democratic
and many are neutral or independent in
politics. 1t cannot be possible that all
these authorities deceive themselves
and it would be decidedly unjust to say
that they were prejudiced against the
success of our industries. Our two
home market clubs, one located in this
city and one in Chicago, are manufac-
turing statements and sending them to
different Republican papers that deal in
political matter for effect and are will
ing to accept such ready made state
ments. The object of one ofthese clubs
is to continue to increase the high duty
on wool, and both advocate the main
tenance of our home market regardless
of honest competition. No party is
willing or asks to give up our home
market to foreign competition, but all
desire to strengthen 1t and also enable
our manufacturers to compete with all
fby giving them free raw materials,
whichwil not only build up our in
dustries but bring US into closer compe-
,tition with the manufacturers of the
world, besides doing away with good
deal of expensive political machinery
and reducing the destructive fluctua-
tions In trade to minimum. Itwould
also reduce the price of clothing to con-
sumers, which would be equivalent to a
slight advance in wages. Political feel
ing should be laid aside and this ques-
ton fully examined on its merits be-
fore the meeting of next Congress.
Note the testimony of this Republi-
can protection woolen trade journal
that the statements sent out by the
"Home market clubs" are manufacture
ed for political purposes ouly; that free
raw materials would build up our in
dustries and reduce the destructive
Quotations in trade and would reduce
the price of clothing to consumers,
which would be equivalent to a slight
advance in wages. 1t won't do to cry
Democratic free trader" in this case,
as it Is a Republican protection paper
talking in the interest of the RepubIi-
can party and the protection policy
Pain Dealer.