New-York tribune., 1889-10-19
CARPET WOOL-DECISIVE TESTIMONY.

Evidence disputed point is accumulatlng
rapidly, and, as usual, the facts when ascertaned
go against the Free Trader. For years it has been
affirmed, and positively denied, that a large
part of the wool imported as carpet wool was IN
fact used in the manufacture of cloth. Free
trade advocates have denied it, in order to be
able to say that the duties on carpet wool were
OF no use whatever benefited no American wool
growers, and could be repealed without hurting
any. The Tribune has often submitted evidence
TO show that wool thus imported was used in
cloth manufacture, but has been met with in
socnt dcnials in the n't-know-anythln
tone and once or twice with array of figures
purporting to provo irrefragaby that no imported
carpet wool could be so used
Two witnesses have Just testified from opposite
sides on the tariff question. MeSsrs. Justice,
Bateman tS Co., wool merchants, of Philadelphia,
support the protective tariff while Robert Bleake
IS Co., manufacturers, at Hyde Park, Mass,
openly declare their desire that clothing as well
as carpet wool should be made free. After
arguing and occasionally threatening for some
months in favor of free wool, " The American
Wool Reporter" of September 26 publicly asked
Mr. Robert Blealde, as q manufactures especially
competent and Trustworthy, to testify whether
anv woos imported as third-class or carpet wool
the manufacture Of cloth for clothing purposes
His reply may have been surprise, for he says:
In reply. will state that I satisfied that many
millions of hounds Of thirl-class carpet woOls are
used In making cloth Tor oIotRng go Of which
/ am a member, placed upon the market Ilne OF
Scotch chevot goods made 30 nom gnd GooGs similar t5
ours offered and sold by Philadelphia manufacturers
At prizes f an s o iSs5 Sr G" that the
goods were made from the fno Ige OF carpet WOoI,
that to say the finer sorts mao cSeyot po9h Goods for
making which scotland IS famous hal becn degraued
by tho substitution of cheaper wool TO reach pre-
satisfactory TO the buyer Of cloth We wer' oDlged
,,,nriv IN withdraw the goods which we hal made
from our domestic wool, and follow the example OF
our NOR, enerprlsng competitors, some OF whom !
Inovr 10 dav are making business OF producing
clothing goods using nothing but carpet wool Unt I
,, On cbevlos about 10000 pounds, equal Tor coih
making purposes to over 100000 pounds Oh Seorga
wool owing to its lighter shrinAage'
This seems TO he testimony not easily contro-
vcrted bv closet theorists or free-trade organizers
and the statement that some competitors " now
make business Of producing clothing goods using
,o+bino but carpet wool" deserves their especial
ottention. Meanwhile Messrs. Justice, Bateman
T. Co in their latest circular to customers re-
mark:
ono not engaged in the sale Of low grades Of hIne @
can wools such known as one goCa caTnt
common cannot realize the extent 10 ~hen U Ss sy
ogls are being used for clothing purposes 10 r Imo
clYsion of the low grades OF domestic one qumncr o
uloou dcrit to sell at 26 81 cents. In can
vpcsng the ills with samples OF American one quapSr ]
blood wool the fact revealed that IN almost Se eSg
direction he better grades of carpet wo9i are TeiS ns
used for clothing PGPosffd india selected portions OF
Turkey syrian and Persian wools. IL IS the ,f
abroad to out The better eg9tbSr gadbGS kp
Lem to America and enter them AT me caIPrt RAJ ond
duty the coarse5 portions ofH e onIs m in clothing
,,ecs America one quarter blood woods to be neg
ccted and the decrease IN the feeP ns Pm m awost ex
cIrsiyev in those yielding coarse wool they are Tna
arc known as mutton shceP @d be ~, food supny of the
United states.
Tbis is the testimony Of seller of the raw wool.
c-ho finds that the manufacturers do use ID almost
cverv direction" wool imported as carpet wool
Gov the nroduction Of cloth The testimony Of two
srcb witnesses one n seller and the other manu-
f,cturer both speaking from personal experience
and l,nowlcdge, is enough to settle the question
Cor candid men. There can still be argument re-
garding the eXpodiency of protecting American
arou,crs Of one quarter blood and common wool,
hut among people who respect the truth there can
Idly bo argument in future on the question
v,bether such wool is in part displaced aud driven
,-ro use bv the use Of imported thirdcla or car
NOT wool in the manufacture of cloths for clothing
purposes.
The words common wool" tell a story by them
..lyee II is the common wool" OF this country
rbiob is most affected by these fraudulent i'm
ortations and yet the Free Traders insist that no
,ool is or can be grown In this country which
s.rves the same use the imported carpet wools.
CLEARLY enough, the wool called common" IS
,row,u 70 some extent. Since the change Of duties
IN 1883. from 3 and cents 20 2 l-2 and cents,
rbcre has been little nducement 10 grow such wool
in this country. Hence millions Of sheep Of this
lass were slaughtered. The question is whether
:, j. not better to grow the wool III this country
than TO import it fraudulenty'