The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-03
THE MANUFACTURERS AND FREE
WOOL.

WOOL.
The free-traders have uttered their
clamor for "free wool" as necessary to
the preservation OF the wooden industry
and now the wooden manufacturers
speak for themselves and distinctly and
emphatically refuse to endorse the free
wool crusade, and insist upon a just pro-
lection of the wool growers. Last week
q convention of the wool manufacturers
was held in Boston under the auspices OF
the National Association of Wool Manu-
facturers. After full conference aud
discussion, resolutions were adopted
which express at length their settled
opinions upon the question of the tariff
and free wool, With unmistakable
frankness and boldness the resolutions
declare: eve do not demand lower rates
of duties on our chief raw material wool
or other materials used in the fabrica-
ton of our goods, nor upon the machin-
cry we employ" In the preceding sen.
tence "Ihe National Association OF
Wool Manufacturers leaves wholly to
the wisdom of congress the determine
ton of the rates of duty which should
be applied to the raw material, wool, fol
the purpose of enabling the American
growers to continue to produce suth
Gent quantity of such woods as can be
grown to advantage for the consump-
ton OF the American manufacturer.
That is positive reputation and denia
Of the claim that the manufacturers be
lIeved that free wool was indispensable
to their continued prosperity. 1t is also
an unqualified recognition of the right
OF the wool growers to adequate protec'
ton, and the necessity of such protec-
ton, both to the wool growers and the
manufacturer. The manufacturers IN
derstand that the encouragement of do
nestle wool production is necessary to
secure full supply of the market, in
crease competition and prevent foreign
extortion and monopoly prices. They
see that the destruction of the wool in.
dustry would make them dependent
upon the foreigner, and in the end in
crease the cost of wool. This confer
ence saw and indicated the real peril
that threatens the entire wooden indus
try, and this is, the immense and increas-
ing importation of foreign wooden goods
That strikes at the wool farmer and the
manufacturer alike. 1t is the importa-
ton Of foreign wool in the form OF
wooden goods, and to just that extent
lessons the sale of American wool, and
damages the wool grower; the importa
tion also displaces domestic good, glut'
the market and prevents the sale OF do
nestle production. The volume OF for
eign wooden fabrics now amounts to fifty
million dollars worth. every yard oil
which ought to be made in this country
andlcould be if adequate protection was
secured. Here is the source and cause Of
the difficulty and depression in the
wooden industry. 1t is not the duty or
wool, it is the want of duty on wooleI
goods, sufficient to prevent the flood Of
foreign goods made by cheap labor
The adjustment of the tariff duties Il
accomplish this result, would not in
crease the price of the domestic article,
but would lower it, by the increase o.
home competition and the full supply o.
the market, as in the steel industry
where the foreign price of steel rails wa
reduced from $3.50 ton to $50 ton.
The rabid free traders do not relist
this attitude of the wool manufacturers
II spikes their guns and spolls then
game to divide the farmers and manu-
facturers. The manufacturers compre
bend thoroughly the purpose of thu
political free traders. They have no
forgotten the Democratic denunciatior
OF the manufacturers in the last election
Abuse of the manufacturers as mon
opolists" and tariff barons" and rob
bers," has been the stock in trade Of
Democrats and free traders for half
century. When therefore these mel
propose to sacrifice the wool growers tt
increase the profits of these robbers, thu
manufacturers may well pause and flea
the Greeks when bearing gifts" Asid
from the question of justice to the woo
growers, there is the question Of safet.
to the protective system. There are ter
million of farmers in this country ant
one million of these raise wool. Their,
are not two thousand wooden manufac
turers all told, How long would the tar
iff stand that protects the manufacture
il the wool farmers were sacrificed? /
blow at the wool growers would arous
and array in solid phalaux the entir
farming interest in the northern states
This would be delightful for the demo
Gratis and free traders, but what woul
become of the manufacturers The yer
leaders and presses now clamoring TO
free wool would be the first to lead tn
maddened farmers for the overthrow 0
the tariff system. That is the sole an
cherished purpose of these leaders
They know that the wool tariff is tn
key to the tariff arch. They know ths
If that key is destroyed, the whole syt
tenn would tumble in ruins. That
what they want, that is what they ar
striving to accomplish. The south is
unit for this; Tammany hall and tn
foreign importers of New York city al
unit for this; the forlorn mugwum
contingent and the Golden club are
unite for this; the English, German an
French mill owners and importers are
unit for this; but as long as the farmer
and manufacturers are unit against i
that arch will stand.
Thefree traders are bitterly disappoin
ed at the decision of the manufacturer
They are 30 angry that they accuse thel
OF cowardice and assert that they dal
not express their real convictions, bl
the trouble is that the manufacture
have detected the trickery, inslncerit
and partisan duplicity of the free traC
leaders, they have spurned the bride
free WOOL" and stand by the tar
system as a national policy, which pr
tects all sections, all classes and all i
dustries. This is the only sagaciou
safe aud just position and against tn
position The free trade cranks are powe
less.-North adams Transcript.