Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-08-16
STILL PULLING WOOL.

Carpet Wools-Favorable Reply From the
senntOr-How the Senate Committee
Yielded to tho "Demand" Of the Wool
GrOwen-The shOddy Mon ClamOr For
McKlniey's High Wool Duties.
Mr.. Louis Windmueller, q large wool
importer OF New York, wrote recently
to Senator Plumb protesting against
duty on Russian camel's hair and against
increased rates on coarse and mixed
wool, such as are used in carpet making.
1t was shown by Mr.. Windmueller that,
as we have no camels, 1t would be fool
ish to place protective duties on camers
hair to build up new industry, and
that the same Is true OF coarse carpet
wool, since next to none is produced in
America. The only effect Of these
duties, therefore, would be to increase
the price Of carpets to our own people.
In reply to this letter Mr.. Windmueller
received the following letter from the
Kansas Senator:
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WARRINGTON, d. e., July II. 1880.
Louis Windmueller, Esq, New York:
Dear Sir: Ihave read what you say about
the duty on Russian camePs hair. Will give
this matter full consideration, and except
for something which do not now foresee
Will support the position which you take.
do not object TO the rectincatlon Of the In
equallties of the tarif but have not been
able to convince myself, nor have / been
convinced by the reasoning OF others, that
there should be any general increase OF the
duties now imposed, especially upon articles
which 20 into general consumption among
our naonla Youra trulV.
PRESTON B. PLUMB.
1t was Senator Plumb who introduced
the resolution in the Senate to require
the Finance Committee to give reasons
for changes in the tariff. But this reso-
luton called out such rigmarole OF
glittering generalities about creating
new industries" protecting American
interests" meeting increased COMPETE
ton abroad" and SO on, that it would
have been as well II Senator Plumb had
never introduced the resolution at all.
With regard to the wool duties, for ex-
ample, the committee said: 1.-THE de-
mand from the representative WOOL
growers OF the country that the rates
upon wool should be largely increased,
has led the committee to recommend
the adoption of the classification herein
suggested, which it is hoped will result
in uniform and honest classification OF
wool"
That is funny. The wool-growers 'de-
manded" largely increased rates upon
wool, and the committee gave them "a
new Classification" But this was by no
means giving stone instead of bread,
for the new classification" results in
large increase Of duties. though the
committee neglected to assign any
reason for that increase beyond the
demand from the representative wool
growers of the country"
This affords another example Of how
the protected interest Of the country are
allowed to write their demands" into our
tariff laws. The theory Of protection is
that the Lawmakers examine the con-
dition of the country and then decide
that protection" is needed, and this is
accordingly given. In point of fact, the
thing is never done in this way; but the
hungry interests come flocking to Con-
gress to impose their demands" upon q
committee that usually knows very
little about trade and industry and is only
too willing to have its action guided
by men who know what they want This
is the way tariff bills to defend "Ameri-
can interests" are concocted. 1t Is the
men who want to fill their own pockets
who rush before committees of Congress
and prate about protecting American
labor from disastrous foreign compe-
tition."
AS the Senate committee had no rea-
son to give Senator Plumb further than
''the demand OF the representative wool
growers of the country" Mr.. Wind
mueller undertook to show the Senator
that there was no good reason to in
crease the duties on camels hair and
coarse wool; and he undertook to show
up also the iniquity Of the uniform
and honest classification" which the
committee said it had given at the de
mand OF the representative wool-grow-
ers of the country"
The present rates and the increases |
bTe dS 1O1lOWS OA OOnEoO WOOAos Oh WOO1
valued at IL cents pound or less the
duty is ~ cents pound, which is
equivalent to 246O per cent ad valorem,
and this is changed by the committee to
80 per cent for woods valued at IS cents
a pound or less; on coarse wool worth |
more than t2 cents q pound the duty is
5 cents, which is equivalent to SO.45 per
cent, this being raised in the present
bill to 80 per cent on wool above IS
cents pound
So much for the duties; but here is
where the uniform and honest classlf-
cation" comes in and effects doubling
up of duties in way to delight the po-
litical shepherds of Ohio who made the
demand" The bill provides that If
any bale of wool of one class contains