New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-11
THIRD-CLASS WOODS.
LETTER FROM REPRESENTATIVE SAN
FORD
THE COARSE WOOL PROVISIONS OF THE MKIN
LEY BIIH.-A GREAT FIELD FOR
AMERICAN INDUSTRY,


AMERICAN INDUSTRY
% the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The domestic production Of third class woods
mas not only been greatly Disseminated against by the
past and existing tariff rates. but the home producer
OF these woods is being constantly threatened with an
entire abolition Of the insufficient barriers which now
stand between him and the competition Of the world
From the moment the message Of President Cleveland
was sent 70 Congress the 9th day Of December 1857
until the second and final defeat Of the Mills bill at the
polls in 1-sS. the opponents Of the doctrine OF pro-
lection waged constant crusade in favor OF free
wool Of all kinds. Failing in this purpose. with the
intention of eventually accomplishing the purpose
and with view 10 breaking down, if possible the en-
tire system OF protection they have since pcSiStcny
directed their efforts. through the press and otherwise
he removal Of the duty on all woods of the third
class.
More than othds OF the total mporatons OF
foreign woods last year of this class The pres
cnt rates Of duty upon such woods are II ana
cents per pound the dividing line between the high
and low duty limit being fixed at woods valued at II
cents, excluding charges. Hy the provisions of the
Mckinley bill. the low duty rate Is fixed at 81
cents, being advance Of one cent. The dividing
line remains unchanged except that il the admins
trativc bill becomes law. the charges VIII then be
included (Which will practically reduce the dividing
line to ~ ccnts) and the high duty rate is increased
to cents per pound, advance Of three cents.
Of duty washed wool j, defined by this bill TO mean
wool washed upon the sleeps back. and all wool
washed in any other manner i held 10 he s'our'n'
Washed To pay double duty and secured. costing over
Il cents per pound triple duty; costing IL cents OF
ie,s. two and one half time, the duty Oh unwa,hcd
The reason, recently advanced why these woo> should
be imported free may be summed up in two PROPOSE
tons
First. it is claimed that the duty was originally
placed upon third class woods for the purposes oi
revenue only. and that na,much A. the necessity
Of revenue from such no longer exists therc
fore the duty should be- removed.
second II /, contcndcd tina, no third class woods
Of consequence be growa IN the tt" States ana
hence the free importation Of such wool, would not
interfere with the domestic product.
PROTECTION FOR TnIED.CLAss WOODS
In reply 10 the fir, Of these propositions while II
true tarn levied this class Of woods In
1854 has practically never been anything more IN
effect than one for only. yet IT i equally true
that the policy Of the cuacng power at that time.
a, now Wa, protective: and it j, fair 10 presume that
the duty placed upon wool- OF the third class was not
intended L. be an exception to such policy. Ana even
if such had been the policy Of the duty fixed upon
these wool, in I-Gf the conditions pertaining to the
wool Industry Of this country then and no" arc widely
different. Then both the inportAtionS Of such woods
and the demand therefor in the United states were
limited and the production 81 domestic ""'l' IN
developed ON the other hand the importatlons Of
third class woods have assumed gigantic pro
horizons the mill, Of New England and other Eastern
states have created annual demand for nearly
100 600 900 pounds OF hi, Kind Of WOOL and the wool
,wcr, Of the United states have developed their
nocks and fully equipped Themselves for Increasing
the present proportions and magnitude of their III
du,iry Under these circumstances and changes. II
matters not what may have been the character Of the
duties levied III the past should now lcei>aic 10
meet the present condition, 81 this Industry ana The
future prosperity Of our citizens.
The second proposition Of those who oppose higher
duties upon third class wool, to the effect that 10
con dcrlhlc amount of such woods can be grown IN
the United states, is erroneous. The chief couniilc'
from which these o"oi, imported are Russia.
Aslac Turkey British East india. Argentine Republic
scotland ard China II" heaviest impoTatons bclf~
made from such countries in the order named inc
wool, from Russia come principally tgom the i''''"
lying north II the Black although thcnr are J."
million pound, imported from the nori'"'-t'ih I"'
ton Of the country Ia the ncshhofh''u 81 ''' ''''
>c, and occasional small -hip"'ht j. ih''' rom
other part, ~ A,latlc Eu--i3 lh''' '""h'''' "''
lie in the same zone with ~. uii'd state. the north
rc,t.cr,tr ,,,ruf ia. ,.-cntlc Republic. which s |
f,uud ia the -.uth temperate. Tie condition, ~ |
climate, vary fnp al" cold SNOW, Of northern Russia
,o ,i nu,,iuc .iids and hot wind, 81 India while o."
e,ne,l ,r.rcr II the country range from the rough
region, the | raj Mountains and European and
A.,i. Turkey t. the >t"pi,, ~ Russia or highland,
ID. scotland and The barren. sterile PLAIN, If Central
Asia. When these rough and barren icatufc, II the |
foreign countfic, now growing third ca,, woods arr
compared with the immense landed area 81 the nitcd
state, 10 B, at once apparent that large portions OF
our territory, now If little value for other |
agricultural pursuit.. could bee successfully aud
noitably utilized n the production Of thc-o tii class
woods. The .hc.p upon which such woods are grown
j, 81 hardy ana prolific type, capable 81 nhahiung
mountain ia-tnc,.c, or comparatively barren plains |
and enduring the extreme, Of climate attacks 81
storms
\ GREAT AMERICAN PASTrREIIELD.
The wool, originally imported under this class were |
Of coa-c. hairy character, but have considerably |
improved n recent year until the best selections
Of SCOTCH sou h American aud E-iai Indi.. are "f a
very fair grade Of wool. Ihi, !, cvicnccd by the |
fact that foreign cost per pound If clothing
wool, imported last year, paying the 10 cent rate oi
duty Wa 20 10 cents. while the average cost OF I'm
ported third ca-, WOOL, paying the 1'cnt rate OF
duty 1914 10 cents per pound. the difference being
lc,, than cent, per pound. 1t viii thu, be seen that
these importation, OF third class wool, not only d
rccty compete with "a limited amount Of wool. which
are now produced the United states. being grown
upon sheep ,chirsy Of the Mexican blood ia Texas |
Sew Mexico, Arizona and other sections Of the West
but that they also diaplacc large amount of the |
coarscr grade Of wool which might with proper pro
fccton bee proiably grown In other portions Of the |
I niicd state.
Between the sierra Nevada mountain system on the
west, and Western Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas on
the east, lies immense arid tract of land which Is
over twelve hundred miles square and embraces IA
surface of nearly billion acres. II l., estimated
that 81 per cent 900 acres, tlh, great
arid region which l. covered with native nutritious
grasses VII never he susceptible of rrlntiOn and
can only be utilized for pasturagc purposes. ON
account Of the rough character Of the mountain side,
the nature Oi the adjacent table Lands. the
distance 10 water and the inclcmcncy of the weather
many portions Of this great American pasture Held are
not available for cattle sheep of the finer grade.
hut would be well adapted and amply able to sustain |
large nocks Of active, hardy, coarse wOollcd sheep
II Is claimed by practical and experienced wool |
growers that the types native Mexican sheep
,.uuI-l nucL. uInlmc.ug ihlIM cln..