Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-02
THE WOOL GROWERS HEARD.
Arguments Before the Ways and Means
Committee Today.

/
George h. Wallace of Missouri read a pre-
pared paper abounding with statistics to DEM
onstrate the necessity for maintaining the
duties on imported wool, and suggested an ad-
Unstable tariff which would diminish when wool
was scarce and high in price and increase when
1t was plentiful and low in price. He dealt at
length upon what he described as imperfec-
tions OF the present classifcations, saying that
In Wanamaker's store could be seen panta-
looms made of third class or carpet wool and
sold at S3 so per pair. The importers of carpet
wools said that this grade of wool was used
everywhere and for all kinds of wool manufac-
turing as well as carpets. This demonstrated
the fact that the importation of third-class
wool under the present law is diminishing the
production OF wool in America.
ONE SHEEP PER ACRE.
Representative Flower questioned Mr.. Wal
lace closely as to actual cost of wool production
In Missouri, eliciting the fact that the land was
worth from S35 to $40 per acre, and that it
would maintain one sheep per acre
Representative Carlisle Joined in the inquiry,
and ascertained from the witness that the fleece
averaged about $3.50. The actual cost of pro-
ductlon of the wool was about 20 cents a pound
There was no money to be made at that figure,
put there were other considerations to be
needed, such as the manuring of the land the
fact that sheep cleared off brambles and weeds
and otherwise benefited the farm
Mr.. Carlisle remarked that that was as he
supposed; the sheep were not valuable alone
Tor wool and mutton.
Mr.. Breckinridge sought to ascertain the
production of thlrd-class wool in the United
states, but the witness said that owing to the
Iact that the class Of wool used in carpets
varied according to the quality of the manu-
aacture he could not give any exact figures.
The wool growers had found the carpet manu-
tdctQrDrS err in ixin ;pf
Mr.. Breckenridge having put long hypoth-
lcaI question respecting the amount OF profit in
wool growing in the United States, the witness
replied dryly that he would find that subject
discussed with great ability in the Presidents
message two years ago.
TWO PETITIONS TO CONGRESS.
+. b. Bennett of Boston, editor of the Ameri-
can WOOL Reporter was the next witness, and
said that two petitions would be presented to
Congress, one signed by $50 persons in favor of
Tree wool and the other signed by 206 persons
IN favor of an advalorem duty on wool in place
OF the present specific form of duty.
FLAT CONTRADICTION.
The witness having mentioned the name of
Joseph hltchenman, a signer of the free wool
petition, as a large manufacturer and leading
republican of Philadelphia and one who helped
raise the celebrated Philadelphia campaign fund
III the last campaign, Mr.. Dock of Phlladelphia
rose IN the rear of the room and hatly contra
dicted the statement, saying that Mr.. Kitchen
man was lifelong democrat and never had
contributed to the republican campaign fund
continuing, the witness said that the petit
tlons showed that the rank and file of smaller
manufacturers were as willing to express their
opinions IN regard to the wool duties as were
the great leaders of the trade No effort had
been made to ascertain
THE POLITICS OF THE sIGNERs
OF these petitions. fLaughter.l A petition for
reduced duties upon wool for the benefit of the
manufacturers who furnish our domestic wool
growers the sole market for their fleece would
secure a great many sgners among that nor
lon OF our agricultural population concerned
In the raising OF wool. The witness next spoke
OF the advalorem petition, describing the sign
ers as among the largest merchants and mann
facturers, and reading letters from experts
1avorlng this system of tariff They favored
compound duties on manufactures of wool be-
cause OF the difficulty of determining their
value, but the same objection could not be
llaoe 10 ah adVaiorem duty on raw wool, as the
prices were known all over the world and
undervaluation could not be practiced.
IN ANSWER TO CHAIRMAN M'KISLEY.
witness said that personally he favored the
advalorem petition. He was adverse to radi.
cal changes and believed that an advalorem
du;y OF 40 per cent on combing and 30 per
cent on carpet wool would afford sufficient pro
tee lion.
Replying to Mr.. Carlisle, witness said that it
was undoubtedly true that as land increased in
price the number OF sheep decreased. Where
the sheep decreased the prosperity of the in
habltants increased vastly. lie did not think
that the tariff on wool had increased the price
realized by the wool grower.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Benefits Testimony
recess was taken.
AFTER RECESS.
j. F. Gibbs Of Greely, Colorado. took the
stand and gave a number of statistics relative
to the cost of growing and marketing
wool in the west. Taking the accounts
OF a Colorado farm, he showed that 1900
pounds of raw wool cost the grower about d
cents per pound; at the seaboard it cost 30
cents, and after securing pretty nearly 30 cents
He read from 3 letter written ay a Colorado
sheep grower to show the great hazards of the
business, resulting from storms and blizzards
and prairie fires and severe winters.
Witness recounted proposition made by a
sheep grower to wager 25.000 sheep against a
like number held by another owner that Harri
son would be elected President. He said that
the man CHANGED nothing, for he calculated
that his sheep would be worthless if
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND HAD BEEN nE-E1rcrEp
''We all felt in the last presidential election
that every dollar invested in sheep was staked
on the ISSUE" said the witness.
Mr. rloWer oeptOre0 the witness statement
touching the severe weather conditions of Col
Orado. He understood that it was the only
place in the world where consumption could be
cured.
The witness, with some indignation declared
that 300 days in the year in Colorado the
weather was as fine as anywhere upon the
globe.
MIR. Flower replied that he had seen one Of
those days out in Denver, but the people in the
other parts OF the state had told him that it
was the only one they had ever seen.
4. NJ Bissell, q farmer of Shorebam. Vt
gave some facts concerning the cost of sheen
growing in Australia, and made a Comparison
between the conditions here and there, stating
that the same grade Of sheep were a dollar
cheaper in Australia than in the United States.
NO ONE TO SPEAK FOR FREE WOOL.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Bsselrs testimony
Chairman Mckinley askedif there was any gen.
tieman present to speak in favor of free wool.
There was no response and the committee ad.
journed until tomorrow.
GEORGETOWN.
KNIGHTS OF PYTH1As OFFICERS ELECTED
At meeting Of Hermione lodge of Knights
hNaa