The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-03
The Question of WOOL.

WASHINGTON, January 2.--The ways aud
means committee today heard arguments by
representatives of the wool growers.
George FL. Wallace of Missouri read rre-
pared paper abounding with statistics to de-
monstrate the necessity for maintaining the
duties on imported wool, and suggested an
adjustable tariff which would diminish when
wool was scarce and high in price, and in
crease when it was plentiful and low in
price.
+. B. Bennett of Boston, editor of the
American Wool Reporter, was the next wit
ness. He said that two petitions would be
presented to Congress, one signed by $50
persons in favor of free wool, and the other
signed by 206 persons in favor of an ad va
specific form nc of duty. " te The petition Showed Showed
that the rank and file Of the smaller manu-
facturers were as willing to express their
opinions in regard to the wool duties as
were the great leaders of the trade.
After recess j. f. Gibbs of Greeley, Col,
took the stand and gave number OF statis
tics relative to the cost of growing and
marketing wool in the West. Taking the ac-
counts of Colorado farm, he showed that
$4,000 pounds OF raw wool cost the grower
seaboard it cost 80 cents, and after
securing pretty nearly 90 cents. He read
from letter written by Colorado sheep
grower to sho W the great hazards of the bus
mess, resulting from storms and billiards.
-
recounted a proposition made by sheep
grower to wager $4,000 sheep against a
lie number, held by another grower, that
Harrison would be elected President He said
that the man CHANGED nothing, for ne calcu-
lated that his sheep would be worth less if
President Cleveland had been reelected
I'VE all felt in the last Presidential election
that every dollar invested in the sheep was
staked on the ISSUE" said the witness.
The Consul Not Explicit.
WASHINGTON, January Mr.. Wharton,
Assistant Secretary of State, says that some
days ago a letter was received at the State
Department from Foster Il Co. of New York
complaining Of the detention of one of their
sch0oners by Colombian government Off
cials. The department Immediately tele-
graphed the American consul at Carthagena
for an explanation, and in reply received a
message stating that it was necessary for all
trading vessels to clear from the port of Car
thagena. This, it would appear, Foster &
Co.'s vessel failed to do, and the detention
was o,casioned by that fact. The situation
Is not fully understood, owing partly to the
brevity and haziness of the consul's mes
sage. The case will not be fully known nor
can any vfiicial action be taken until the
consups dispatches are reviewed in full.
An Appointment for Robert Blaine.
WASHINGTON, January 2.-Robert G.
Blaine, brother of the Secretary of State,
who has for the past eight years been curator
in the Agricultural Department, has been APP
pointed deputy first auditor of the treasury.
Washington Notes.
The department of state is informed by
the minister of the United States to Mexico
of the execution by shooting at Guaymas, on
the 9th of December, of j. J. Taylor, of
Talleur, who assaulted train Of the Sonora
Railroad company in May, 1888, IL miles
from the Arizona frontier in which assault
two American citizens, Conductor Atkinson
and Fireman Forbes were killed and the
train robbed.
The public debt decreased $3,12S, ,O93 during
Dacpmhpr