The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-03-01

mills at Lowell; Mr.. Galen G. Moses,
treasurer of the Worumbo Manufacture
ing company, the largest wooden anu
featuring establishment in the state Of
Maine; Mr. Jesse Metcalf. n Of the
largest wooden manufacturers and most
influential citizens Of Rhode Island: Mr..
James Kitchenman, a large manufac-
turer Of the city Of Philadelphia.
THE astonishing feature of this unex-
pected list of names in favor of free wool
lies not only in the character. but in the
number Of the signerA 1t has been
hitherto asserted, on very high authori-
ty that the only manufacturers in favor
of free-wool are a few officers of large
corporations. the number of whom does
not exceed ten. But this list Of sigma
lures shows that the rank and file Of
smaller manufacturers are as willing to
express their opinions in regard to wool
duties as are the great leaders Of the
trade. Nossffort has been made to ascer-
tain the politics Of the signers Of these
petitions. Among the manufacturers
who petition for free wool in New
Hampshire Mr.. Charles J. Amidon. Of
Hinsdale. is a very influential Republi-
can, Mr.. A.. w. Sulloway, Of Franklin
Falls, is an influential Democrat Of ma
tional reputation"
I'm the state of Rhode Island" con-
tinued Mr.. Bennett, 1.-The total number of
looms in wooden and worsted mills is
7,46l. and of these. manufacturers rep
resenting 4,085 looms, or considerably
more than half the whole number in the
state, have signed this petition for free
wool. But besides these mills which
represent the 4,0e5 looms. several spin
ming: mills containing no looms, but
which have in the aggregate II sets of
cards. Is combs and 81 knitting ma
chimes. have signed the petition for free
wool. Among other signers whom !
have not mentioned in Rhode Island are
the celebrated Weybosset mills. of Olney-
vile, the equally well known Lippett
Wooden company. of Woonsocket. the
Peacedale Manufacturing company. OF
which Mr.. Rowland Hazard is treasurer,
and the great Atlantic mills. Of Olney-
vile, by Owen Bros. agents.
''These Atlantic mills make ladies'
dress goods. such as are also made by
the Arlington mills, of which Mr.. Whit
man is treasurer, and the Owen Bros.
actually own q considerable share of the
mills which they manage. There can
be no doubt that this growing demand
for a revision of the tariff in the direc-
ton Of reduced duties has had much to
do with taking Rhode Island out of the
list Of sure Republican states and putting
it into the ranks of the doubtful, and !
will confess right here that. as a Repub-
iican, n Of my reasons sor engaging in
the distribution Of these petitions has
been the hope that this growing demand
for a revision of the tariff in the direc-
ton Of reduced rather than of increased
duties might be complied with and sat-
isied under Republican auspices.
The signatures to these two petitions.
the one in favor OF free wool and the
otherin favor Of id vaiorem duties. are
from nearly every state and territory in
which wooden manufactures are stu
ated. A few wool growers have signed
the petitions, but they were men who
found them in n~eighboring wooden mills,
and signed them without solicitation.
have no hesitation in saying that q petit
ton for reduced duties upon wool for the
benefit Of u manufacturers who fur
nish u domestic wool growers the sole
market for their feeces, would secure q
great many signers among that portion
Of our agricultural population concerned
in the raising of wool. The signers Of
these petitions do not believe that free
wool e free goods. One Of the most
prosperous periods the WOODEN manufac-
turing industry has ever enjoyed in the
United States was from 1862 to 1851, and
this prosperity raj not due alone to the
war, but to the fact that the duty on raw
wool was low, and the duty on manu-
featured goods was high enough To- at
ford our mills abundant protection and
to bestow upon our wool growers the
blessings Of an abundant home market.
During that period American sheep
hslsbandry expanded enormously, and
in 1867 the number Of sheep III Ohio
reached q total Of /. 555.507 head. Then
came the increased tax upon wool In
1857, which continued unchanged until
1888. and, with the exception Of the
single year, 1868, the number OF sheep in
Ohio grew steadily smaller and beauti-
fully less after that date. In 1875 the
number Of sheep IN Ohio had fallen to
400, 288 head under the highest duties
upon wool ever known, and now. when
: little coterie Of Ohio politicians stands
in the light Of wool growers and wooden
manufacturers alike, aud to such proofs
Of the destructive influence of the high
tar upon wool as we have just presented
replies merely with threats, we are GER
taipiy very sorry that they cannot take
more reasonable ground. And, rs one
Of the largest manufacturers and strong
est protectionists in Philadelphia re-
Gently remarked. II would rather have
f0ur years Of free wool, even with the
risk Of free goods ct the end Of that time,
Than to endure another four years such
as we have lust been through "
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