The Portland daily press., 1890-07-08
South American Wool.

The National Wool Growers Association
has issued an address to the wool growers OF
the United States, in opposition to the free
admission of wool from South America
that is contemplated in MIR. Blaine's propo-
sails for reciprocity with that country re-
Gently made to the Senate. The address
says:
The Hale amendment would work absolute min
Its adoption violates the promise to give wool
adequate protection" and discredits the faith
for your Immediate action AS individuals and
associations, give notice to those representing you
In the halls Of legislation that you expect the Re
publican party to redeem its pledges and fulfil its
promises by speedily passing the Mckinley bill.
This is strong language, perhaps too
strong, but it can hardly be doubted that the
free admission of wool from South America
would create in very short time competi.
tion which it would be exceedingly difficult
for our wool growers to successfully meet.
To be sure the larger part of the wool that
has been coming from South American coun.
tries to the United States has been coarse
grade woods fit only for carpets. grade Of
wool of which we raise little or none Yet
the importations have been by no means con-
fined to this kind of wool Offcial state.
Va A"o' JNoAo SHOW
that at least 40 per cent was fine
clothing wool. While the carpet wool i'm
ports amounted to 100000 pounds, the fine
wool imports amounted to $500, 900, and that
too in spite of the fact that there was a very
heavy duty on the latter.
Now Mr.. Blaine's proposition is to admit
free Of duty the wool of such South American
countries as open their markets free of
duty to certain of our natural products.
OF course the result of such an arrangement
would be to stimulate immensely tba
raising of woel in South America. and tho
grades of wool, too, that are most demanded
in the American market. The Argentine
Republic, Chill, Uruguay and Brazil are all
peculiarly adapted to the raising of wool.
not coarse wool merely. but wool of all kinds,
and it can be raised there cheaper and in
greater abundance than in the United States,
Only few years would pass before the i'm.
portation of wool into this country from
these South American countries would be
enormous, and the prediction made by the
American Wool Growers Association that
the American wool grower would be driven
out of business would be realized.
line Ld1lU OH WOUl 10 llb CuI6I cornerstone
of the protective system. The free traders
understand that perfectly, and therefore
their assaults have been largely confined to
this article. They have believed, and with
good reason, that the whole structure would
tumble If this foundation stone could be re-
moved. Therefore they hailed this PROPOSE
ton to admit South American woods free Of
duty with delight, apprehending that its
pfactlcal effect would be the same as the
removal OF the tariff from all importations
OF WOOL no matter from what countries.
Mr. Blaine himself evidently feresaw this
danger in his proposition. and sought to
guard against II by combining the wool to be
admitted free to carpet WOOL But it is very
doubtful if any regulations could be made.
and enforced which would effectually accom-
piish this restriction. At any rate it is
pretty evident from the tone of the address
OF the National Wool Growers Association
that they are not ready to try the exneri.
ment.