Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1890-01-16

Growers and Manufacturers Appear Before
the Ways and Means Committee Of the
House and Have Medicine Talk
With the Free Traders.

a paper before the ways and means
committee to-day to prove that with
sufficient protection the United States
could raise all the carpet wool con-
sumed in the country. Hesaid it cost
from 10 to ] : cents "a pound to pro-
duce fine wool i'm Texas. and it can
not be laid down i'm Boston for less
than 10 cents, while Australian wool
could be laid down there, without
duty, for q cents. The witness thought
10 cents a pound on all wool would
furnish adequate protection.
Mr.. Mills put u series OF questions
designed to make the witness admit
that the 10 cents pound duty on
| wool was the protection OF capital,
| not OF laboI-which was being robbed
the saidD to that extent.
The witness replied with much
| warmth that he would like to rob. not
the poor man, bat the rich men, such
rs congressman and senators, who
were robbing the sheep-raisers by not
giving them their dues. lie declared
that lie was n democrat-all but free
trade. lie could not stand that. He
had voted for President Cleveland the
first time and would have voted for
him the second time if he had not
sought to slaughter sheep-raisers on
the rack OF free trade.
The Hon. William Lawrence OF Ohio.
read "a paper in which he declared that
wool growers generally believed that
sound policy required the imposition
OF such a duty on carpet woods as
would shut out foreign woods and give
the entire market to home producers.
Replying to questions Mr.. Lawrence
said he was in favor OF abolshing the
tax on tobacco, and alcohol used i'm
the arts, and of admitting free of duty
tea and coffee and all other articles
which cannot be produced in this
country.
Mr.. Carlisle-"Are you in favor of
taking the duty off sugar?'
The Witness-"Suear does not fall
within the policy of a protective tariff.
for the reason that for more than
twenty years with protection the sugar
industry has not been developed to
supply more than 10 per cent. of the
consumption OF the country. We can
develop the wool industry so as to
supply all the wool we want"
Mr. Carlisle-"We have not done so
in 100 years. Would you take the
duty OIL sugar because we cannot pro-
duce enough to supply the wants OF
the country"
The Witness-''I would take the duty
OIL sugar as far as it is imposed for
merely protective purposes. But
would leave a revenue duty on every
foreign commodity that we cannot
mn al
wants of the United States.
Mr.. Carlisle-'Then YOU would put
a duty on tea and coffee because we
do not produce either OF them?"
The Witness-"As to what would be
a wise revenue system | submit that
that is a subject which has not been
assigned to me to discuss. Ii were
driven to the necessity OF putting u
duty on tea and coffee | would OF
course resort to it,
Mr.. Carlisle-''W ould not that he
inevitably the result OF your policy?"
The Witness-"1f necessary to save
the protective system ! would tax
whisky not merely 30 cents II gallon
bat 81 80 "A gallon, to the full extent
to which tine law could be enforced"
The Chairman-"ls it not one OF
the complaints against the protective
system that we are raising too much
revenue"
The Witness -"Yes, and all the
efforts OF the last administration and
OF the present one have not yet been
able to get rid OF the surplus"
Mr.. Lawrence then proceeded to
argue that an adequate duty on wool
and manufactured woolen goods
would not ultimately increase the
cost at all, because home competition
would prevent unreasonable charges,
while, II the protective policy were
and all such products were
imported from abroad. the result
would be that the American people
would be at the mercy of foreign trusts
and corporations.
Mr.. Carllsle-"That argument rests
on the assumption that the home in
iustry would be abandoned.
The Witness--"ies; the effect of the
tariff OF 1883 has been to cut down
vastly the number of our sheep. and
with free wool the wool industry
would be practically abandoned in
the United states"
VIEWS on MANuFAoTuRERs
Mr.. james Dobsou of PHILADELPHIA. "A
carpet manufacturer, denied I he correctness
pf many of Mr.. Lawrence's statements
There were no men, he said. who would 90
further in the protection cause than TIN.
carpet manufacturers; but they did not
want To be bounded as they have been for
years by the wool growers and wool deal
-rs. II there was to be free trade let il l.
free trade, pure and simple. and the carpet
would take their chances.
They asked nothing NOR, than To be nut
ht u mo la ax,1 10th
lecturers. Mr.. Hobsou argued that the
wool growers of the United states would
not and could not produce the quantity Of
carpet wool used in that industry, because
where they received : 80 for the fleece of
"A iine-wool sheep they would not receive
% cents for that of a coar-e-wool sheep.
Mr.. William Whitman of Boston. pre-i-
lent of the National Association of Wool
presented n memorial and
resolutions adopted 10y that association.
The associatioh took the position. he said
not to attempt to fix the duty ON wool
but te leave that to the committee without
or comment. He would say. how
-ver, that the prevailing sentiment among
The manufacturers connected with the or
WAS "a preference for the main
i.nance of the existing duties and that the
present rates should not be increased
They would certainly oppose any attempt
To restrict the importation of foreign wool.
oeeause IT would loo Impossible 10 produce
All the goods necessary for home coH~Ifnp-
ion unless they could have foreign wool
The wool manufactures he said. were
= Illing tn have protective dut on wool.
but not a prohibitory or restrictive duty.
After a long examination the witue-, was
ssked by Mr.. Breskinridge wheth ii the
WOOL manufacturers of the United states
lad free wool, they could enlarge their
market by sales to foreign countries. aud
Ie replied that under no circumstances
would free wool enable wool maEuf.rtur-
II to make an Impression en the foreign
narkets.
Mr.. Br-ckinridge Would free wool give
'ou an Increased market Ia this country .''
The Witness think there can be
Iardly any question but that IL would af
itrLLLL