The Portland daily press., 1890-01-04
WOOL GROWERS HAVE THEIR INNINGS
While the Manufacturers Take Part
in the Came.
Uncle sam Has No Work for Mr..
Thomas a. Jones.
He Helped the Assassin of Lincoln
to Escape.


House ways and means committee today.
Hon. VIM. Lawrence of Ohio, said the du-
ties which he was instructed by the National
Wool Growers Association to ask to have
inserted in the bill, were not all prohibit
tory, but only so to limited extent. The ef-
feet Of the tariff of 1888 had been to cut
down vastly the numbers of our sheep. With
free wool, the wool industry would be prac-
tically abandoned in the United States.
John 4. Rich of Michigan, representative
of the Michigan Merino Sheep Association.
said the needs and situation of that Associa-
tion were identical with those of the average
wool grower Of Michigan. They desired no
reduction of the duty on wool and protection
from frauds in importations.
James Dobson of Philadelphia, carpet
manufacturer, addressed the committee.
There were no men, he said, who would go
further in the protection cause than the car
pet manufacturers, but they did not want TO
be bounded, as they had been for years, by
wool growers and wool dealers. If there
was to be free trade, let 1t be free trade pure
world take their chances. Mr.. DObson ar
gued that the wool growers Of the United
States would not and could not produce the
quantity of carpet wool used in that indus
I try, because where they received S1.50 for
the fleece of a fine wool sheep, they would
not receive % cents for that OF a coarse wool
sheep.
WIN. Whitman of Boston, president Of the
National Association of Wool Manufactur-
ers, presented memorial and resolutions
adopted by that association. The associa-
ton took the position not to attempt to fix
the duty on wool but to leave that to the
committee, without remark or comment The
prevailing sentiment among the manufac-
turers connected with the organization was
a preference for the maintenance OF the ex-
listing duties. The present rates should not
be increased They would certainly oppose
any attempt to restrict Importation of for
eign wool. 1t would be impossible for wool
manufacturers to produce all the goods nec-
essary for home consumption unless they
could have foreign wool. The wool manu-
facturers. he said, were willing to have
protective duty on wool, but not prohibito-
ry or restrictive duty.
The witness was asked by Mr.. Brecken-
ridge whether. il the wool manufacturers of
the United States had free wool, they could
enlarge their market by sales to foreign
stances would free wool enable
the wool manufacturers to make an
impression on foreign markets. Mr.. Breck-
enridge then asked: "Would free wool give
you an increased market in this country?"
The witness-"I think there can be hardly
ulate production and would give us an op +.
portunity to displace the foreign product
now used here. think the effect Of free
wool would be to diminish the price OF wool
and consequently discourage sheep raisers.
The moment We begin to take from the
worlds product any given amount Of wool,
the price would be raised and the probability
is the wool would become considerably dear
er than n0w."
T. G. Search CT Philadelphia, representing
ookK. al
ness. He declared himself in harmony with
the views expressed by the last witness and
argued to prove that the duty on yarns and
woolen cloth should be Just four times as
great as the duty on unwashed wool, now 10
cents per pound, with 40 and 80 per cent. ad-
ditional, ad valorem.
A statement on the same subject and to
the like eff5ct was made by w. III. Fullwell,
Philadelphia cloth manufacturer. He an
nounced his idea to be in favor of putting
high duties on southern products, sugar.
rice, turpentine and peanuts, and having
free whiskey and free tobacco.
Mr.. McMillan-You would have free whis-
key and taxed sugar?"
Witness-"I would only tax sugar that
comes from abroad until we could supply the
whole demand ourselves"
Alexander Z. Kursheedt of Philadelphia, a
braid manufacturer, argued In favor of a
specific duty of rs cents pound on braids
and 80 perlcent. ad valorem.
JOuu T. iulDuitI VI NbW lOTk, uecIdTeu
there was no country where man could get
as good suit Of clothes tor as little money
as in the United States.
Mr.. Shepherd, a wool grower Of Texas,
said that with sufficient protection the Unit
ted States could raise all the carpet wool
consumed in the country He desired that
the government should impose the same du-
ty one class of goods as another. He would
have the duty on all wool 10 cents a pound.
He said if the Mills bill went into effect the
wool growers of Texas would have to go out
of business.
Mr.. Mills put series of questions de-
signed to make the witness admit that 10
cents a pound on wool was protection Of cap
ital and not of labor.
Witness replied that he would like to rob,
not the poor man, but the rich men, such as
Congressman and Senators who were rob-
bing the sheep raisers by not giving them
their dues. He declared that he was Dem
ocrat in all but free trade. He couldn't
stand that. IlH He said the wool growers OF
Texas, without regard to party, favor pro-
lection,