The morning call., 1890-04-03
AMERICAN Wool.
Secretary Rusk Champions the
Cause of the Grower.
Tariff Determinations and Tricks of Import
ers That Work Injuries to the
Home Market

Secretary Rusk in lengthy communica-
tion to Secretary North of the Wool Manu-
facturers Association of Boston, regarding
the capacity of the United States for pro-
ducing every variety of wool, says:
am glad that you coincide with me in
my contradiction of the absurd statement
that there are considerations of climate and
soil that forbid the production of all kinds
Of wool required by our manufacturers.
Fashion for many years leading in the
direction of strong medium woods and soft
worsted woods in all manufacturing coun-
tries, has limited the general demand for
fine woods and kept the price relatively low.
thus delaying the creation of demand
upon our growers for fine wool.
That the demand is yet very small for
very fine wool is shown by the fact that in
the extraordinary Importation of the last
fiscal year only % per cent was clothing
wool of any kind, a class which includes
every family and grade of merino wool.
AS to carpet woods, a considerable area of
the United States, in the lower ATTITUDES
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, formerly
produced them almost exclusively. | quote
the testimony OF the late DIR. HAYES, that
we have produced admirable carpet woods
In Colorado equal in whiteness, length of
staple and strength to the best COrdoya,
because proceeding from sheep Of the same
race imported from South America and
Mexico" Why has the supply fallen off {?
Because such woods have sometimes been
on the free list and at others admitted at
nominal rate of duty. More than rs, OO0, 900
pounds OF this class was last year admitted
at 2 " cents per pound, and almost q, 00O, 600
pounds OF so.called carpet-wool at cents
per pound. These latter cost nearly as
much per pound as the clothing or merino
woods, and are suitable for a great variety
OF valuable and popular fabrics, dispacng
an equal quantity of the best American
woods.
The manufacture of carpets is increasing
with increase of population, for we have
manufactured practically our supply of
carpets for many years. The imports are
OF trlfilng moment. Now l call your at
tenion to the significant fact that we have
| not doubled the manufacture during the
past i've years, though we now import
twice as much assumed carpet wool as in
1880 to 1883 inclusive, namely, $4,000, 900
pounds in the last fiscal year as against an
average of 100000 pounds during the
years mentioned.
selected from Europe. Asia and South
America, from all the woods of the world
! except those of merino or English origin
not merely for carpets, but for the diver
sltied uses to which skill and enterprise
can turn them in competition with the two
other grades, Is not only swelling the wool
Importation, but depressing seriously the
industry Of woodworking. As If such flood
gate. was not sufficiently opened, the greed
OF importation actually manufactures
waste" far more valuable than the high
est grade of uncleaned wool for admission
by IA side gate. 1t is these determinations,
and the tricks and frauds that accompany
them. that have given such volume to the
imports of carpet-wools for two or three
| years past, and have worked SUCH injury to
| our wool-growers.
There is conclusive and overwhelming
| authority for the statement that we have
grown and can grow all kinds of wool of all
races OF sheep; and ample testimony to the
TACT that the limitation OF the manufacture
| ing demand, and the inequalities and eva
| sions OF custom duties, have been the mai n
factors in the insufficency of supply of
certain kinds. These Determinations have
| forced the attempt to produce merino wool
IN climate better suited to coarse wool
breeds, which are harder, require less care,
produce more lambs, and raise a larger pro-
| portion OF their young than the merino
race. In this day of low prices, it is a bad
time to repress diversity of production, or
at any point cut off the limited resources of
the farmer.
III conclusion l must dissent emphatically
from your view that carpet woods cannot be
economically grown, rs | have shown, and
can prove DY large array OIL authorities,
that large quantities of the finest carpet
woods nave been grown, and that their pro-
| duction was abandoned in consequence OF
| the low and practically nominal rate of duty
at which they we're admitted. have stood
hrmly Tor the protection of the manufac-
turer, and must insist on an equal protec-
ton OF the woolgrOwers, IN all classes of
wool, as it is shown that under favorable
conditions all kinds of wool can be grown
mere. am sure that the quality, the relia-
bility, sutficiency and cheapness of your
supply of woods depend upon home produc-
ton, and that encouragement and failure
OF the growers will lead inevitably to q
variable, unreliable and dearer supply, and
reduction i'll quality of the product |
would amend the classification to shut the
present open door for the admission of
woods to be freely used in competition with
the clothing and worsted classes, and SO in
crease the duty on the carpet woods as to
encourage the grower to furnish the supply
OF that grade, as he claims to be fully able
N r.tnS IN do