The Forrest City times., 1891-05-08
PROVING THE PUDDING.
CLOTH EXAMINED UNDER THE
 MICROSCOPE.

CLOTH EXAMINED UNDER THE
 MICROSCOPE.
 A Tsrfff Lssssn-Cloth Made by High
 Tari6 Msnufaoturers and by Free Wool
 Advocates = High TariR Makers of
 shoddy Goods.
 The New York Dry Goods Economist . protectionist trade paper which wants free wool, has hit upon . novel method of carrying on it's agitation against the wool tax. There is In Philadelphia an organization called the Manufacturers Club, which is devoted to the high Mo Kinley tariff with its high duties on wool. In New England is another or ganization called the Wool Consumers Association, a body of wool manufactur- CTS who want the wool d1ty removed.
 The Economist has undertaken to analyze the cloth manufactured by prom inent members of these two organiza- tions to see if it can discover any reasons why they should differ so radically on the subject of the wool tax. The result of this examination is very interesting from a tariff standpoint. It shows that the men who want a high tax on wool use a large quantity of shoddy and cot ton in making what they call wooden cloth, and that tEe free wool men mako good, honest woolen cloth with only slight mixture of shoddy.
 The first examination made was on the goods manufactured by Thomas Do Ian, the President of the Manufacturers Club The Economist said that one fab. ric of this manufacturer, which was sold at S1. 50 to $l. 75 per yard, was found to be @composed of 8 worsted warp made from delaine wool, which entirely com poses the face of the cloth and consti- tutes 2s per cent of it's weight The filling makes the balance of 72 per cent, and is entirely cotton and shoddy. in the proportion of 92H per cent of cotton and 75@ per cent. of shoddy.
 sWe have also before us" the Econo- ,atst goes on to say, "a finer fabric of the same order in fancy trousering selling at S2 421S, to ell appearances solid worsted fabric, both face and back. An examination, however, proves these ap- pearances are deceptive. The fabric IS of class known as filling cord stripe, having a slight mixture of silk twist be- tween the cords. The worsted Is of three-eighths and delaine stock, yet every alternate pick of filling is cotton, as is also the warp between the filling cord and the back warp. Thus we have . cloth which every one but an expert would call an all-wool worsted cloth, yet contains 21 per cent of cotton and 79 per cent of worsted. The production of this mill is much superior to most of tho cotton filled woroteds that are on the market"
 Over against this is the report on tho goods manufactured by Jesse Metcalf, one of the most prominent manufactur- CTS of the Wool-Consnmers' Association. Two fabrics of this manufacturer were examined The Econo7nist says:
 "The low-priced fabric, at S2. 25 less per cent, contains 73 per cent of delaine worsted, while 27 per cent of carded wool yarn containing small percentage of shoddy is used for ba king.
 "The high-priced fabric sells at SETS less 5 per cent. and is similarly built cloth to the lower one, but made of somewhat finer grade of wool The de- laine wool is mixed with Australian. and of . worsted made from this blend the weight. The backing comp poses tho bal ance of the g per cent, and is made of . somewhat finer stock than the g.. 25 grade"
 Another examination was made of the goods of the Camden woolen mills and the Weybosset mills The treasurer of the former mill Is John T. Bottomly, who was appointed by the Msnufactur- CTS Club to assist in arranging the wool schedue of the Mckinley law. Mr Bottomly was so successful in getting high duties put on wool that he was ban kvv ia r1trk iwt. the goods of High Tariff Bottomly the goods brings us to the conclusion that wool is only used in limited quantity. It is a safe assertion to make that the production of heavy weight woolen goods of this mill contain at least 70 per cent of cotton and shoddy." Another speci. men of fancy cassimere twill was found to contain Fl per cent of cotton.
 William B. Weedom, of the Weybos set Mills, is prominent in the Wool Con- sumers' Association. The goods of this manufacturer are reported to be "as well and honestly made as goods can be-" "We have not come across fabric in which particle of cotton Is to be found.s @Such an analysis" says the Economist, sis ono of which any mill may be justly proud, and is an analysis that should entitle tho mill making such goods to voice and very loud voice in the fram. ing of any legislation pertaining to woolens."
 This is striking tariff lesson. Tho manufacturers who clamor for . high wool duty are clothing the people with cotton and shoddy; those who want free wool are making solid woolen cloth. Choose ye whom ye will serve.