Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1891-08-06
AMERICAN WOOL PRICES.
A Plain Statement Of the Situation by An
Unprejudiced Journal.

Arecent issue of the American Econo-
mist, of New York, contains the fol
lowing able article on American woods
and prices and the benefits derived
from the Mckinley bill:
President Cleveland's message pro-
posing free wool created much con-
sternation among the wool growers
lest the price OF American wool should
be depressed to the level OF foreign
woods by placing wool upon the free
list.
When congress revised the tariff in
1890, the leading wool growers asked
for the very moderate increase upon
raw wool OF l cent per pound. What
they most desired was the correction
OF two serious abuses by which the
spirit and intent of the law of 1883
was avoided. Clothing woods of low
grade were being imported as carpet
woods. The growers asked that these
qualities be reclassified so as to pay
the same duties as other clothing
woods. Highly purified secured wool,
after having been carded and then
combed into top. was broken up in
order to give it the appearance OF
waste, so that it might be admitted
under the commercial name OF waste
at only one-third it's proper duty.
Outside of the correction of these
two abuses, the wool growers asked
for only one cent per pound additional
duty, which was all the increase that
they thought WAS practicable in the
schedules upon raw wool at this time.
They were aware that they were suf-
fering from inadequate protection
upon manufactures of wool. Ameri-
can wooden mills were failing and the
consumption of wool in the United
States was decreasing, while woolen
manufacture was being transferred
from America to England at a rapid
rate, pointing in the near future to
the destruction of the home market
for American wool. They therefore
urged the Importance of such neces-
sary incl eased duties upon manufac-
lures OF wool as would lead to the
making i'm this country of the wooden
fabrics formerly made here, but recently
imported.
Now, after eight months experience
with the Mckinley bill, wool growers
are satisfied that if the bill is given a
fair trial it will give them the degree OF
protection on wool which they en-
pected and asked for. Some disap-
pointment exists because OF the recent
decline of woods i'm the outside markets
of the world, causing a corresponding
decline in the United States, but the
woolgrowers realize that their wool
sells for more money in the seaboard
cities of the United States by IL cents
per pound than the same wool would
bring in the London market, and
while they regret the downward tend
ency OF clothing wool prices all over
the wool, they are aware that but Tor
the timely passage OF the Mckinley
bill, owing to inadequate protection TO
manufacturers of wool, they must
ultimately have taken very much
lower prices for their wool than they
are now receiving.
Well informed wool growers believe
that failure to pass the Mckinley bill
would have been followed by prices
for wool 3 cents per pound lower than
to-day's prices, and the passage OF the
Mills bill in it's place would have been
followed by decline of 12 cents per
pound to bring American wool to the
level of similar woods in London, the
latter market dominating prices for
the whole outside world. The Nc
Kinley bill has caused a decrease in
the Importation OF manufactures OF
wool during the first half of the year
1891 and has stimulated greatly manu-
featuring in the United States, causing
an enormous increased consumption
of wool conservatively estimated at
over 5000, 900 pounds per month.
This view is strengthened by the in
creased importation of foreign woods
during the same period. 1t was known
that an increased manufacturing OF
wool i'm America must necessarily at
first be accompanied by increased i'm
portations of wool, as the process OF
increase in American stock is slow.
A large percentage OF lambs find their
way to market for mutton and never
produce more than their first crop OF
wool.
The United States Consul, Griffin, at
Sydney, Australia, reports that the
wool growers OF that continent re-
ceived nearly 25 per cent. less for their
clip now being marketed in London
than they obtained for the previous
years clip. The American wool
grower in Northern Ohio is receiving
80 cents per pound for the washed
fleece clipped from Shropshire sheep,
as against 33 cents last year, a decline
of only ten per cent. The same sheep
in Canada are producing exactly the
same wool, which is selling at only lS
cents, as against 80 cents in Ohio.
The passage OF the Mckinley bill,
coming opportunely as 1T did just
before decline in wool all over the
world, saved the American grower
from disaster.
The Mckinley bill is daily leading to
the manufacture in the United States
of wooden fabrics that heretofore were
imported. AS an illustration, we point
to the largest importer of worsted in
Philadelphia, who, under the tarif
law OF 1888, manufactured his goods
in Bradford, England, paying the gov
ernment here nearly 81 900, 900 duties
upon his neutrality-suspicious. OF cloth.
That firm, owing to the Mckinley bill,
have discontinued manufacturing in
England, and have removed their ma
chinery to mill on the banks of the
Delaware river, and are now prepar-
ing to manufacture in this county the
goods they formerly imported. Ameri-
can labor now uses their raw material
the largest portion OF which is grown
| i'm America, whereas before they used
none grown in America. We append
| the following extract from a recent
circular of Justice Bateman X Co.
which gives the situation in a few
words:
The outlook is promising for a large
consumption of American wool. The
decline in foreign wool and goods is
responsible for the lower prices fol
American wool as compared with this
time last year, yet as the consump
ton of wool in the United States is
increasing, as it is under the Mckinley