Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-02-21
NUMBER ii.


q dolusion and a snare to the wool growers,
and that 1t has largely been instrumental In
driving to the wall an industry 1t was calcu-
lated to benefit.
second-Prior to 1867, under the various
changes Of the wool duties, the price OF wool
fuctuated, not In sympathy with the tariff.
but by reason of the ever controlling law of
demand and supply, the grower having re-
ceiyed high prices and low prices under high
tariffs, and, conversely, low prices and high
prices under low tariffs.
Thlrd--The success OF the wool grower de-
pends on the success of the WOODEN manu-
facturer, while the American manufacturer
Is seriously handicapped by reason of being
compelled to pay exorbltant tariff taxes on
every pound of clothing wool imported for
necessary admxture, while all foreign coun-
tries Of any consequence have ths benefit OF
free wool, and are thus enabled to undersell
| our manufacturers.
Fourth-The great wool tariff of 1867 re-
suited in driving from the eight chief wool
producing States-for whose special benefit
said tariff was conceived and passed-more
than 80 per cent. OF their sheep in single
| decade, while the price of wool declined in a
nearly corresponding ratio.
| Ffth-The Importation of foreign wool In.
creased from about 26.ooO,OOo pounds in 1867
to more than l26, 900 pounds in 1871, Just
|
| imposed on wool and woolens.
slSth-During eight of the past eighteen
| years the foreign price Of imported clothing
woods at the last port of export actually ex.
ceeded the price of our domestic fleece in the
markets OF Boston, New York or Phlladel-
pha, while in no single year did the domes-
tic woods bring the foreign price, plus the
duty,
Seventh-England France and Germany
| tI. 4ri, To-, al, a
that export woolen manufactures in excess
of the imports of raw wool; in other words,
these countries, by admitting wool free, have
created demand for their home wool in ex-
cess of all woods required to clothe their peo-
pie, and after giving employment to labor,
export more wool than they have imported.
The United States, on the other hand, by inn
posing a high duty on raw wool, has not only
destroyed our export trade, but so throttled
our manufacturers as to ruin the market for
domestic fleece and give to the English,
French and German manufacturers tho
cream of our market for cloths.
Eighth--The free importation Of raw wool
into the United States would knock out the
imports of wooden goods and would revive
the present depressed state OF our own man
ufacturers thus giving employment to labor
here and create an increased demand for our
strong woods for necessary admixture
Ninth-Recognizing the truth Of the above
facts, therefore, we, the members of the On.
tario and Livingston Sheep Breeders and
Wool Growers Association, in convention
assembled, most respectfully petition Con
gress to Immediately place wool and wooden
manufactures on the free list, in order that
these industries may again thrive and as
sumo that magnitude commensurate with
nation of 900 OF people
At this meeting Mr.. John NJ. Norton
read paper in which he denounced the
wool duty in the strongest possible
language. One effect of free wool Mr..
Norton explained in the following
words: "Therc is just one of our now
fat and thriving infant industries that
would gracefully turn up its toes at the
advent of free WOOL | refer, of course,
to that beautiful cherub, the shoddy
manufacturer.
the kind in the country and it has here
tofore been worked for all it was worth
in the interest of high protective duty
on wool. The meetings of the associa-
ton were in the habit of passing the
usual resolutions favoring high duties,
year asking for the immediate passage"
of the Mckinley bill.
Mr.. Norton in a letter to the editor of
the New York Standard, says: MANY
of us have for years been disgusted
with this course, but if any one offered
the slightest remonstrance he was
promptly jumped upon by the whole
gang and effectually squelched. had
resolved that if the opportunity ever Of
fered would stir them up little, any
how. So, when invited to read paper
at the meeting, | mixed them a mild
dose Just to see how it would work.
One year ago they would have jumped
upon me by the dozen and tried to choke
me off, but now they took their medi-
cine as meekly as lambs. In the dis
cussion that followed they didn't getup
and dust worth a cent"
1t is interesting to note that the two
counties in which this great change
has taken place were thoroughly can
vassed by the New York Reform Club
last year Representatives of the club
made forty-three speeches in the two
counties, six of these being joint de-
bates. Besides this, tariff reform litera-
ture was distributed at the meetings
and large number of documents We're
sent by mail to the farmers of the two
counties, Already this work is bearing
fruit.
When the wool-growers themselves
turn against the wool tax surely that
tax is doomed.