The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-13
FREE WOOL.
1t Would Slaughter Our Flocks-We Must
Protect Our Sheep as Well as Our Seals.

That the supremacy of the Democratic
party would be menace to the prosper
ity of this country Is'clearly illustrated by
the vote on the free-wool bill In the House.
That bill to put wool on the free list
should pass the House by a vote of 1874 to
60 is truly alarming. While We stand
ready to 60 to war with England to protect
our seals in Behring sea, that our people
may be clothed with furs, the Democratic
party is trying to destroy our fiOcks which
furnish wool to clothe this n alton and
which has required hundred years of
| lection to build up. This is not only
blow at leading agricultural interest, in
| which S15O.OOO.OOO are invested, but it
strikes at one Of the two great prime ne.
cessities of our existence. which are food
and clothing. Wooden clothing is o prime
| necessity to the existence of every man.
woman and child of the 65. 900. 600 of people
who compose this Nation. The first thing
they do in the morning each and every
one of them, for six months in every year.
Is to cl0the themselves in wooden garments,
and the last thing they do at night is to
cover themselves with wooden blankets
Wool 10 not only prime necessity to
the existence of our people. but it Ia a mil
ltary necessity In time of war, for without
it the government could not blanket or
uniform our armies. We all recollect the
army during the late war for want of wool
which the South did not produce In suffi-
cient quantities to clOthe their people.
Shall this whole Nation be placed In their
condition during with England
any other nation with q navy strong
enough to cut off our foreign wool supply?
We cannot afford to allow ourselves to be-
come dependent upon any foreign country
for either food or clothing merely because
foreign products are cheapest. We should
raise enough food to feed. and sheep to
clothe this Nation. no matter what the cost
may be. to secure us against famines and
the dangers of war. This is tine dictate of
wisdom and prudence, and is correct
American economy.
But the Democrats claim that putting
wool on the free list will not endanRer our
locks. That our farmers with their high.
priced land and long winters. during
with the farmers of Australia and South
America. with their cheap lands and no
winters. OH the basis of free wool. IS self
evident But | will cite few facts con-
corning our past experience which will en-
able them to understand the effect of such
law. Prior TO the reduction of the duties
on wool by, the act of March 3, 1888. the du-
ties were about the same as they are under
the present law. Now let Us compare three
years under the old law before 1888 with
three years under the law of 1853. and
mark their effect. In 1876 We produced
200 900 pounds of wool, imported AZ. I'LL
152 pounds, and consumed 239. $3.50
pounds; IA per cent. of the amount con-
suned was foreign wool. In 1887 we pro-
duced 20e. 100000, imported 4S.449079. and
consumed 250, $4,000 pounds; lmpOrtatIOns
were 1879 per cent. In 1875 we produced
.2l1, 100000 imported 39.OC5.l55, and con-
sumed 245, $4,000 pounds importations
were 1879. In 1888 We produced 1000 600,
imported 7S.S5O65l. and consumed 376.-
per cent. This shows, under the
old law. steady advance under adequate
protection In the home production.
Now. how was it when the duties were
duced 302.00O.00O imported 129.OS4. 95S and
consumed 424, 400, 100 pounds: the importa-
lions amounted to 299 per cent In 1856
we produced 2s5.COOOO0. imported III. 03S.-
ESQ and consumed Se2. o5l. 7ss pounds; i'm
portatiOns. 1871 per cent. In 1857 we pro-
duced 2t9 100000 imported 1859. 1853 and
consumed 37S. 176.s5S pounds. impOrtations
being 29.6 per cent. of the amount con-
sumed. This shows a large decrease in the
home production and heavy increase in
importatOns under low duties. The mum.
Der of sheep In the United States were
duced by that act from 52.000000 to 42,C0J,-
OOO slaughter OF 100000 From these
facts the conc fusion is irresistible that put
ting wool on the free list means the
slaughter of our flocks. Our tlocks once
destroyed. great and profitable American
industry would be blOtted out. our wooden
factories left to the mercy of the English,
who control the wool clip of Australia and
South America, and instead OF cheaper
clothing it would inevitably result in
dearer clothing for our people. These
Democrats would be naked within a few
years IT we did not watch over them; they
would not raise wool enough to clOthe
them.
, Ii there is any grade of wool that our
factories use that cannot be produced
within the United States that grade should
be put on the free list, but every grade
that can be produced should be protected:
with our wide range of climate and soil. If
our present duties are continued In force.
there Ia 40 reason why we should not,
within few years, produce enough wool
to clOthe this Nation, and be as independ-
ent OF every nation on earth for clothing
as we are now for food. The low price of
wool last year was the result of general
shrlnkage of values caused by the appreci-
alton of gold. and not the result of act of
1880; but the price of wool has not de-
cllned since 1873 much as the price of
other products: it ranged in 1873. in the
New York market from 81 to 81 cents per
pound. while wheat ranged from Sl.55 to
S2.25 per bushel, and cotton from Is to 81
cents per pound. Until our home produc-
| tl0n exceeds our consumption. wool will
not decline in price result of protec-
| ton. But this Is not the reason why the
Democrats want wool on the free list: they
want a further decline. Cleveland's politI-
cal economy would be dangerous to this
country If backed by Democratic Con-
gress. Free trade and the gold standard
will do for England. but not for the United
| States. Protection and bimetallism are
| the true economy for this country.
ISAAC b. MORRIS.
RICHMOND, Ind April O.