The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-16

uenclencies aggregated Sl,OO9,OUO. OUO-.4O per
capita annually or more than $500 OGO 900 each
year-sbOut a third of all the money in exist
enoe in the United States. When we take
from our currency the $780, coo of gold held
for redemption purposes in the treasury. the
reserves required IN the national banks and
the different reserves held from circulation in
other ways find that these expenditures
reached annually nearly one-bRlf OF oil the
money in actual circulation. Can there be
permanent prosperity while one-half or even
one-thlrd OF all the money has to go through
the hands of federal tax-gatherer every year.
besides the taxes for state county and muni-
cipal purposes? There is 3 remedy. Impose
less taxes and spend less. That is what this
congress means TO DO.
Where Is the Bsucfi?
Mr.. Chairman, the tariff law has now been
in operation for one year and five months.
Where the beneficial effects that to
follow from it? Where is that magnificent
price the farmer and wOOlgrower was TO real
ize? Where are the increased wages the labor
ing man was TO get? / see before me many
men who voted for that mOnstrOus measure. IL
the facts were with them they would proclaim
them 10 the world. l DEFY contradiction when
i say the farmer has realized from cents to 3
cents less on the pound from his wOOlthan he
did before. And challenge any representa-
tive here 10 point 20 single line OF manufact-
ures in which the laborers' wages have been
increased by that law.
ne ldpoTer mas Dten lorceQ TO pay more Tor
the roof that shelters him, Tor the hat that
covers his head, aud the woOlens that cover his
back. He has had 90 pay more for the linen
he wears the hammer and hoe which he works
with. Yet his wages have not gone up cent
W hat benefit has increased protection been to
him! 1t was passed under pTetense OF de-
sire to benefit him, yet, whilst wages stand
still or 20 down, what he. his wife and children
consume has been increased in price uncon-
sclonably- ask aug OF the republicans OF the
committee OF ways and means 10 point TO Q
single laborer whose wages have been increased
by that law. II it dimnishes the revenue re-
eeived by the government il II does not in
crease the value Of the raw material to the
farmer, If II does not increase the wages OF the
laborer, If il fosters trusts, II 1t makes pooling
profitable, in heavens name let Us not further
legalize the robbery, but try some better
method.
Farm Values DEPRECATED.
Hearings were had before the ways and
means committee on the Mex ;aley bil Some
farmers and representatives OF agricultural
associations came before the committee. With
out single exception so iar MS / now remem-
Der, they testified that the value Of farms had
gone down within the last six years all the
way from % 10 80 per cent. Among those who
came urging relief Tor the people came the
many who sought TO still further exact tribute
from the people for their own enrichment.
Ii 10 had been less serious it would have been
ludicrous to behold. The solemnity and SEEM
ing sincerity with which they asked congress.
while The treasury was overlooking with sur
plus. 20 levy higher import duty on the things
the people must consume, IN order that their
capital might declare greater dividend, and
thelE demand was needed.
The Duiy on Wool.
The duty on wool was in 1867 placed at IL
cents pound on unwashed wool. This was
by an agreement entered into between the
National association of wool manufacturers
and the National association OF wool growers,
and they dictated the terms to congress. IL
was claimed that this would foster the sheep
industry and increase the value OF wool to the
farmer. What were the resU.tG? In lS6S. the
year after the enactment of the law raising the
duty wool. there were 81, 6S5 COO sheep in
the states east OF the Missouri and Mississippi
rivers. In 1891 there were only lS476000 sheep
in the same territory, reduction OF more than
one-half IN the twentyfour years when the
high tariff on wool had been in fOrce-this in
face OF the fact that the people in these states
had vastly increased. If the increase of sheep
had kept pace with the increase OF population
there would have been probably 10, 100000. Great
things were promised 10 the state OF Ohio in
the way of increase in the sheep husbandry by
an increased tax on wool. That state had in
1868 673OOOO sheep; 70 1870 II had only
ASS. 900; IN 1850 4OSC.OOO in 1883, 1850 900:
in $50 ithad but 1916, 600 though in 1891 It had
4,16l, OOO-a falling OF OF more than One-third
in the state OF Ohio during the twenty-one
years of protective tariff on wool, and in that
time the population had increased more than
one million.
Mr. Chairman. the results are not more en-
cOuraging In the state Of Illinois, which had, IN
1868 .. 1856 600 sheep, and in 1891 only III GOO.
So might 90 through the eastern states. Al
though investigation of the question shows
that the increase in the sheep industry has
been in the West. where the grazing was cheap.
The price of wool at this time was about one
half what IL was at the time OF the passage of
the act Of March ., 1867. The whole matter
may be sum med mp IN the fact that after
twenty-five years OF experiment with high
reduction of one-half in the number Of sheep
in the states east OF the Mississippi aud Mis-
souri, rivers. and a reduction Of about one-half
in the price Of wool.
NIanufacturers Hurt Too.
Nor have the results been encouraging to
wool manufacturers. They have been re-
stricted as TO the quantity OF wool they could
afford 10 buy in the grease by reason OF the
tariff; they have been restricted in markets
substantially 10 their own country. They have
been forced % use EhOddy as a substitute for
wooden goods. The rags that had already
fallen from the backs OF beggars in other
countries have been used as a substitute for
wool. SO great was this that petition came
M from one city. Philadelphia, signed by MT.
Herwig and others, claiming TO represent 1900
lab0Ters in the textile industries, demanding
free wool for the manufacturers Of the United
States. The tax of II cents pound on wool
IL must be remembered, - not a tax on pure
wool, but is IL cents a pound on al tho grease
in wool and the dirt in the grease and
Is said TO amount to 4lcentson every pound
of finished cloth.
Shoddy.
Mr.. Chairman, this high tax on wool has
forced the use of vast quantities Of substitutes
for wOOl-shOddy. mungO and other adulter-
ants used in the manufacture of wooden goods
According 10 the report II is seen that these
substitutes have taken the place Of the deeces
OF 29OJO,OOO sheep, or about two-thirds as
many ms there are in the whole United States
Mr.. Chairman. the first quarter Of u century
OF the history OF the government there was no
duty i'm posed on wool. The first duties that
were imposed were Insignificant as compared
with those now in existence. The pretense
that a high duty would increase the number of
sheep in the older states has not been verified.
The value OF wool Of similar quality
has varied very little in the mar.
kets of Boston and London since
that duty was imposed, occasionally a
little higher abroad. sometimes little higher
in this country, but the average advance in IA
vor Of one country the other has not been
one-iiflh the duty imposed by our government,
which proves eonclusively that, while the cost
to the consumer has been increased by the
duty and the possibilities Of the manufacturers
have been restricted both in market and guam
tity, the sheep husbandmen have derived no
substantial gain. The tariff rates levied at the
close Of the revolutionary war were not one
sixth Of those imposed by the present law.
Those levied, 10 carry on the war with Great