Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-08-27
SPRINGER AND THE FARMER.

What His Free Wool Bill Would Mean
to Our AgricuIturists.
Some one pointed out to Mr.. Springer
that we collected So, SOC, 900 of revenue
last year from wool, which his bill pro-
poses to admit free, and that his scaling
down of duties on other things involved
further reduction of revenue, on last
years importations as basis, of $19,-
500,0 more. "Oh, there will be no
loss of revenue" he in effect replied.
1.-The lower duties on woolens and
worsteds will invite larger importations,
80 that just as much revenue will result
from the lower rates as was last year OBJ
tanned from the Mckinley duties"
Do the American people realize the
Specification of that brief statement?
Last year we imported $43, 900, 900
worth of wool manufactures. AT the
decreased rates fixed in the Springer bill
they average about &c per cent. on last
years imports as basis-we should
have to import $115, 600, 900 worth, an in.
crease of $72, 000, 900 over 1891, in order
to make up the SEQ, 900, 900 deficiency in
revenue. This, remember, is what Mr..
Springer himself says would take place.
What effect would this increase in i'm
ported goods have on domestic industry?
First, as to the farmer: The $72, OOO. 600
increase in manufactured wool would
contain PIG, 900, 900 pounds of raw wool,
which would come in to take the place
of $4,000, 900 worth of goods now made
in this country of domestic wool, and to
reduce the demand for the product of
our own sheep growers by 2l6,O00, 600
pounds. But this is not all Since Mr..
Springer admits that mere decrease in
duties will increase imports SO enormous
ly, certainly he cannot deny that his re-
moving the whole duty from raw wool
will tend to increase imports of it also.
AT the very least we should import no
less of foreign raw wool than was i'm
ported last year. when the amount was
100000 pounds OF this $4,000, 900
pounds were carpet wool, which we
should have to import any way, since it
Is not and, as Free-traders contend, can
not be successfully produced here.
We consume, at liberal estimate,
OVOfOSVtONO
United States. We can safely assume
that the amount would not go above
that figure the first year of Mr.. Springer's
policy if it should be inaugurated by the
present congress. Now let us see where
the farmer would come out:
There would be- imported of manu-
features Of WOOL
.. Pounds
st3,O0000O, last years amount, repre-
senting of raw wool. .............. 100000
Plus S72,GO,0O0, Mr.. Springer's in
crease, representing of raw wool. 2lG0OO,0OO
There would be imported of raw
WOOL
Clothing and combing, last years
amount. .;....;.:.;................. 100000
Carpet woods, which we must i'm
port...................... $4,000
Total imports of wool.............. 4C4.OOO.OOO
Total demand for wool in United
States. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. GOOOD,OOO
Difference, to be supplied by Ameri-
can formers. Observation-Disclosures. IBOOO.OOO
But they raised last year. Sl3OOO,OOO
Difference, or shrinkage in domestic
demand. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. lG7 0m,00o
Here would be 167, 900, 900 pounds of
American farmers wool left on their
hands after the home market had been
fully supplied
What would they do with it? There
is but one answer. They must sell it for
what it would bring-low enough to IN
dersell the cheapest wool in the world.
The existence of such an enormous sur
plus, over half Of the whole domestic
product, would send the market so low
that farmers would again slaughter their
tiocks for tallow. Never again would
good times return for our sheep owners
while the free wool policy prevailed.
Even when domestic production had
fallen the necessary 167, 900, 900 pounds,
the pressure Of cheap Australian, Afri-
can and Argentine wool upon the market
would continually tend to send prices
even lower and lower till American
sheep raising was confined to the semi
desert plains of the west. There it might
be possible for some wool TO be grown,
but our main dependence must be upon
foreign woods. This is the inevitable
logic of Mr.. Springer's admission, and it
would be well for American farmers to
understand what it means to them.
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