Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-02-27
FOR r WOOL.
The "WOOl Consumers Association" Petl-
tlOn Congress For Free Wool and Lower
IlnAlna IN Nnnlnn E.nnAr

representative OF the United states;
The Wool Consumers Association
respectfully petitions the Iitty.second
congress to change schedule X relating
to wool and wooleus, in the tariff act
of 1890, for the relief of wooden manu-
facturers, and for the benefit of all
consumers of wooden fabrics.
1t is of course, undesirable in gen.
eral, to change tariff frequently, but
the general principles of the act of
1890, as applied to wool and woolens,
are the same as have been tried unSat-
isfactorily for very many years, except
that it aggravates some OF the worst
and most oppressive features of former
acts in relation to wool.
The act has therefore practically
been tested by the trials of many years,
and there is no occasion to test it by
longer experience. 1t is not true that
the act, in its preser form. can work
no harm to wooden manufacturers, 1t.
works the same injury to the makers
of wooden and worsted cloth that the
restrictions on the use of wool always
have produced; and, in the case of the
carpet trade, which a very
large proportion of all the imported
wool, and it is the most oppressive act
ever passed.
The wool schedule (K) Of the tariff
act of 1890 offers an exceptional oppor-
tunity, by amendments making wool
free and relatively decreasing both the
specific aud ad valorem duties on
wooden goods, to benefit immensely
the wooden manufacturers by giving
them free access to the supplies of wool
of various qualities, such as all other
competing manufacturing countries en-
joy, and by reducing thus without in
jury to manufacturers the cost of their
goods to them and to the consumers,
while leaving sufficient protection.
With free raw materials, the tax on
imports of competing goods would be
almost entirely for the protection of
labor; and as free raw materials would
greatly increase the consumption,
there would be an increased demand
for labor.
Neither is it true that no harm has
come to consumers by the law OF 1890.
In the first place, the increased cost of
wool, as compared with prices in
Europe, has forced the use of cotton
and other adulterants to a great aud
unusual extent; and, secondly, if wooden
goods have not advanced, they might
have been lower but for the duties on
wool. There is no question among
manufacturers that the act of 1880 was
intended to advance prices, nor that it
was we'll calculated to do 50 to the ex-
tent that could afford. The
almost universal fall in prices was
caused in very small degree, if at all,
by the tariff act of 1890. The tremend-
GUS losses in the Argentine republic
and elsewhere, the failure OF the Bar
ings, the distrust caused by silver leg
~islation, the low price of cotton IN the
south on account of an enormous crop,
the failure OF crops in the north and
west prior to 1891, causing dull trade
and reduced consumption, are the
principal causes that brought distress
and falling prices.
What those manufacturers and wool
growers who arranged the wool sched-
ule with the intention of increasing
prices want is, no doubt, to be let
alone, so that the tariff act NAV pro-
duce under more favorable auspices
the results they expected and worked
for. But the rest that the public needs
! i= "a a,,art ,-aliaf f.oro t,-,- ..l.l,
Cypress both them and manufacturers,
which hamper the latter, as every
manufacturer admits, and which
largely increase the cost Of wooden
goods to the public. The reimbursement
OF the tariff on the basis of free wool
is perfectly simple; it needs hut the re-
moval of the duties on wool and a cor
responding reduction Of the duties on
goods which were put on to offset the
the cost of the wool duties Here is a
great boon to every manufacturer of
wool and to every consumer.
The growth of the wool manufacture
has undoubtedly been great during the
past thirty years, for the country, with
its vast natural ~our and enorm-
GUS immigration, has increased vastly
in population and wealth; but the
growtlLof the manufacture would be
much more prosperous and much
greater with free wool, and its growth
and prosperity mean larger use of do.
nestle woods and higher prices abroad
for all competing woods.
II iS olanr fr,n tho ct,tar,o,t, - A..
National Association of Wool Manu-.
facturers and from undoubted facts,
emphasized by the vast increase in the
imports of wool since the passage of
the act Of 1890 and by the falling prices
OF Ohio wool, that this country pro.
duces practically 10 carpet wool to
supply the demand for nearly 100, OOO,.
900 pounds needed by the carpet manu-
%facturers, and only a part of the cloth
ing and combing woods nee led; and it
is further to be considered that the use
of wool for so-called "woolens' would
be much larger if the restrictions of
the wool duties did not greatly reduce
the consumption of wool and largely
increase the use of shoddy and cotton
in so-called wooden goods.
And this is the case after a long
series of years of high duties on wool.
In the theory of the new protection"
1t is laid down as a principle that ''the
necessities entering into the daily life
of the mass of the people which we
canuot economically produce should be
made free"
On this principle wool should certain
ly be made free. 1t is a most impor-
tant article for all the people. 1t is
produced in this country in inadequate
quantities, and not in the necessary
varieties and qualities. Some indis-
pensable grades can be produced in this
country only under conditions unfavor-
able as compared with those of other
countries. High duties for a quarter
of a century have failed to produce any
carpet wool in this country, and have
also failed to produce an adequate sup
ply OF the woods needed for the wooden
and worsted manufacture. And, as
wool can be made free with a large re.
duction in cost of goods and with very
little disturbance of trade or of inter.
ference with sufficient protection, il is
only reasonable that the changes sup.
gested in schedule X Of the act of 1880
should be made for the benefit of the