Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-12-19
AN EXTRA SESSION
A WOOL EXPERTS OPINION ON THE
NECESSITY OF HOLDING 1T.

The Situation That Confronts the Woolen
manufacturer Is Grave and Must BE
Faced-Unless Free Wool Bill Is Passed
Soon the Industry viii Suffer.
The following letter to the New York
Evening Post is from Mr.. Abraham
Mills, recognized authority in the
woolen industry. If there We're not hun
dreds of other reasons, those given by
Mr.. Mills would be sufficient to justify
a dozen extra sessions of congress:
SIR-Wil you permit me as a veteran in the
trade to thank you for your editorial OF the
18th upon wool and woolens, and TO present
some ideas upon the same subject which would
hardly occur to any except those familiar with
the techniCalities of the trade?
The situation which confronts the woolen
manufacturer is this: In the near future we
are to have free wool and a smart reduction of
the duty on woolens This is us certain as any
thing human can be, and the situation must be
faced. Losses must inevitably be made, and
the thing now Is to make them as light as pos
sible. This, think, can only be done by either
getting the senate this winter to pass the free
wool bill now before it or to get a new congress
to pass such bill in extra session next spring.
If this is not done, and done quickly, all Europe,
and the continent particularly, will run It's
machinery nlBDJ ana uBy making BOOuS'
with the present cheap wool and low wages
and cheap money there, to be sent to America
the moment the tariff barrier is down. The
amount of goods then thrown in here Will
probably be large enough to flood the American
market perhaps for two years. The condition
of our woolen industry during this period will
be ptiable. Many mills will be closed, and the
remainder will run short time. This means
disorgani2ation and great suffering to both
proprietors and workmen. 1t would also pre-
pare the way for the reimposition of the heavy
duties on wool and woolens, from which we
have with such difficulty and labor just eman-
cipatei ourselves.
In confirmation of this view we have just
learned from Europe that English woods have
advanced a penny pound, fine woods are
much stronger, the wooden industry much
more cheerful, and that the Titus Salt COM
pany, instead of going into liquidation, are to
resume making goods for America.
The immediate abolition of the wool duty
| would put us on a par with the European man
| ufacturer as to the cost of the raw material,
| and would advance it smartly and naturally
| with 65,OO0,OOO people coming into the markets
| of the world as customers. And this is the
| only way the American will be able to get any
benefit from the protection of 40 per cent.
which the new law will likely allow him. If
the bill is postponed, to say, July, 1894, there
will be enough goods made in Europe before
we can get as cheap wool as our rivals to
swamp us when we come into the markets of
the world at Il much higher price for our raw
material.
These arguments have an equal bearing upon
| the price of domestic wool. Stocks are now
| smaller than have ever been known. The west
| seems completely cleaned out of everything
| but territory kinds. The effect of the new
| tariff upon present small stocks would be con.
| sequently trihing. AS to the next clip, if for.
| eign wool were made free July, 1893, there
would be great advance all over the world
| and the domestic article would participate in
| that advance and find ready market. But il
| the change is postponed and the anticipation
| of it hangs over US for eighteen months, do
mestic wool will drag along at panic prices be-
| cause wooden goods will do so Much ma
| chinery will be idle, and the whole industry,
| wool and woolens will be in a disorganized
| and lifeless condition pending such radical
| change.
| The situation in the goods market is much
| the same. 1t is only this year that the stocks
| of foreign goods imported in anticipation OF
| the Mckinley bill have been worked off. This
| has given the market largely TO the American
| manufacturer and has enabled him to sell his
| goods close up to production. There has rarely
been time when stocks, either in first hands
| or among the iobbers, have been smaller. Dur
ing the next six months it is safe to say mills
will run merely on orders and carry no stocks,
and dealers will carry only what their abso-
Lutte necessities call for. In fact it is an ideal
situation and most Opportune time in which
to reduce duties. Nothing can be gained by
delay, and much may be lost.
am deeply impressed with the seriousness
of the situation, and l thoroughly believe that
the path of safety is that of courage.