The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-05
SPRINGER'S SPEECH
He Is Given an Enthusiastic Re-
ception by the House.
PROTECTION DOES NOT PROTECT
He Proves by Treasury Statistics the Price of
Australian Wool Has Been as High
as American since 1866.

WASHINGTON, April 4.-Springer was
given magnificent reception in the House
to-day. Before his arrival, some friends
distributed scores of his favorite flowers,
carnations, throughout the House, and all
Democrats and many Republicans wore
them. His desk was piled high with
fowers, and when he entered the House
after six weeks absence, there was ire
mendous outburst OF applause. When he
took his seat, business was Suspended for
ten minutes, members of both sides crowd
ing around him. When the House went in TO
committee of the whole on the free wool
Dill, Springer announced he had intended
10 make an elaborate speech, but the condi-
ton of his health would not permit it, and
he had prepared brief one, which would
be read by Bryan.
Springer said the committee on ways and
means asked the bureau of statistics to
furnish statement, showing the prices of
wool, OF like quality, in the United States
and Europe during the existence of the
wool tariff from 1866 to this time. The
bureau referred the matter to S. M. D.
North, secretary of the National Associa-
ton of Wool Manufacturers and special
agents of the census Office in charge of
wool statistics, that the statement furn-
lshed made comparison between Ohio
medium washed wool and Port Phillips
prices of Australian fleece which are con-
sldered OF substantially the same quality.
These prices, when reduced to a gold
basis, show that the prices of these
in London and Boston vary little from
year to year to 1890, except during
the unusual years of 1871 and 1872, in which
prices were unusually affected by specula-
ton. Leaving these out of account it ap-
pears that for the remaining twenty-three
years the average price of Port Phillips
fleece was one-fourth of q cent per pound
more than Ohio medium washed in Boston,
when Port Phillips fleece was 20 cents a
pound, and if protection protects it would
make the price of Ohio wool 20 cents
greater. The fact that it is really lower in
price than Australian shows that Ameri-
can wool growers do not receive any in
erase in price by reason of the tariff The
reason for this is that American wool
manufacturers do not manufacture from
American wool exclusively, but mix with
foreign woods, cotton, shoddy and other
adulterants, as wool under the operation of
the tariff cannot be imported American
wool-growers are confined to restricted
market. Under the conditions of manufac-
ture foreign and domestic woods are not in
competition; they must be used together,
complementing each other for the manu-
1acture OIL wooden goods acceptable TO this
market. With free wools the price of
these goods would be reduced to the extent
OF the tariff on foreign WOODS used in their
manufacture. This decrease in price would
largely increase the manufacture ana sale
Of such goods and SO increase the de-
mand for American woods at the manu-
factories. In other words, cheapening
foreign wool by removal of the tariff, bene-
fits not only the wool grower and wooden
manufacturer, but is of advantage to the
general public who are consumers. In con-
clusion, Springer called attention to the
fact that placing raw sugar on the free list
in 1880 caused an increased consumption of
sugar to the amount of nearly "a per cent.
in 1891, and said the passage of the present
bill would have a similar effect in the in
creased consumption of wooden goods and
cause the starting up Of 271 establishments
idle during 1890, and would give employ
ment to S74,000,000 capital, causing an in
crease in the use of materials worth S4S, Co.,
coo, a demand for 6l,OOO,O0 pounds of do
nestle and 100000 pounds more of for
eign wool, give employment to 81, 900 more
hands with wages of SlS,000,00O. With an
increased demand the prices of wool and
labor will increase.
Burrows, of Michigan, moved to strike
out the provision placing "all wools' on
the free list. Without action the commit
tee rose and the House adjourned,