The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-19
A New Light on the Wool Question.

Some two weeks ago the stan Ting
announcement appeared in the
columns of the Democrat, that it
was about to turn loose on an I'M
suspecting public, a new CORES
pondent on the wool question, who
knows a sheepskin when he sees
one.
The eXultant tone in which this
announcement was made, was well
calculated to provoke our curiosity,
not to mention the feeling of anxi-
ETY. or apprehension which disturb
ed us during the week IN which
the thing was "a-bornin. )"
We were not disappointed. The
week wore away and promptly on
sharp schedule time came the
threatened eruption; and dear RE.
PUBLICAN readers you will wonder
what it is like.
Well, you have heard about the
mountain when it got sick; how it
rumbled, and groaned, and grunted
and took on; and how the gaping
crowds stood round wondering
what sort of a calf it was going to
be anyhow; and with what feelings
of disappointment and disgust they
turned away when the little mouse
came forth.
And you have doubtless also
heard the touching legend about
the devil, when he sheared the old
berkshire SOW; what time he had
of it, what a terrible out cry the
SOW made, and what the devil said
about the great noise and the very
little crop of wool.
| simply mention these little his
toric incidents, but there is no
parallel in this case.
Oh, no; the reality exceeded the
expectation in this instance as far
as it fell short in the others.
| wish everybody could have the
good fortune to read the letter en-
tire, for it is one of those things
that must be seen to be appreci-
ated.
1t was sad to think that an eff
fort like that should be born to
blush unseen, or that it should
have the misfortune to waste its
sweetness on the desert air.
The writer should at once be
rescued from obscurity. He should
not all)w any sentiments of false
modesty to keep his light concealed
under bushel. Ny advice to
him is to Just let her flicker.
In the limits Of an ordinary let
ter | cannot begin to do HIM JUS
tice; few examples must suffice.
This new prodigy of the quill
cuts himself loose thusly: Gin the
first place, why is it the present
market price of wool ranges from
II to % CENTS" and then remem-
bering that he had just read 1t in
THE REPUBLICAN he adds, some
times it reaches the maximum of
rs cents per pound" This was
very kind of HIM for it gives The
REPUBLICAN small sized gimlet
hole to crawl through.
After relieving himself of the
above solid chunk of wisdom, he
pulls himself together and lets fly
again straight out from the shoul.
der after this fashion: Nov my
good Democratic friends in 1868
there were $4,000, 900 sheep in the
United States east of the Mississip-
ri and Missouri rivers according to
statistics. Why is 1t that in 1891
the statistics show that there are
only little over 100000 sheep
east of the Mississippi river, the
heart of the wool growing country
in America. D."
He does not inform us why he
neglected to step across and make
list of the sheep browsing on the
strip of ground beyond the Missis-
sippi, but the presumption is that
there are no sheep there. Come to
think of it sheep never wade a
stream of water, and as they could
not jump, consequently there are
no sheep on that side.
After the statement that there
were $4,000 900 sheep IN 1868
when there was no duty on wool,
and that there are but little over
$4,000 600 now, he proceeds to do
little sum in arithmetic, and con-
cludes that there has been "a fall
ing off of 800, 900"
Having thus demonstrated the
dlreful effect of protection on the
longevity of sheep he goes on to
tell what Republican would say
about it and how he would say it.
Then warming to his subject he
proceeds to say: "But remember
there is a duty of 8 cents per
pound on all foreign wool, conse-
quently no Free Trade to protect
tho An,ariooo wool 0rou;,;, -