The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-04-16
FOR FREE WOOL.
A Letter From Hon. John A. Woodson
of White Sulphur Springs.

'pAhbSN
Hon. John A. Woodson of White Sui
phur Springs is a thoroughly practical
wool-grower. He has been actively en-
gagged in that business for a number of
years and has made a careful study of
the wool question. He has written a
letter to the Helena Independ mt which
is worthy of the attention of every wool
grower in Montana. Mr.. Woodson
says:
10 the Editor of the Independent: l
am in favor of free wool. and will give
you my reasons for being so, trusting
that my brother wool-growers holding
other views upon a subject SO important
to us all may at least accord me the
right to express al honest opinion,
since we are equally interested in a
proper solution of the great question.
We often hear the question asked.
Gan we in Montana grow wool in com
petition with Australia" OF course 1
will confess that | do not think we can.ior
very many reasons. But the more i'm
portant question to us presents itself,
ID our Montana woods come in com
petition directly with those of Australia
or any other foreign country" And is
1t mo- a fact that our woods occupy a
a class to themselves? But owing to
their peculiar quality they are not often
worked by themselves. and then thew are
desirable for the reason that they are TO
be mixed with Australian woods. thereby
giving the manufacturer a quality of
OF cloth very fashionable and in
great demand. This being the
case. what advantage to us is a
high duty on woods needed to mix with
ours? 1t seems plain that if the cloth
maker is compelled to pay so much for
foreign wool by reason of high tariff he
VIII buy our woods at a correspondence
reduced price in order to make a cloth
at a price which will not be too high and
beyond the reach of the average pur-
chaser. The price of wool, like that of
all commodities. is governed by supply
and demand. We find that a high tariff
has curtailed the demand for domestic
woods. First. by putting foreign woods
out OF the reach of many of the manu-
facturers, thus causing many Of their
spindles to stop; secondly, be stimulat-
ing the manufacture and sale of shoddy
goods which do not require any of II
wool in their makeup.
' Niotics " tool subStltult IOG
wooden. are flooding the country, and
these goods in many cases take the place
with the masses of all-wool goods. Peo-
pie buy them because they seem CHEAP
in comparison with better goods. This
substitute, poor as it is, lessons the de-
mand for wool. as the demand is limited
for honest goods made of wool.
The healthy competition which we
once had has passed away, and high
tarlh on our woods is undoubtedly the
cause. After ten years of experience in
wool-growing in Montana we find wool
reduced in price at least 80 per cent.
having fallen 3 per cent since the pas
sage of that wonderful Mckinley bill
which was to benefit us SO very much.
We do not produce as much wool as
we did six or eight years age. Our pop
ulation has greatly increased. and natur-
ally the demand for our woods should in
crease also; but by reason of too nigh
tariff our manufacturers have been com
PEELED to reduce their output of woolens.
Our importation of wooden goods in 1890
represented l4O.O00,00O pounds of scour-
ed WOOL.
With free raw wool we could ourselves
manufacture these goods, which would
require almost 100000 pounds of do
nestle wool in addition to what is al
ready used. True, we might import raw
wool, but for every additional pound of
foreign wool our manufacturers would
need a pound of domestic wool TO mix
with it. Free wool would enable our
manufacturer to make cloth cheaper.
people would buy more freely, shoddy
would be driven from the markets. com
petition in the manufacture of good
hnnnSt U-,n1nrN ,rZr1. l., -.-1A
we would not only have an improved
home market, but we would be enabled
to sell some of our surplus goods i'm for
eign markets also.
With our Yankee skill al invention.
with our wonderful machinery. our great
coal and iron fields. our illimitable water
supply, our ability to produce cheaplv
breadstutfs. meats and all the necessities
Oh life, we can compete with the world
IN almost any branch of manufacture,
can give employment to workers at good
wages, feed and clotbe them better than
any other country. God has given us a
glorious land. has peopled it with grand
men and women. Let us he worthy of
II country II not refuse trade with
other nations. We want a market for all
we can produce. Too long already have
we acted unfairly with our " people. /
Let us not longer continue to tax them
for the benefit of the favored classes.
Let our manufacturer get some of his
gold by trading with foreign countries.
Give us "A tariff for revenue only" and
free wool for "A starter. and in a few short
years every branch of industry will be so
stimulated that the tramp, even, will 90
to work. The laborcr will be happy be-
cause he sees the smiling faces of his
well fed and vel! clothed family. The
millionaire will no longer need a body
guard. Tor the day of the anarchist and
dynamiter will have passed away. Plenty
of work at living prices for all, without
oppressive taxation upon any class. In
this lies the wealth of our nation, the
happiness of our people.
Respectfully yours.
JOHN A. WooDSON.
White Sulphur Springs, April I. 1892.