West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-08-18
ENLIGHTENED WOOL GROWERS.
New York Sheep Men Discover That the
Wool Tar;H L. ~ Dciusion.

New York Sheep Men Discover That tn o
Wool Tar;T Is a. Dciusion.
The farmers are beginning to under
stand this matter. Tho Wool Growers
and Sheep Breeders association, of On
tario and Livingston counties, in New
York, is one of the Oldest and strongest
and most L, Preventative organizations
Of that kind in the United States. There.
sir. Is one of the great centers of tho fine
wool growing and sheep breeding indus
tries. The members of that association
are in the main Republicans. They were
protectionists. They are so now on
everything but wool-the one thing they
know about
But when they got together and looked
each other in the face in January, 1891,
they concluded to stop political wool
growing ana to look ut that matter in
practical way. They had not neglected
their political duties as they saw them.
They had only n short time before elected
to represent them from Ontario county
Mr. Raincs, and from Livingston Mr..
Wadsworth. But when these wool
growers and sheep breeders got together
after election, and their party was not
at stake and all they had to consider was
the wool business, here is tho conclusion
to which they came:
Whereas, IL has been tho policy I'm the mast
for this association to annually pass stereo-
typed resolutions praying congress to restore
the wool duty of lSJ1 or it's equivalent: mud
Whereas, This association finally recognizes
the unsoundncss of its past position on this
question. aud. ever ready TO correct any error
into which 1t may have fallen, We be-, leave
Ia submit the following:
flrSt--We recognize that tho wool ,Iv, .
delnsion and srnre To the wool growers and
that 1t hos been largely instrumental I'm driv-
ing To the wall nn industry IL was calculated
TO benefit.
changes Of the wool duties. the price Of wool
tuctuated not In sympathy with the tariff.
but by reason OF the ever controlling law OF
demand ana supply. the grower having re-
cclved nigh prices and low prices under hixh
tariffs, and, conversely, low prices aud high
prices under low tariffs
Third The success Of the wool grower do
ponds on the success OF the wooden manufnc-
turcr' whhoe The American manufacturer is
seriously handicapped by reason of being corr
PEELED To pay cxOrbitant tariff taxes on every
pound of clothing wool imported for necessary
ndmixturc. while all foreign countries of o,v
consequence have the benefit of free wool and
are thus enabled TO undcrscll the manufac-
turcrs.
Fourth-The great wool tariff OF lee. rcsuItcd
In driving from the eight chief wool producing
htates-for whose special benefit said tariff was
conceived and passcd-mOre than 20 pcr cent
OF their sheep in n single decade while Tho
Price OF wool declined in a nearly CORRESPOND
ing ratio.
fifth-The importation OF foreign wool in
creased from about 2JOCJ,G0O pounds In 1887 10
more than l@5,OD0.O pounds In 1871. inst four
years succeeding the highest duty ever i'm
posed on wool and woolcns
Sixth-During eight of tho past eighteen
years the foreign price of imported clothing
woods mt the last port OF export actually ex-
ceedcd the price Of our domestic fcccc In tho
markets of Boston, New York or Pltlodcls
phia. while In no single year did the domestic
woods bring the foreign price, plus the duty.
seventh England France and Germany are
the only three countries in the world that cx-
port WOODEN manufactures in excess OF the i'm
rOrtS OF raw wool; in other words these conn
tries 10y admitting wool free have created n de
mand for their home wool in excess of all
"oolS required to clothe their people. and after
giving employment to labor export moro WOOL
than they have imported. The United states
On the other hand, by imposing high duty az,
raw wool has not only DESTROYED our export
trade, but 80 throtiled our manufacturers as
q. 10 rum the market for domestic fleece md
give to the English, French and German man
ufacturers the cream of our markets for
cloths.
Eghth-The free importation Of raw wool
into the United states would knock out tic
imports OF wooden goods. and would revive tho
present depressed state Of our own ,nnnufac
lures, thus giving employment to labor hero
and create an increased demand for our strong
woods fer necessary adWiNturc.
Ninth Recognizing the truth of the nho.-c
facts, therefore, VIC, the members Of the or,
tario aud Livingston Sheep Errcders and Woo;
Growers association, in convention assem-.
blcd, i2ost respectfully petition congress T.,
immediately place wool and wooden manufac-
lures oa the free list, 10 order that their indus
tries mHy again thrive aud assume the nngni-
tude commensurate with nation OF Gj.OOO,O0O
az people.
Speech OK Hon. John De Witt Warner
Ill Congress.