The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-10-07
WOOL AND THE TARIFF.


whose authority on the subject of which
he treats will not be questioned, has a
letter in the Troy Times of the 18th ult.,
giving the reason for the low price OF
wool in this country, in which he says
ThewTitor read the article in your is
sue of the a3d inst, replying to friend
who inquired why, if the tariff protects
the wool grower, there should be a de-
cline in the price of wool. l was very
much pleased with your explanation and
with the facts set forth in your reply;
but for the benefit of your correspondent
1 will give few further facts and fig
ures.
The worlds supply of wool has more
than doubled within the past twenty
years. In 1871 Australian wool growers
produced a clip less than 100000, 900
pounds; in 1891 they produced over 400
000, 900 pounds. In 1871 we imported
$4,000 bales of Australian wool; in 1901
we imported 81, 300 bales. During the
same period the Argentine Republic in
creased its clip from about 145, 900, 900
pounds to 312,O00,000 pounds. And these
figures do not include large quantity
of wool pulled from the skin in both
these countries, aggregating fully $780,
OOO, 900 pounds. Russia grows 100000
900 pounds of wool, half of it of the fine
grades, where twenty years ago but little
if any fine wool was produced. Thus 1T
is apparent that the worlds supply OF
wool has increased more than 100 per
cent. within twenty years, and is Tar
beyond the rate of increase in the de-
mand.
Necessarily the price of wool in our
markets is influenced by the value OF the
commodity abroad. With low prices III
other countries, due to the enormous in,
crease in the supply, which has exceeded
the demand, an inevitable result has
been lower prices for wool in our own
markets. But for the tariff on wool
these would be still lower. The market
rate in London to-day is about thirty
two cents per pound for fine secured
wool. The American price for woods of
the same quality is sixty to sixty-three
cents per pound. In other words, if
there were no duty on wool our wool
growers would obtain but tritle over
the price at which it is now selling in
London, and this would destroy sheep
husbandry in our Western States and
Territories, where sheep are kept almost
exclusively for their f1eeces.
In Canada wool that brings in our mar
kets thirty or thirty-two cents per pound
is selling for fifteen to eighteen cents
per pound. If the tariff barrier were re-
moved, our wool growers would have to
compete with the Canadians. What
chance would there be for the wool grow
ers of Rensselaer,, Washington and other
northern New York counties in such a
rivalry as that?
There are indications that many Aus
tralian wool growers will slaughter their
l.. .,,f Co ,,~fA l,n,,,
are doing so, as the prices of wool are so
low from three to, six pence per pound),
that even with free parturage and cheap
labor they no longer find wool growing
profitable. This will reduce the worlds
supply of wool and tend to increase
prices. But the absolute necessity for a
large increase of sheep in this country
hardly needs demonstration. We not
only want the wool, but we require the
mutton. Sheep raising gives fertility to
our barren soils, and, above all, the in
dustry supplies employment to millions
of people.
This country can and will under Pro-
lection grow all the wool our manufac-
turers need, which will make us indie
pendent of all other nations as regards
one of the articles most essential to the
comfort and happiness of our people.
The foreign wool growers and the foreign
manufacturers have been producing wool
and manufacturing goods for our mar
kets, and thus draining the life-blood of
the Nation. Our gold has paid for their
products, while our own resources have
been neglected. Now the foreign manu-
facturers are closing their mills or else
coming to this country to establish their
industries here, and the foreign wool
growers who raised wool for our mar
kets will also have to seek some other
occupation. In 1890 we imported $685.
900, 600 worth of wooden goods, duty paid.
Our mills and our workmen are now
making most of the goods that will take
the place of these imports, and large
part of the money formerly paid to the
foreign manufacturers is now kept at
home to pay for labor here and to stimu-
late trade, also to give employment to
more of our rapidly increasing popula-
ton.
There is no other market in the world
that is so good as our own, and for that
reason the Canadian farmers and the for
eign wool growers ana manufacturers
want free entry to our ports, in order
that they may enjoy for nothing what
our industry has established. And the
Democratic and mugwump Free Traders
are anxious to extend to them the boon
they ask, and, instead of compelling the
foreigners to pay for the privilege and
contribute to the revenue which is need
ed for the support of our Government
they propose direct tax upon our own
people for the benefit of the foreign trad
ers. The United States and England are
how engaged in tremendous struggle
for industrial supremacy. England has
for Its allies the solid South, the foreign
importers, the mugwump Free Traders
and the Democratic spoils-hunters of the
North. Patriotism and Protection 90
hand in hand. They are one and insepa-
rable. We have the industrial ingenuity
to place us in the front rankin fact. we
are there now-but only by proper Pro-
lection against foreign cheap labor COM
petition can we maintain this position.
The record of our growth in the past
thirty years stands unequalled in history.
Ours is the greatest manufacturing ma
ton in the world. "Ahl" but the Demo-
Gratis say, "a tariff for Protection is I'M
constitutional. We must not deprive the
people of the privilege of buying foreign
goods, the product of pauper and prison
labor" You ask them why we cannot
manufacture these. goods here; for a
reason for their Free Trade proclivities,
and they will tell you that the goods are
made more cheaply in foreign countries
because the cost of labor is so much less
than here. tits true that labor is cheaper
abroad than here, but Democratic and
mugwnmp Free Traders are too blind to
500 that yuhan xua ara fro,,, Co.