The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-08

depends upon the maintenance of wool
tariff. II know of no single instance"
he said, Gin which protective du ties have
been more effectual, or where the direct
and positive benefits are SO apparent rs IN
the duty upon wool. The results of this
examination also establish the necessity
of maintaining existing specific rates upon
WOODEN goods. if the duty 10 to be MAIN
tanned on wool and the business of manu-
featuring woolens is to be carried on in
the United States.
ut will be seen by these figures, which
are furnished by those highest in author
ity in their respective countries, that the
American farmer or wool grower received
the full benefit of the tariff on wool, and
that he obtains on an average 81 cents
more per pound for his wool, not includ-
ing dirt and other impurities, than his
Australian competitor. The price Of the
pound of clean wool is, of course. the only
test of actual relative value to the manu-
facturer, as this fixes the cost of his
material"
The condition of the wooden industry is
shown by the following extract from the
Boston Herald, the leading tariff reform
newspaper in the country, under date of
July Is, 1892: "Where is the idle wooden
mill todayP Indeed, there is none, or the
number is 50 few that they are not worth
counting. Not only are the great major
ity Of the wooden mills employed, but
many Of the manufacturers are contem-
v&lo la - sv,Nv mi
or such engagements and improvements
are already begun. What does this all
mean? 1t means simply the greatest con-
sumption of wool that the country has
known for years."
On the question of profit to wooden
manufacturers Senator Aldrich quoted
from the reports of the bureaus of labor of
Massachusetts, and Connections for $780,
showing profit in Massachusetts, Of SAT
per cent. on the capital invested, and in
Connecticut profit Of 757 per cent.
The exports of wool from Australia in
1890 exceeded soc, 000, 900 pounds; there has
been an increase of wool production in tho
United States under protection during the
last twenty-five years from $4,000. 600 to
over 3OO, OOO, 600 pounds. There has been
an increase Of the production of the Ar
gentine Republic and some other coun-
tries. The vast increase of the worlds
production has greatly exceeded the ex-
mense overproduction amply explains the
fall that has taken place in the price of wool,
but the same Democratic demagogues who
ascribe the situation at Homestead, Pa,
to the protective tariff instead Of to inter-
nal competition and overproduction, Of
course are disengenuous or stupid enough
to ascribe the fall in wool to the protective
tariff, when. on the contrary the tariff has
prevented the wool industry in the United
States from fully sharing in its depression
elsewhere.
The San Francisco Bulletin recites these
significant facts and figures, and further
says:
Parallel with the increase from 100000 to
S0.000,000 pounds q year In our production,
there has been falling of Of about Is per cent
in England and some other ''free WOOL coun-
tries England now imports twice Is much
wool as she produces, while the United States
grows 80 per cent of what it consumes. Prices
have fallen In England to the level in Australia,
the Argentine and other cheap wool countries
plus the cost OF transportation, etc. In the
United States they are from % to 30 per cent
higher; a difference which our wool growers
will appreciate. In the meantime wooden goods
have been cheapened to American consumers,
at least those of more common use. This il due,
of course, to domestic competition in manu-.
featuring. We have during the last twenty-five
years increased the amount OF wool we use In
manufactures about 375 per cent, while our
population has hardly doubled. These facts
need no comment They are in themselves suf-
fcient answer to Mr.. Vest, or any other free
trader on the wool question.