New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-29
MR.. SPRINGERS MISTAKE.
HE ATTACKS THE ACCURACY OF JUSTICE.
BATEMAN & CO.'S WOOL CIRCULARS.
MR.. JUSTICE DEFENDS THEM AND PROVES THAT
MR.. SPRINGER HAS NO PRACTICAL
KNOWLEDGE OF WOOL.

newspapers OF september - SLY tnh' No"-''"'""
Springer in a recent speech. stated that the tables
and quotations OF foreign and American prices con
tained in the wool circulars OF Justice. Bateman
Co.. OF August 20 and september IA, are incorrect
and without founda ION In fact. In reply to this, MI
Justice has the following TO say:
"The wool circulars alluded to are those which
give the quotations. side by side. OF ono meoium
In the United States. and Australasian meuiu'h' Oh
the same quality and condition, In London, from the
time that the Tariff law Of 1857 wen into erect IN
1865 up to and including 1901. showing that the
average price received for wool OF the same quality
in the free wool market Of London during all OF that
period averaged 81 per cent less than the prce P7"
in the United states for the same kind OF American
wool under Protection"
THE quotations for domestic wool. which ne says
are incorrect are taken from Mr.. springers own
renort f the Wavs and Means Committee to the House
of Ieprcsenatives: see page 34, report NO. 5ol' We
assumed that Mr. Springer's figures were correct ana
never questioned their accuracy. as they were 'ur'
n,sbed bv him as chairman Of the Ways and Means
Committee Of the House of Representatives. ana ths
ought to be- and heretofore has been, the oes' su-
thorty and under ordinary circumstances shouo pe
a sufficient guarantee for their accuracy. Ihe Lon
don prices were obtained from the published quota
tons Of January l. 1e92 OF Messrs. "lAoeier "
Co.. Of London. England. and are prepared Dy 'he'n
for the London market, without REGARD 10 MI! Po,
litical use that might be made OF them IN the ,'e"
These
windeler. which we use confirmed by those OF
,fessrs Uelmuth Swarz d Co., Of London
Nessrs Buxton Ronald q Co.. Of London, ana ALSO
by The Bradford Observer Of Bradford England
the one newspaper that is recognized throughout e
mercantile world as authority on matters RELAXING 10
wool and manufactures thereof.
Mr. Springer saws that TO show the utter unreha-
h1lity of this table the figures OF which are MS OWL
he needs but to refer TIE fact that American prices
he,,veen 1865 and 1872 before specie payments were
rcsumed I'm this country, given In American cur
rency then depreciatcd+ ONO medium "ooi or"uS"'
- cents In the United States In lo12 because oi e
protective tariff which duties had to oe paid III goI'
which AT that time at premium and which pr
mium was equivalent to much additional protecu"h'
This was at a lime when the AustIauaE WOOL E'""'
was getting than - cents for wool In London as
ac ,in,t ~ cents under Protection here Tor INC sa'
oualty The 40 cents additional price which 'he pr"
tsced American wool grower received over anu "p"''
that which the Australian wool grower receiver was
nrotection was It notl If not for the tariii' wh!
uould the London price Of 81 cents not nave peer
the American price, instcad Of ~ cents for the ar
Vas Il not the protective tariff. increased by t'
premium on gold. that made the difference Az ali
events these were the facts .
Obi6 medium wool In 1872, according to MT
snrinccrs figures furnished To Congress, was seiuhg
st 10 cents here and the srie wool In LONDON NJ tha'
time was worth less than 81 cents accordins 10 ."e
oro,ations Of every London wool circular and market
report which we have quoted. The London quo'auohA
which Mr. Springer objects 10 we're merely repuDhseu
hv rs vet Mr.. Springer tells the wool growers oi
Illinois that the republication by us OF IN" D'N'
authorities in the wojl markets OF the wc'ld d>crel'
our firm and II he Is correctly reported; ne iur'hef
,,os mat we knew them to be- untrue when they
published. A..
"In reply 10 this statement we would say 'h"'
we will at all times back up statements ny ahpe
proofs In speaking Of the quotations showing 'n''
American wool was worth ~ cents under pro
tecve tariff in 1872, while the same wool was worth
les, t!an 8. cents in Free Trade Londcn MI
snrinrer saws Thus il appears In 0mcal records
,ha. Protection does not protect the wool grower.
submit this matter to the wool growers uemseNe'
and ask them if the difference in their favor Is not
protection. and If it was not pro,ccnoh' WHY "u'r
these conditions OF the tarln law OF ls"'' Win
nremium or gold II ii is not protection, did the Wool
clp Of the United states increase 100 per cent ne
txeen 1873 and Iss4-a greater percentage Of IN
crease under the last twelve years of the tarlh of
,s67 than that of any other wool growing nation oi
the world
"Relanng 10 the circular Of September ], Mr
Snrnxer states that In referring 10 his bill we say
that If passed into law it would largely increase The
imnorta Of shoddy lie further Says that tie bill
which lie introduced fixed duty OF % per
cent ad valorem upon shoddy. Under the law OF
Is-3 the duty upon sh0ddy. munGo HOOKS. waste
ETC.. was 10 cents per pound Under that bill theis
were imported in 1888 over o'oVo'ooo P"uuS '"
,,sse articles The Mckinley law increased the duty
an shoddy TO 80 cents per pound and in the hrst
f year under that bill the imports OF shoddy almost
cca,cd they having fallen on 90 per cent. mere
is little or no shoddy imported under ihe present
Mckinley law. The Springer bill placed tpc 1uV
ON ,hoddy at % per cent ad valorem. and as the
average value OF ,hoddy in Europe is abon . cents
n.r mound the % per cent duty Oh shoddy valued
At : cents would be under = cents per pound.
The springer bill, therefore, proposes 10 take over
2s cents per pound OFF OF the present du'y on shoduS
and for what purpose! As there Is no shoddy now
,,onorted there can be but object in reducing
the duty from 3 cents TO . cents, and that object
can only be TO stimulate its importation. Now,
what IS shoddy2 shoddy. rs Is well known TO most
neonle IS wooen rags ground UP ard converted,
as near rs possible 10 the original CONDITION OF raw
WOOL and that ii Is used as cheap subsutu'" i'T
wool The rags gathered up from the CUTTERS,
ho.pjtals and wherever else they can be found
The rngpckers OF Europe are a numerous class, ana
q familiar class to those who abroad The clothing
81 those who die OF infectious diseases Is gathered
Il, and shinpcd as rags to London Hamburg TO
he converted into shoddy. They are beaten and
ans,ed hut not otherwise cleaned by any process
that would destroy microbes The shoddy when
N rscd in the manufsc Of foreign carpets Is hardly
oven dustcd and is OF the most dangerous forms
IN which disease can be carried - -
-. If is fair 10 assume that the changes proposed
nv tho rprlnger bill would lead 10 the importation
~ many million pounds OF II annually and each pound
% % sodav used In the Manufacture Of cloth takes the
~ lilac" Of three pounds Of unwashed wool This Is
,,hat Mr. springer proposes to do for the American
VOC, erpwers the ehecis Of which would be not only
IN mike The London price Of wool the American price
bn, ne also proposes TO encourage the Importation
quantities Of hoGds to Ws Ss "Sa ,s &S Md
growers, by their own votes, change their present
eosncrous condition, 10y which they receive twice
a. a. much for their wool wool growers In any other
.art of the world. for the conditions which the
Mr.. Springer has no practical or experienced
knowledge Of the subject which he discisse> iic
assumes 10 lead In q direction that II successful,
would disrupt all the business conditions OF this
pereus country He does not know the difference
between the value of secured and greasy woods. He
Ias procured his information from sources as unin-
formed en- technical points as himself. Our knowl-
.Hce is from our practical experience. covering
nerSod much longer than that which Mr.. springer
r'ves The quotations from purchases and sales