St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-12
THE WOOL QUESTION.

In portions of the Dakota states, not
so we'll adapted to wheat, sheep are be-
ing introduced largely. and the indica-
lions are that both of these states will
become among the largest wool grow
ers. Prominent Republican papers in
each of them are desperately seeking
for party purposes to alarm this indus
try. They assert with great emphasis
that if the wool bill now before the
house becomes a law the farmers may
as well cut the Threats of all their sheep.
On the other hand, a prominent Repub-
lican in the Massachusetts, legislature
has introduced resolution, which is
expected to pass, urging the senators
from the state to vote for
bill removing the duties Oh raw wool.
This is not offered to make party
votes, although there may be some
purpose to check revolt. but
for economic and industrial reasons
mainly. An important line of manu-
facture is hampered and shut out of the
markets of the world by lack of free
raw material. The wool consumers are
willing that the duties on wooden manu-
features shall be materially lowered for
the sake of the free raw material.
HENRY WATTERSON says the wool
duties are the keystone of the protect
i've arch. 1t IS certain that the tariff
contest will largely center about this
questisn in the coming campaign. and it
is best that the subject should be con-
sidered OH its merits before partisan
heat renders that difficult. 1t is i'm
pOrtant to the Dakota farmers who are
engaging in the sheep business to know
whether their editors are speak
ing as prophets or statesmen or
partisans not concerned for the well
fare of the people so much as the sue
cess of their party. When they are
asked to show from the experience of
the past what the effect of tariffs on
wool have had on the industry, they
preserve discreet silence. The duties
of the character now termed protective
were first imposed in 1867, when all de-
vices to increase the revenue were
sought. They have been continued on
the same line the twenty-five years
since. II they serve the object alleged,
there should be very great growth of
the sheep industry and better prices
for wool. The Dakota partisans may
indulge in assumptions and advance
theories, but when they look for
the figures they find that the quar-
ter of a century OF alleged fostering
of the wool production has not
caused the sheep industry to grow
in excess of the other animal lines that
have no special government aid. 1t is
found that the price of wool is constant
ly going down. 1t is several cents
lower than even when the last raise of
duties was had in the MCKINLEY tariff.
In all the older sheep states the number
of sheep has been decreasing. Even in
the Western states, with their still COM
paratlyely cheap lands. there were last
year more than million fewer sheep
| than there were fifteen years ago in the
same section. The reports of the de-
| partment OF agriculture show that in
| 1891 there were about seven million
| fewer sheep in the whole country than
there were in 1884. They have had the
nurturlpg arms of the protective
policy about them all this time.
These reports show a different
state of facts with other farm
animals. While in the seven years the
sheep figures have gone from 50,00O,0O0
down to 100000 the swine have
swelled from A, 100000 to SO, 600. 900, and
the. mich cows and other cattle from
100000 to 53.O0O.0OO. Party platforms
and developing legislation have not
been had in these other cases as for
sheep. The reasons have been shown
why high tariffs have repressed the
| sheep industry. The records attest
their validity. AS rule the farmers of
the Dakotas will be found too well in
| formed to be deluded by the specious
pretenses of protective organs on this
| subject.