The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-27
THE WOOL QUESTION.

ilpu VI WODl uulitS prominently DcIOTe
the American people. This is well, for
it is better that the discussion should be
had now, as it is certain that in the
coming campaign the contest over the
tariff will largely center about the ques
ton of wool duties and its consideration
upon it's merits before partisan strife and
heat render that difficult is what the
democratic party most desires. That
party has nothing to fear from its free,
honest. and exhaustive discussion. It's
position upon tho question is so strongly
fortified by the history Of the wool grow
ing industry in this country and by its
existing conditions that it courts the
fullest investigation of the subjo [.
Cheap clothing is Just as essential to
the welfare and prosperity Of the masses
of the people as is cheap food or cheap
ness Of all other n~eccssarics Of life. Re
garding these propositions as recognized
truisms the democratic party has ever
opposed the imposition Of high duties or
any "Nli'' uI'I tIlC law uldltllul fIitI-
ing into the clothing worn by the labor
ing classes of the country. The object
was thrct-fOld: first, free raw material
enabled home manufacturers of woolcns
to compete with free wool countries in
the markets Of the world; second, home
producers Of the staple would find a
rp.Iier ,,arlypt fnr fhnir .,,t,,,{ ,.l
third, thu people would have cheaper
clothing. 1t is upon the correctness of
these three propositions the whole qucs-
ton Of free wool hines.
We have stated that the history of
the wool industry Of the country and its
present condition lor:ify the democratic
party in IFS position upon the wool qucs-
ton. Let us see whether the declara-
ton is horne out by facts. Duties were
first levied upon wool in 1921. in the
month Of January in the year the prices
for washed tincccs in the New York
market were as follows: Fine, IS cents
per pound: medium, 80 cents and coarse
10 cents. 1t is not necessary here to
follow the several wool tariffs from that
date down 60 the present day, nor the
fluctuations in the market price Of the
article. The effect Of tariff taxation
upon IT may bG seen when it il stated
in 1889. the market prices
for washed hccccs were: fine, % cents:
medium, 81 cents and coarse - cents.
The same classes Of wool are from two
to four cents lower today. The first
duty imposed upon wool was from -
per cent, to 30 per cent. al valorem, the
rate being governed by quality. The
present duty on washed woods Of the
first class is - cents per pound or
about 100 per cent: on second class
about l21 per cent. and on third-class, if
worth over II cents per pound the duty
Is l33la per cent. Such duties would
have been considered rank robbery in
the early days Of tariff taxation.
And now comes the questions: Is the
wool industry Of this country ilourishing
under these high tariff taxes: DO wool
growers get a better price for their proi.
ucts?, and do the people get cheaper
wool clothing: If all these questions
Fan be truthfully answered in tue affirm |
alive the democratic party must concedc
It's promises are wrong, and all discussion
must cease. But vital statistics and the
condition Of the wool industry
prove the soundncss Of the democratic
position. II has been shown that from
the year 1924 up to the present time the
increased duties upon wool have not
been followed by an increase in the price
Of the staple, Ga the contrary tho data
above given show that a decrease in the
price Of wool has followed closely upon
the heels of Increased tariffs.
II cannot he argued in RECITATION Of
these figures that the increased produc-
ton Of wool in this country has pro
iuced the depression in its price, for the
whole United States produce less than
}00,GO0.0Go Of the G0O,OO0,OO0 pounds Of
wool consumed in the country. And
further than this we are as a people pro-
lucing less and less Of the article every
year. During the past seven years the
humber Of sheep has been reduced from
100000 to 42,000,000, and the wool
growing c~enters have been removed from
Ohio and Michigan to the cheaper
in the far west. Tn
Ter the low tariffs of the
earlier years Of the industry wool grow
ing upon a large scale was profitable
upon the high priced lands Of Vermont,
New York. Pennsylvania and Ohio, but
The constantly decreasing price of the
staple has confined sheep raising in those
states to numbers just sufficient to con-
sumo the refuse Of individual farms. 1t
6 TO- held that sheep cannot be profit
grown upon lands worth over S.
Dor acre. Hence the industry is being
tranaferrel IN the FREQ raures of fhe