Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-11-03
Mr.. Springer Called Down.

William NJ. Springer, the apostle OF
free trade and low wages, recently
made ~ speech IN which he misquoted
:. n. ID. North, secretary OF the Nat
ional Association Of wool manufacture
ers. Mr.. North takes the gentleman
to task in the following letter:
Boston, October 3, 1892.
HON. WILLIAM NJ. SPRINGER,
Springfield, Ill.
Dear Sir:-The newspapers indicate
that you are repeating on the stump
the statement first made in your Ways
and Means report on the free wool bill
last winter, to the effect that the duty
on wool adds nothing to the price OF
domestic wool, and is, therefore, OF no
benefit to the American wool grower.
Your authority for this statement
| when originally made, was liable fur
nIshed by me, and compiled to show
| the fact that f%actuations in the prices
of woods, in both foreign and domestic
markets, are generally nearly simulta
neous in time, corresponding in amount
and due to causes which influence ali
markets alike. In repeating your
statement, you refer TO the same TIA
ole, and give no other authority.
You never requested OF me any data
showing the relative value, i'll the mar
eft. of the same quality of wool in the
Unite'i States and Europe, and
never furnished you with any such
'iata. l have once before informed
you that your deduction from the
table | did furnish is n blunder. You
have endeavored to prove from it
something which the table vas not
constructed to show and could not
| possibly show with the data it con.
tanned, and which was contrary to
the well-known facts as established by
experience. In repeating the state
ment, knowing it to be II bluuder, you
subject yourself to the suspicion OF al
intention to deceive. am, therefore.
compelled to address you in this pub
lie manner, in order to suggest ~
method by which you can quickly and
definitely determine what the truth
really is, to the sat ;SfactiOn of all per
sons who are interested in knowing
the truth.
BY reason of the tariff on wool, the
American wool product sells in the
Boston market at n price from 25 to
% NtlllS ltl louihi liiSiCt tthit nv
qualities OF Australian wool bring il
the London market, the price i'm botl
cases being calculated upon the mar.
ket value OF n secured pound OF wool
This fact is so well knownto wool deal
ers and WOOL manufact urerst that | an
unable to account for your persistent
iteration OF "A contrary statement, eX'
cept in the manne above suggested
r to.a .,,-1fa - 70 a.llt-.SS lnf
ters of inquiry to n number of WOO
dealers, familiar with Australian and
domestic woods, asking each of then
to inform you OF the facts. lfyou ar.
not familiar with their addresses.
will be glad to furnish you "a list of all
the prominent wool dealers of the
country, Democrats ami Republicans
all OF whom will ell you, upon inquiry
that themarket price OF domestic WOO
is higher, shrinkage and general condi
ton considered. by nearly or quite The
amount OF the duty, than the London
prices OF the corresponding Aust ralinI
woods.
There can he no issue either of YER
acity or op mon on such n question
it is a question of fact, within h daily
knowledge of hundre1s of business mel,
familiar with the details of which yot
are necessarily ignorant.
II you are not willing to submit tbs
question to test of practical knowl
edge and experience, you should al
least abandon yonr efforts to proi'a
gate a false impression among thoss
engaged in the industry of wool crow
ing. Very truly yours.
s. n. ID. NORTH,
Secretary National Association o
Wool Manufacturers.