Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-04-21
Springer To The Farmer.

The speech made by Hon. VIM. nj.
Springer, in closing the general debate
Oh the House bill which aims to place
WOOL on the free list and to reduce the
duties on woolen goods. should be care
fully read and considered by every
wool grower in the land. 1t is unans-
werable argument in favor of the pro-
posed legislation, and gains added force
from the fact that the statistics relied
upon reaching his unerring conclusions
are those supplied by the Secretary of
the National Association of Wool
Manufacturers at Boston and special
agent of the census office, under Re-
publican administration, in charge of
statistics of woolen manufacture. Mr..
Springer has simply turned the guns
OF the enemy against him, and his
complete overthrow is the result.
With full details from the source of
information quoted, Mr.. Springer
demonstrates that from 1866 to 1890,
inclusive, with the exception of the
wildly speculative years Of 1871 and 1872
American wool averages shade lower
than foreign wool in market value.
Yet during this period the duty on for
eign wool was twenty-five cents per
pound and, on the theory of high pro-
tectionists, American wool should have
been that much higher in price, yet
the unmistaken figurers show that the
wool growers ofthis country receive no
increase in the price oftheir wool be-
cause of the tariff on foreign wool.
The explanation of this truth is made
as apparent as is the fact itself. Wool
manufacturers guard against Over-pro-
duction by fitting the output to theo
ders received. Their goods can be pro-
duced only by the admixture of foreign
with native woods. They determine
the amount of such foreign wool requir-
for a season, the amount of shoddy to
be utilized, and for the remainder of
their necessary supply look to the
wool growers at home. Our domestic
supply must therefore go to restricted
market. 1t cannot be sold with profit
abroad and the price upon it is fixed
by American manufacturers as the
sole purchase of the commodity. The
price is determined by the inexorable
law of supply and demand. If there be
large supply of American wool for
sale and the demand be diminished
from any cause, prices are low. If the
supply be small and the demandunus-
ual, prices will advance.
A high protective tariff limits the de-
mand for American wools, because
neither they nor the goods made from
them can be protitably sold abroad, and
only that amount of domestic wool is
marketable that 1t is necessary to mix
with foreign wool in producing the
required quantity and of goods to sup
ply the home market. Foreign wool
does not come into competition with
the home product, because a fixed pro-
portion of each is required in making
the desired quality ofgoods. What does
compete with American wool Is shoddy
every pound of which used in the
manufacture of woolen goods displaces
one pound of secured wool and three
pounds of wool in the grease.
Mr.. Springer further establishes upon
Republican authorities quoted, that
the price of wool in this country does
not vary in accordance with the tariff
on wool, but in sympathy with the
price If wool in the markets of the
world. The prices here are controlled
by the manufacturers and, as Mr..
Springer says, Take off the tax on
foreign wool, permit healthy compe-
tition, and prices of wooden goods must
fall. Foreign wools," says the secre-
tary of the national Association of
Wool Manufacturers above referred to,
twill not displace an equal number of
pounds of domestic wool, y but will In
crease the market price therefor. With