The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-03-12
Shall We Give Up Sheep and Produc-
tion of Wool2

Shall We Give Up Sheep and Produc-
tion Of Wool?
The DALLEs, March 10, 1892.
| Editor TINES -MoUNTANEER:
In the course of an examination of some
of the differences of opinion, which are
urged in different portions of the United
| States, why there should be no duty against
| the introduction into this country of arti-
cles of commerce and manufactures of for
eign countries and why our ports and mark
cts should not be free to all nations, the ad-
vocates of free trade have not hesitated to
present assertions without proof, or facts,
to verify their arguments against the pro-
lection or advancement of American indus.
tries by reciprocity, or other judicial meas
nres advisable IN some cases.
One of the most untruthful and rulnous
efforts now being urged by Democratic free
traders in congress is the demand of the
Democratic chairman of the ways and
means committee by his bill, introduced a
few days since, that all duty shall be re-
moved from foreign. wool and fibrous con-
stltuents of woolen goods. This practically
brings the United States wool grower on a
level with the wool grower of foreign coun-
tries, who now produce the same class of
wool and can lay 1t down from Australia,
New Zealand, Cape of Good Hope, Bethurst.
Adrainople and Buenos Ayers, and make a
good profit tor less than such wool will cost
the American wool grower In the American
market. The tariff which has been kept
upon these foreign woods has allowed the
American wool grower, the sheep owner.
the berder, the shearer and transportation
handsome return tor money and labor In
vested, and the earnings have been granted
to the interest OF our own community 1n-
stead Of going to foreign countries. Do you
doubt it? Let's see. Take the past year,
The Dalles shipped 5000. 900 pounds of
wool grown by citizens of Eastern Oregon;
the city of Arlington, fifty miles above us
on the Columbia river, shipped 5000, 600
pounds, making IL 900, 900 pounds OF wool
marketed from this portion of Eastern Ore
gon, distributing by the sale thereof the
sum of 81, 760, 900, at an average price per
pound OF l6 cents. The number of sheep
sheared amounted, according to best author
tiles, l,57l ,42S, and the average yield per
head was seven pounds. This wool yield in
cash 81, $780, 900, distributed among the men
of Eastern Oregon, the very powder needed
In Hfe's warfare-nlOney, and enabled them
to broaden and strengthen each his own
kipgdom-farm and range-and add to the
comfort OF his wife and children.
Besides this annual production of wool is
an annual important factor of profit which
must be added, the sale of wethers for NUT.
ton, amounting to 35 per cent. of the num-
ber of sheep In the average mixed hand,
A. toI I'D
to 549, 999 wethers, and these at an average
price of 81 so per head amounted last year
to Sl,374 997, which, add to wool receipts,
gives to be distributed to the wool growers
and sheep owners and their families, to be
used in land purchases for sheep herders,
teams and outfit So, l34, 997 as the product
of business which can be relied upon to
renew and keep good yearly it's own capital
stock and still yield the shepherd from clear
earnings an ample percentage for his outlay.
These considerations referred to are, by
the bill of the Democratic chairman of the
ways and means committee in congress, if
passed, swept out of existence, and the
American market for wool is offered free to
the cheap grown woods of foreign countries,
and its purchase cost to the foreign wool
grower instead of ensuring the earnings of
this business to American labor and indus
trial capital.
Special free trade agents, who pretend to
be wool buyers land to knoD ii du," are
here talking to wool growers, representing |
themselves as. wool buyers, and are in |
blatant manner, declaring that ''no duty |
upon wool will make no difference, OF not |
half so much to favor the wool grower as
free trade, which will be established upon |
sugar, clothes, iron, steel and other mer-
chandise. Don't fret about your wool |
market, you will have 1t good ever. |
England has aways had free trade and is |
the richest nation on the globe"
Such arguments now being urged among |
men whose business OF wool growing is full |
ly sustained by protection-a leading Re- |
publican measure-do not seem to realize |
that no nation has done so much to estab. |
lish its own industries by it as England;
and especially harsh, unyielding and oner-
GUS upon wool, fining man FIVE pounds
sterling if found with clothes on made OF
foreign wool, and the seller of such cloth
twenty pounds. So, special act of par
lament, it enacted law to encourage WOOL
en- manufacturing; said law was that every |
dead body should be wrapped in woolen
shroud, and this law was in force until lS0S. |,
Blackstone in his great work declares that
of wool out of the kingdom
was prohibited, and that the transportation
OF wool or sheep out OF the kingdom was
forbidden by common law, and that the en-
barking of sheep, wool or fuller's earth up
on any ship to transport to foreign countries
was punished by seven years of penal servi
tude. which law was not repealed until
the year 1900, and man who should
transport live sheep should have his left
hand cut off in the public market place.
How Is that for free trade?
The protective policy applied to wool
growing and wool manufacturing by the
United States has built these industries into
a united national industry of the most stu
penduous character, employing enormous
capital and an army of men and women, and
sustaining the production OF meat of the
highest quality. and enabling the earnings
to be held and used upon our own soil.
This great productive industry. capable of
being pro6tahly followed In every state of
the union, should not be cast to the becom-
ing hand of Great Britain who wants this
country for market place for British labor.
npprNcr