Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-08
WHO SHALL DECIDED
The Question is shall Wool lie Free?''
A Meeting Criticized.

The Question is shall Wool lie Free?"
A Meeting Criticized.
The introduction of a bill into the
house Of representatives putting VOL on
the free lisg IA Mr.. Springer, chairman
of the ways AID means committee, has
been the means of drawing from their
winter quarters the small clique of wool
manufactures and wool growers who
acknowledge as leaders William Whit
man and Judge Lawrence, respectively.
Ever since 1865, when under the lead
ership of Mr.. Whitman and Judge Law
rence's predecessors a snail number OF
wool manufacturers and wool growers
calling themselves the National Asso-
citation of Wool Manufacturer" and the
National Wool Growers association"
both titles adopted for the occasion, met
at Syracuse and prepared the tariff bill
on wool and woolens which was enacted
into law in 1867. These two ciGues
have settled among themselves how
much he American people should be
taxed on the wooden goods they buy.
These two men have gone about with
their respective associations in their
pockets, so as to be ready at any mo-
ment to call meeting and have such
resolutions as they desired adopted.
Their last meetings, held a short time
ago, are Characteristic.
1t was announced that the wool man.
ufacturers of New England met in a
body at Whitmans session of the Ma
tional Association of Wool Manufactur-
ers. This meeting adopted resolutions
protesting against any change in the
Mckinley tariff on wool and wooden
goods. And it was the intention to give
notice tc the whole country that all the
wool manufacturers We're united in sup
port of the resolutions. In commenting
upon this meeting The American Wool
Reporter says:
IF The Herald means that the wool
manufacturers of New England met in
body when the recent memorial
against the Springer bill was adopted by
the National Association of Wool
Manufac urers,' we are surprised that
our usually well informed contemporary
should have been SO deceived. In addi-
ton to the very small attendance at the
meeting at which the memorial in
question was adopted, it should be stated
that some of those present agreed to the
'memoria with the express reservation
that a certain section of the Mckinley
bill might need TO be changed. An ex-
PLANTATION as to the small number of
manufacturer by whom this memo
rial was adopted is necessary in justice
to large and increasing number of in
tiuential manufacturers who have not
believed III the Mckinley bill and who
do not like TO read the misleading state
ment that the wool manufacturers Of
New England met in body in its sup
port"
Judge Lawrence's association held Il
meeting about the same time. Being an
astute politician, he chose the Ohio SEN
ate chamber as the place of meeting.
and the Iapers say that "a number of
members of the legislature and other
politicians We're present" The Wool
Reporter says of this meeting: Among
the list OF resolutions adopted was one
demanding a duty upon cotton, and
President William Lawrence then de-
ivered one Of his lengthy and character
istic addresses. The latter portion of
his speech was devoted to a statement
of the recent imports Of Peruvian and
Egyptian cotton, and to a demand for
full and adequate protection for the
wool and cotton industries.
1t is about time that the American
people should have some say on SO i'm
portant a n after us tax on their cloth
ing solely for the benefit of few polit-
zeal wool growers and manufacturers.