The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-08-27
The Wool Industry.

Ihe WOOL Industry.
Iu the New Y York Commercial Advertiser,
of Saturday, August 18th, is published an
article descriptive of the wool industry in
the United States. and the cuts illustrating
it are from the photographs taken by Miss
Lang of the process of baling wool at
Moody's warehouse in this city. The fol-
lowing is the article:
To show that it is to the interest of the
voters to cast their ballots iii favor of the
Republican candidates for national office,
and thereby for protection for their homes.
their happiness and every industry they are
by any means instrumental IN developing,
is the object of the American Protective
Tariff League, whose orators have already
taken the political stump and can boast of
the fact that they are the first IN the field.
There are SO many industries that should
receive protection in the United States, and
that emphatic protection, because protection
means higher wages, better living, shorter
hours and more freedom for the working
man, that it seems absurd to take up one
phase of the mass of things that are prom
inently brought to the mind as the result of
hard toll in the fields or in the busy manu-
factories.
There is one industry, however, that has
been rapidly developing under the flag of
protection, and hence is giving employment
to thousands. whereas under free-trade
government it would decrease, and thereby
knock out of work and place upon pauper's
food large proportion of those who now
have bright, happy homes, good food, fire,
light and comfort because the present ad.
minstration has looked out for the interest
of the masses who compose the immense
population of this country.
People who liye west where the sheep are
raised IN herds, and people east who enjoy
wearing the clothes their wool makes, after
going through proct IS that demands the
employment of myriad hands, can appreci-
ate upon thought what valuable industry
the wool growing business is. The Ameri-
can wool clip amounts to about 800, 0,000, 900
pounds per annum. The best private author
tiles place it higher than this, and 1T is
pretty clear that the estimates are too low.
Its annual value varies with the condition
of the market from $75 100000 to $50, ,O00.-
600. 1t stands sixth III value on the list o.
American agricultural products and Is sur
passed only by corn, hay, wheat, cotton and
oats. The number of sheep Is estimated at
from So coo. 600, worth on an average of
trife ovei 81 each, to put mild estimate
upon their value, or not less than 500, ,000,f
900 all told.
If the annual product of mutton for food
and the increase of the focks in prosperous
times were added to the value of the wool
the total amount would exceed Sl25, 600, 900.
But the annual value of the. American
wool industry is not limited to the clip of
wool or the increase of the flock or its con-
tribution to the supply of animal food. Its
value as means of enriching the soil is
recognized by intelligent farmers. The
United States has been the second wool pro.
ducing country in the world. Australia,
with its vast area of unoccupled land, boasts
of first place in this industry. The Argen-
tine Republic ranks third, and there, it may
be remarked, land Is very cheap and so is
labor. Russia comes in fourth with its
boundless waste and semi-slave population.
1t IS fact which at once must arrest at
tention when appreciated, that the United
States is the only civilized country in which
there has, IN recent years, been large in
the European countries show tlourishing
condition of sheep husbandry. All OF them
show great decline in their wool produc.
tion since 1870, and are larger importers =,
the wool required for their manufactures
France produces less than 100 00O 900
pounds and imports more than 300. .000 600
pounds. England uses less than 100 600. 900
of her own and imports more than 200, ,000,.
600 pounds. The United States, on the
contrary, has increased its wool product
from 10000. 600 pounds in 1860 to more
than 300 GOO. 600 in 1854, and supplies so
per cent. of the wool required for its manu-.
factures.
No more complete demonstration of the
necessity of protection to maintain and ad-
vance the American wool industry can be 4
offered than the contract between the de-
velopment of the industry in this country |
and It's decline under the same exterior in
fuence in Europe. A comparison Of the |
average price of wool here and in Europe |
will confirm the statement. Excluding |
temporary and local effects the prices OF |
United States wool as compared with prices |
of corresponding qualities in Europe have |
uniformly been determined on the average |
by the rates of duty.
The magnitude of the wool growing in |
States is given by the illustrations which |
accompany this story. They represent the
interest in the valleys and upon the rolling
plains and high mountain plateaus of Ore
gon east of the Cascade range of mountains
The pictures represent the largest of the
wool shipping plants of The Dalles, Or gon,
which haye baled for forwarding this season
more than five million pounds. The entire
amount to go forward from this point will
reach near six million pounds, which, added
to the amount shipped at other outlets of
the basin above the establishment of this
product. the amount to go to the eastern
markets grown in this great highland basin
will reach more than sixteen million pounds.
The pictures display the process through
" hich the wool industry goes until it is put
upon steamboat or railroad car for the home
or foreign market.
Thomas S. Lang. noted western pro.
tectionist, says on the wool matter:
1--WE do not wish to harm the wool grow
srs of Australia. Buenos Ayres. Cape of
Good Hope or other foreign countries, but
believe it Is best for us to boil our own pot
instead of that of foreign wool growers.
specially when the woolen manufacturers
IF America feel that it Is safest to defend
American shepherds. We greet the Ameri.
,an flag as an emblem of defense; we enjoy
is privileges; we pray you save the Ameri-
,an wool market for American shepherds
The growing of 100000 pounds of wool
n year distributes food, light and comfort
% an army of stout pioneers. Stand by
hem as disciples of Oregon industry and
'ther states' industry and labor. as you
want them to stand by you in the day of
leed."
Local Industry Called For.
THE DALLEs, Aug. 20. 1892