Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-01-15
NO DICkERING WITH WOOL.
Voice of the National Association OF
Wool Manufacturers.

The National Association of Woollen
Manufacturers. at its 9TH annual meet.
ing held in Boston, on the sch instant,
gave no uncertain utterance to the views
OF that association upon all attempts to
dicker with the wool schedule of the
present tariff law. The memorial TO Con
gress which ie adopted against any
change in the tariff act of 1890, particu-
larry schedule X OF that act, relating to
wool and woolens, is 4 strong one, and
ought 10 have weight with congressman.
Briefly stated its points are these:
1hat the tariff has been in operation
but Il months, and as from 3 TO years
of practical operation are required to
determine the actual effects OF it upon
the evenues of the government, an in.
telligent Judgment of the present law,
necessary to its satisfactory revision, is
not possible.
,. The retention Of the wool and
wooden schedule In its present form
until it can be thoroughly tested can
work no injury 10 the wooden manufac
turers, as they universally agree that the
tariff is now accurately and scientifically
adjusted In its re lationship between the
duties on raw material and the finished
product
}. No Injury TO consumers has resulted
from the law, as there has been no in
crease whatever in the market price of
domestic wooden goods, but on the con
trary, all the staple wooden goods and
most of the fancy goods may now be
obtained in the greatest abundance at
cost to consumers less than ever before
in the history of the country, except at
brief intervals of universal panic and
financial crisis.
That the wooden manufacturer OF
the L nited States now needs period OF
entire rest from tariff agitation aiming
at radical departure from the conditions
upon which the industry Ia now organ
lied and to which Il has been fully ad-
iusted.
) Measures naplatiag repeal
of the duties on raw material must In
the nature of thiugs be accompanied by
Refreshments Of the duties on wooden
gooGs, and whatever advantages might
secure 10 our manufacturers from pure
raw material would be Offset by the ne
cessity OF readiusting business to the
new rates of duty on goods; that they
prefer the existing law to the hazard OF
new and untried conditions; that the
experience of the past does not furnish
any guarantee thar lower prices to con-
samers of wooden clothing would result
from the removal of the wool duties
6. That the extraordinary develop.
ment OF the wool manufacture in the
United States during the 80 years in
which the compound system of adjust
ing the wool and woolens tariff has been
in existence is a conclusive reason why
that system should not now be over.
thrown. 10 support of this they say:
''ln 1860 our wooden manufacturers
consumed SIS ;;3i $3.50 pounds of greasy
wool, of which 80 4 per cent. was i'm
ported, per espita consumption Of
2 7.1o pounds. In 1880 their consump-
ton had grown TO about 400 00u, 900
pounds Of which % per cent. was i'm
ported, per capita consumption Of
8 IL pounds 1he proportion If do
mestic 70 foreign wool consumed ia cur
mills has also Increased. while the PER
capi;a value Of wooden goods imported |
has decreased from 81 81 TO 90 cents. |
In The ordinary w,ar uf our i
people the domestic manufacture can