The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-01

The following correspondence re.
ceived by the American Economist, and
will be published in this weeks issue,
explains itself. First we have doubt
ing protectionist frankly proclaiming
wherein he doubted. Next we have the
clearest exposition OF fact in regard to
the wool growing industry that has ever
been published. Lastly comes the wan
dering sheep in his return to the fold"
First we publish the communication Of
the Wanderer:
LocKLAND, o., Sept. IS, 1913.
Theodore Justice, Philadelphia, Pa
DEAR SIR read your letter to F.
Mackaman, OF Waynesburg, o., which
was published in the Cleveland Lsdger
a few days ago. Although | am a Re-
publican and protectiOnist, | am not
sure that American wool would not be
better protected by being placed on the
free list than by any import duty that
might be placed on foreign wool. In
the following you will find my reasons
for this opinion, and ii any OF my asser-
tons are not true, hope you will point
out to me clearly where | am in error,
for ! want to get the facts relating to
the wool industry.
A great many articles are imported
that might be- manufactured in this
country, ii we were not handicapped IN
the matter OF raw material, and much
money would be retainedhere that now
finds its way into the pockets OF the
foreigner, for American labor, though
deprer per man, is cheaper than foreign
labor, because more is produced per
man in this country than in foreign
countries. In support OF this state
ment, will say that we export locomo-
tives, watches, small hardware and
many other things composed almost en-
tirely oil labor, but we do not and can
not, export articles composed almost
entirely OF raw material. l believe that
by putting some raw materials, wool
among them, on the free list, we would
be protecting our manufacturers more
than we are protecting them now, for
we would enable them to make many
things that they cannot make under the
present conditions. This would result
in the employment OF more people than
have ever been employed here, and 1t
would result in greater trade than we
have ever had. l do not believe that
placing wool on the free list would stop
the production in this country nor that
it would lessen the price To illustrate:
We import many WOODEN goods that we
cannot make because the duty on for
eign wool precludes its use, aud because
OF the fact that American wool cannot
be manufactured into as fine goods as
produced by combination Of American
and foreign woods.
If the duty on foreign wool were re.
moved, the American manufacturers
with the demands OF G5,00O,000 people
back OF them, would become bidders for
this wool and the price OF it would nat.
urally advance under the law OF supply
and demand. The foreign manutac-
turer would have to pay the same price
for it that we would pay, and with the
advance in price Of the foreign wool
there would be an advance in the Amer
lean wool.
Hoping that you will give these points
due consideration and let me hear fro IN
you, | remain, Yours truly,
[Signedl L. II. GEIsY.
ovERRuLING THE DIRECTIONS.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 6, 1898.
E II. Glossy, Esq, Manager Monroe Refrigerator
Company, Lockwood Ohio.
DEAR SER:-I have your favor OF Sep
TENDER IS.
l wonder that you are not Demo.
crat, believing, as you appear to, IN so
many untruths. Your facts are all
wrong, therefore it follows that your
conclusions must be wrong, and rec
ommend your careful reading OF book
on 1.-The American Wool Industry"
written by the Hon. William Lawrence,
president OF the Ohio Wool Growers
Association. mail you a copy ana ask
you to read it carefully and to examine
particularly the diagrams on the back
cover, with the description Of that da.
gram which is on the inside OF the back
cover. The unthinking would under
mine the foundations OF our whole in.
dustrial system and bring down upon
their heads the whole structure. You,
] am sure, hold your present views
owing to want OF proper information.
How could the American wool industry
be better protected by wool being
placed on the free list when the Lon
don value from the time OF the passage
Of the tariff law in 1867 up to January
/, 1868, was 80 per cent below the
American price? Ii protection doubled
the American price, would not the re.
moval Of protection cause the price to
fall to the level OF the markets OF the
world, which from 1867 to 1898 we're
less than one-half OF the American
price?
To-day we have IS, OOO,O OF sheep in
the United States, 81, 100000 OF which
and over 60 per cent OF all are located
west OF the Mississippi river The freight
on the wool from these sheep from the
ranch to the eastern markets varies
from , to cents per pound, while the
freight on wool from London is only
cent per pound How can the Ameri-
can wool grower pay from 800 to 1900
per cent more freight than his foreign
competitor, when the freight alone
under such unequal competition would
OF itself bar the American wool grower
from his own market? Thus, with the
removal OF protection, the difference in
freight alone would be so heavily against
the American wool grower that he
would be compelled to 90 out OF the
business.
COMPARATIVE COST OF CLOTHING.
II you have visited the Chicago expo.
sition, you will find that, without ex-
ception, the wootens made by the
American mills, in texture, color and
finish, outclass all foreign competitors
For confirmation OF this read the testi-