The morning call., 1893-08-20
A DARK OUTLOOK.
Democratic Threats Hurt
the Wool Trade.
Wool Growers Advised to Defer
Shearing Until Next Spring-Re-
suit of Free Wool.

At meeting of the wool buyers of this
city held few days ago 1t was decided to
discontinue the purchase of wool and to
advise the wOol-growerS TO defer shearing
until next spring.
In accordance with that arrangement
every buyer in the city has informed his
country customers of the wool situation
by the means of printed circular They
have been notified that the present price
of wool is very low and there is no doubt
but what it will 90 sill lower.
In the San Joaquin Valley, where wool
growing is leading industry, the spring
clip is being disposed of at from to :
cents pound. That fact has added TO the
depression already existing and the out
look for the future is very gloomy.
T. p. McLennan, one of the leading
wool-buyers. in discussing the situation
yesterday. said: ''It is true that we have
advised our customers TO defer shearlnZ
until next spring, and that is the only ad-
vice we could give them. We do not want
this years product because we cannot
sell it.
"The whole trouble has been caused by
the announcement made by the Democrats
that they are going to put wool on the free
list. / do not believe they will do so, for
I16V are surely dNdI6 tHnG IL IDPdUS the
ruin of one of the leading industries Of
this country. Their threat TO make such a
change has caused secured wool TO drop
from SO to So cents pound and ruined this
years business.
''If they lace it on the free list it can
not be much worse than 1t il at present, for
the price on a free basis would be 80 cents
pound. / cannot understand why the
Democrats should desire to sec wool free
We are raising 360, ,000, 600 pounds OF WOO
each year, and only need to import SO, 600,
900 pounds In order TO have enough to
make all the clothes we want. Under a
free-wool arrangement the raw material
will have to be furnished by foreign coun-
tries.
IF it is placed on the free list it will be
the ruin OF the wool Industry of America.
The buyers will be compelled to retire
from business, manufactures will remain
idle. the sheep will be killed ard
thousands of acres of land only fit for
wOol-growiug will be useless to the
owners. In the San Joaquin Valley,
where the farmers are now getting fair
revenue from their stubble land, under q
free wool tariff they would derive nothing.
''The manufacturers of clothing are
afraid to make up goods because of the
present uD eTtainty, and the shutting
down Of their mills has thrown thousands
of men cut of employment. The buyers
have thrown hundreds of men out of
work, aud the growers have no need fnr
the thousands of shearers usually en-
played. All of this hardshp has been
caused by the uncertainty OF what the
present Congress will do
'The factories ought to be at work now
making up their lightweight goods, 1t be-
ing their usual rule to be ahead of the
season fully six months. They are work
ing off their old stock and will continue Ia
do so until something is done by Congress.
If wool is placed on the free list 90 per cen I
of the wool industries will cease TO do
business.
Whenever it Is authoritatively an
nounced that wool will be protected by the
present tariff the mills will start up and
there will be a hum of machinery heard
all over the land. Thousands of idle men
will be given employment aud the pros
perity of the entire country greatly in
creased"