The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-09-13
rHE rARIFF HRARNas.

Vht1 VAhAHR, dkAAhkA1ESl
Woolen Mon Argue Against Tariff BE.
duotion-AP Protest Against Free Wool.
WAsH1Sa4oS, Sept 12-The hearings
before the ways and means committee
continue with undated interest and
the committee room is crowded day
after day with interested hearers.
The time to-day was set apart for the
hearing OF those interested in wool
manufactures. A large delegation In
terested in this industry appeared be-
fore the committee and those who
made arguments were compelled to
undergo thorough cross.exeminatiop
at the hands Of both Democrats and
Republicans, each side endeavoring to
elicit information which would tend to
uphold its respective position on the
tariff question.
The first speaker was Charles Heber
Clark, of Philadelphia. he stated that
the Manufacturers' club was composed
Of men engaged in the manufacture Of
many articles. He read apaper signed
by the officers aud directors Of the club,
protesting against any change in the
present tariff. @
The line Of Mr.. Clark's arguments
was that since the beginning OF the
present year q wave Of commercial de-
preston has swept over the country.
In 90 far as this depression has affected
manufacturing establishments he be-
lieved It 10 bein considerable MEASURE
due to the apprehension entertained by
manufacturers that there would be .
fulfiment Of the threat Of radical
change in the duties on imported mater
ials. They were afraid 70 operate their
mills; merchants are afraid to buy.
Large numbers OF mills have
ceased operations completely, but o
much greater number are running upon
short time with the smallest hope Of
better things. Many have already been
compelled to reduce wages. 1t may be
doubted II more than one manufacture
ing establishment in hundred Is at
this moment working with the same
number of persons, the same number OF
hours q week, as were employed In Sep
tember, 1892. He expressed the opin.
ion that relief may be afforded instant
lv by an assurance that the committee
would not assait the tariff law In such a
manner as to expose manufacturers to
unequal competition from Europe,
working with lower wage scale.
MORE STRONG PROTESTS tiN
Mr.. North followed and read resolu.
tions adopted by the National Wool
Manufacturers Association, which
lauded the Mckinley bill and depre.
Gated the passage Of any measure seek
ing to reduce the tariff schedules on
wool.
The next speaker was William Whit
man, who argued mainly on the line
that high protective tariff does not
reduce the revenue to the United
States.
After q recess OF an hour the COM
mittee resumed, and Mr.. Theodore JUS
tice, Of PHILADELPHIA, was hoard. He
started out with the assumption that It
was the intention Of the committee To-
put wool on the free list, and antici-
pated that such action would result in
destroying the second largest agricultu-
raj industry In the country.
\ He declared that the cost OF trana-
porting wool from one portion of this
country to another was 1.200 per cent
greater than the cost Of transportation
from foreign countries to America. He
said the wooden mills throughout the
country were being closed daily, and
attributed it to the fact that President
Cleveland had said that within few
months wool would be placed on the
free list.
"If you can get President Cleveland
to say,n continued he, shat he will
veto any measure affecting the wool In
dustry so per cent Of the closed mills
will be in full operation"