Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-02-06
THE WOOL INDUSTRY
FREE RAW MATERIAL THE TRUE
BASIS OF PROTECTION.

Some Interesting Facts Concerning Prac-
tical Tariff Making-Duties on Imported
Wool Are Wrong Because They Have
Not Increased Production.
The Dry Goods Economist on Dec. 10
began series of articles ON Practical
Tariff Making" to show, as it stated edi-
torially, what would be needed to place
our manufacturers upon substantial
equality with their European competi-
tors" The first paper restates the argu-
ments in favor of free wool. Some of the
facts are interesting to many not con-
nected with the woolen industry.
Since 1864 the duty on unwashed wool
has varied from ten to twelve cents pei
pound, yielding a protection of about 80
per cent. In spite of this duty imports
have steadily increased from 81, 1888, ,675
pounds in 1867 to 119, ,390,2S0 pounds in
1891. Nor has the production of wool
increased as rapidly under protection in
the United States as it has increased in
the other countries of the world where
it has had no protection. Since 1860 the
product of the United States has in
creased from 60,264, ,913 to 2S5, ZOO, 900
pounds-475 per cent. The INCREASE since
1860 in the other comparatively new
countries of the world has been from
315,OOO,00O to 1868, 1881 900 pounds-an
average of 534 per cent. The increase in
Australia has been 993 per cent; River
Platte districts, $50 per cent; Cape of
Good Hope, 494 per cent. These three
districts produce two-thirds of the
worlds supply, 1853, 1891 800 pounds.
The writer, Mr.. S. Hawking, then ex-
plains why it is that this country lags
behind. 1t is because of our poor wool
growing climate and because the duty on
woods has depressed our manufactures
and compelled them to buy less Ameri-
can wool than if they could purchase
freely abroad and make all kinds of fab
RIGS. He discusses the absurd tax on car
pet wools-a tax intended to protect
| something that never has nor never will
exist here-the camel, goat and alpaca
industry. He shows how the duties op-
Grated to raise prices of manufactured
goods here and to give cheap wool to for
eign manufacturers. He thus recapitu-
lateS the nrSt arIlcle:
'The duties on imported wool are con-
sequently economically wrong.
"First-Because they have failed to
stimulate the growing of wool in this
country in proportion to its unlimited
| pastural resources.
"Second-Because it is gross injustice
to compel the consumer of goods made
of wool to pay twice over the duty paid
on imported wool in consequence of the
growers inability to produce within 80
per cent. as much as the wants of the
country require.
"Third-Because domestic manufac-
turers are prohibited from buying such
woods as are most desirable to their
uses, and are compelled through the tax
on wool to buy such woods as are not
always suitable to their wants and the
requirements of the goods they manu-
facture.
"Fourth-Because domestic manufac-
turers, through being compelled to buy
woods of light shrinkage, buy the dearest
woods and are oppressed by the competi
ton of the foreign manufacturer, who is
not hindered by tax on wool from buy
ing the cheapest woods in the market.
"Fifth-Because the tax on wool gives
to wool fictitious value and renders
the use of inferior substitutes as adulter-
ants question of much easier practice.
For these reasons taxed. wool has
been tried and proved failure. Any
rational system of tariff revision must
therefore have free wool as the basis and
chief factor of protection to the wooden
industry"
Editorially it is noted that these facts
contrast with President Harrison's re-
cent rm-licked-b -but-r rll-stick-to-it high
tariff message, and it is remarked that
the argument for free wool is irresistible