Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-08-24

be injured without a corresponding in
jury to the other. Again, it is shown by
this firm, that free wool will not lower
the price Of manufactured woolens-it
will do nothing but kill off the wool
growing industry in this country. It is
a direct injury to the farmer and to the
manufacturer, and of no benefit to the
consumer. Why, then, should the demo-
cratic party place this one staple on the
free list? The letter in question is as
follows:
We have not been running our mills at
full capacity for the reason that we were
not able to sell the production. The Larry
est mill that W. run last year VIZ sold in
the first six months S460,0OO. for the same
time this year we sold $l6S,0OO, and the
company lost a very large amount OF money
owing in part to the shrinkage of wool
and the light production (as light produc-
ton means a large increase of cost in gen
eral %expenses.)
The reason of the large shrinkage of
wool was on account OF the anticipated
tariff bill, which will probably be signed
in a day or two by our president, reducing
the duty on wool ten cents a pound, which
is equal to about thirty cents a pound on
secured wool, and you can readily see that
such a tremendous reduction where a mill
is compelled to carry three or four months
stock all the time, loss is inevitable.
We believe, however, that there will be a
curtailment of production of wool in this
country, and believe it will be a little high.
er within a year than it is now for the
reason that wool will advance in Europe.
| The price of wool here now corresponds
very nearly with the price that it can be
laid down from Europe.
We do not employ as many laborers to-
day as we did a year ago, and our wages
are about 10 to 20 per cent. less than
they were a year ago. Although large
manufacturers we do not desire free wool.
for the reason that it Injuries the consumer
OF merchandise or Injuries the farmers,
and anything that Injuries 1.-THE farmers in
this country Injuries the manufacturers, is
our belief.
it is a very difficult question to answer
why the stagnation and decentralization of
the wooden market. but expectation is al
ways greater than realization, and people
have expected the decline of the tariff and
they have refused to buy WOODEN goods,
believing they would be much less after
the reduction of the tariff; but we on the
contrary believe that there will be a very
little change from present prices.
Very fine goods, such as we have been
introducing largely in the last year and a
half, will not be produced here unless we
reduce the price OF labor very materially.
Cheap goods can be made here to compete
with the world, with even the new rate of
duty.
A high tariff OF anything that we can
manufacture in this country invariably
has in my experience in business, cheaper
ed the article to the consumer, and it does
not matter in my opinion how high you
put the duty. When the American manu-
f~acturer is protected S per cent. he will
produce all the stock in that line that is
wanted, and if he is protected so per cent.
he will produce just as much; therefore,
one thing that we wan is protection for
anything that we can produce in this
country to supply the people with cheap
goods, and anything we cannot produce
we want free.
The general impression all over the west
and south, judging from what the writer
has read, is that the eastern manufacturers
have been getting rich out Of the manu-
featuring business al the expense of the
south and west.
l have been in the manufacturing bust
ness since IS and the mills that we repres.
ent have not averaged to earn 6 per cent.
per annum or their capital stock, and the
mills that we represent have earned as
much as the majority of the mills in New
England and the Middle States.