The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-04-06
Defend the Farm and the Home.

Defend the Farm and the Home.
The ringing protest against the Wilson
bill uttered by the wool merchants of Bos-
ton is worthy of the momentous issue which
called it forth, and worthy of the State
which has always been the champion of
liberty and justice against sectional malice
and oppression. Many business bodies
which have taken action In regard to the
Confederate tariff measures have confined
their opposition to the schedules which
directly threatened their own especial inter-
ests. The Boston wool merchants show a
truer comprehension of the real principles of
protection and take broader view of the
duties of citizenship. They earnestly pro-
test, not only against the section which re-
moves all protection from American wool,
but against the whole abominable measure,
which has blighted every American interest
and carried poverty and distress into every
community. I'VE believe" they declare
''such legislation to be inimical to the public
unjust to many pursuits other than the one
for which we especially plead. We appeal to
the Senators and Representatives, of the
country at large to use their influence and
votes against the consummation of the
wrongs embodied in the so called Wilson
bill, or in any similar legislation"
The protest clearly points out the GRIM
inality of abandoning the vast and valuable
focks of the United States to destruction.
The Wilson bill is sentence of death to the
American sheep industry. The great plains
of the West and the fertile lands of the
Eastern and Middle States are adapted to
the raising of nearly every kind of wool used
by mankind. The United States, with its
boundless agricultural resources and its i'm
mense areas of pasturage can easily produce
the entire amount of wool needed to cl0the
the American people. The trainers of the
Mckinley law had this object in view.
Under the protection of thatjust and patri-
ntic bmeasure, the number of American
sheep and the amount of the wool product
increased rapidly. On January 1, 1898, ac-
eOrdng to the statistics of the Department
of Agricultural, the value of American
sheep was more than S125, 000,0 900. The
Inauguration of Grover Cleveland and the
certainty that determined assault would
be made upon the wool duties brought about
tremendous shrinkage in The value of fiocks
and in the price of wool. The figures of the
Department of Agricultural for January /,
1894, show that several millions of sheep
had been slaughtered in the previous twelve
months. They show that the value of
Amerlcanosheep fell in single year from
over 1926, 200, 900 to less than 500, 1000, 000
If we add to this the loss caused by the
decline in wool prices and the depreciation
of the farms and ranches devoted to sheep
raising, it is evident that in twelve months
Grover Cleveland and the sectional wreck
ers behind him have robbed American
farmers Of at least $40, 100000.
Wool is national staple, as indispensable
to American independence as wheat or iron
or coal. At least million American farm
ers are sheep owners. Every one of these
men has been made poorer by the Cleveland
warfare on wool. Every enc of them will
be compelled to witness thesvirtual confisca-
ton of his flock, II the Wilson bill Is enact !
ed. In singing out the wool industry for
destruction, while affording protection to
Southern iron, coal and sugar, the Con- |
federate brigadiers have deliberately de- |
clared war upon the farms Of the North and |
West. The men who represent the farms, |
the factories and the homes of the North |
and West in Congress; the men who stand |
for the industry, the thrift and the intelli- |
gence which have made the great region |
north of Mason and DixOn's line free, en-
lightened and prosperous; the men whom |
the people of these commonwealth have |
elected as their Legislators and honOred with |
their trust, should meet the Wilson iniquity |
with Incorporating resistance and MAIN |
tain the Mckinley law with protection for |
the whole nation. The death of the Wilson |
bill would increase the value of American |
focks by fifty per cent, start factory wheels |
to revolving at their wonted speed, and ex-
pei poverty, that alien and hateful visitor |
from the homes whose peace il has destroy |
ed. The people have commanded their |
representatives to kill the infamous measure.
Obey the commando New York Press.
Neal Dow Celebration.
On account of the G. A. r. encampment
tho w ~ ~ TT ,>cotro,ad oaloh~ot;,s, tho