The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-10-25

trations since the Calhoun tariff act
of 1916. Whatever differences, he
says, existed as to the proper extent
or character Of tariff duties on most
commodities, there was certainly
up to 1887 such a general senti-
ment that sheep husbandry was so
Important, SO essential to prosperity
for agricultural, and indeed all in
dustries and to national independ-
ence, that all political parties
favored adequate protection for the
wool industry, because they deemed
it just, necessary and wise.
1t remained for the Democratic
party in the time of Grover Cleye-
land and William L. Wilson, at a
time when there had been no de-
mand for free wool, to inaugurate
a policy which designed to strike a
death blow at an industry which
was as broad as the continent and
engaged in by million American
| farmers.
| One point in Judge Lawrence's
address we desire to call attention
to. 1t is often asserted that for
eign woods are needed to mix with
our domestic feeces for successful
manufacture. The judge quotes
from Charles Fletcher, one of the
most eminent of American manu-
features, as follows:
"This talk of mixing Australian
wool with domestic wool to make
goods required for this market is
all nonsense, as Australian woods
are only used here when they are
cheaper than domestic woods.
"All these statements come from
people who wish to get woods free
from duty and keep the 40 per cent.
tariff on wooden goods. There is
no need of my stating to you that |
do not believe in this principle, as
it is well known that | believe in
equal protection on wool as well as
on wooden goods, as wool is the
foundation stone for a protection
on wooden goods, and l see no rea-
son in the policy of taking the
foundation stones out of our mills
and expecting the mills to stand
up. 1t is quite as reasonable for us
to expect, as to take duty off wool
and expect to be protected on wooden
goods"
If it were true, says Judge Law
renee, as it is not, that foreign
woods were needed to mix, that
would only be reason for specify
ing the woods in the tariff law, and
for admitting them either free, or
with revenue duties. But no wool
or manufacturing expert, or. states
man has ever specified the woods or
proposed to make special provision
for them in any law.
The talk about mixing is only a
pretext to secure free wool for a
political purpose. Free wool, urges
the judge, is the bait set in the
trap to catch the south and some of
the New England manufacturing
districts.
Gree wool, by diminishing our
focks, will drive farmers from sheep
husbandry into the increased pro-
duction of corn, wheat, hay, bacon,
beef and other farm products. The
demand for pasturage, hay, corn
and oats. will be reduced by the
destruction of our flocks. The cot
ton growing states, New York city
and the manufacturing districts of
the New England states will thus
secure cheaper food products.
GAS a political party move, the
free wool advocates hope to make
still more solid the "Solid South"
and secure to the free trade causes
some of the New England manufac-
turing states.
"The scheme is sectional, unpa-
triotic, unjust, and vile beyond the
capacity of words to express.
These are points that have been
dwelt upon before, but cannot be
too strongly urged. They throw
light upon the motive of the move
ment for free wool which was sud-
denly started by Mr.. Cleveland and
carried out by the Democratic
party.