The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-03

focks to meet this rapidly grow
ing demand: Our IMPOVERISHED soil APP
hoofed sheep, that our land may be richer
and our farms cleaner.
Mr.. President, l shall address myself,
first, to the threatened danger now pend
ing. 1 shall be forced. from an economic
standpoint. TO consider the effect os pend
ing legislation upon the wool interests. In
my wide experience in farm institute
work, / have scrupulously avoided any ref
erence to any economic policy. about which
there was any political difference. In the
discussion OF Profits Of Sheep Husbandry,'
! l have avoided any mention OF tariff, and
| refused to be Intercepted on that subject.
These are held under provision of the stat
ute and any question of party legislation
should be avoided. This. gentlemen. is a
meeting of wool growers to discuss, in all
it's bearings, any legislation, for or against
us; whether protection from foreign woods.
tine recitation looking to the suppression
OF infectious or contagious diseases.
I'm the national Congress measures are
now pending, upon the decision OF which,
In a large degree, depends the future profit
of wool growing in this country. The Will
son bill now pending proposes 10 open our
markets to the free importation OF foreign
wools. This seems to be the fixed policy of
the dominant party. 1t was urged IN Pres
ident Clevelands message IN lSSi. iIs en-
actment was soughtA in the Mills BILL re-
newed in the Springer bill. In both the
foregoing instances its enactment INTO law
| was prevented by the opposite party. IN the
Senate. There now seems 10 be no leslSia-
tive power to prevent the passage OIL a law
that uniustly d~iScriininateS against the
wool growers of this country.
FREE WOOL N THE
president Cleveland in his message in
1887 frankly admitted that free wool would
reduce the price from 10 to l. cents per
pound. He said: If the liberal estimate OF
six pounds be allowed for each fleece, the
duty thereon would be 60 or ~ cents, and
this may be taken as the utmost enhance
ment OF the price to the farmer by reason
of this duty. Eighteen dollars would thus
represent the increased price of the wool
from twenty-five sheep, and S6 that from
the wool of fifty sheep
Following the above, Mr.. Cleveland argued
that the farmers not engaged In wool grow
ing had no interest in sheep husbandry.
"This argument (and it is the one in stock
is an Elusive theory, disapproved by every
principle of economic reasoning. Take from
the $500, 00, 900 invested in ffocks, grazing
lands, barns. etc, turn the attention or
these flock masters, and utilize this capital
IN growing more grain, cattle. horses, etc,
and to the already low prices you will add
increased stagnation. The supply or THESE
products is now in excess or the denland
in all the markets of the world. Hence
every farmer in the land will feel the rum
Gus effect of any law that cripples or de-
stroys sheep husbandry.
But the question is often asked, what
have the farmers of the United States TO
fear from foreign wool growers?
We answer emphatlcally, noti1lng,, III con-
ditionS were equal. Give to our wool grow
ers what Great Britain gives to the Austral-
ian wool growers, and we will ask no
| greater favor. Give us free land and eX-
emption from taxation and we will become
exporters of wool. This country cannot
give us free land; it connot exempt our
fiochs from taxation. 1t can. however, and
| justice demands that the present system
of protection should be maintained.
ITO bring before this body. some of the
favorS bestowed by the British government
to the Australian wool growers. allow me
to quote from page 80 of the special con-
s9lar reports on Australian sheep ana wool:
were made to foster this industry in every
possible manner In addition TO sales at
low prices, long leases at nominal rents,
and grants of lands upon most favorable
terms, appropriations and loans of money
from the public treasury were made for the
carrying out and enforcement of regula-
tons and laws, which were enacted for the
destruction of vermin; the extirpation of
care of Great Britain is set forth, and is
of greater value than all the protection &C
corded our wool growers. Page Sc of the
same report reads as follows: "A certain
amount of diversity of opinion seems to ex-
list among the political economists of the
colony as to the SoundneSs of the prevailing
custom of allowing large tracts of land to
be occupied for sheep breeding purposes
One party leads "A crusade against a state
the existence of a class occupying vast ter
ritories almost for wool growing purposes
| alone, and clamorS for small holdings and
the Introduction of enterprises in other d.
rections.' They look upon the great strides
| taken by the wool interest with aversion.
prophesying that the day of retribution
must come when those who have given
over state property a.: e. land) to sheep
country ON the other hand, we have the
supporters of this enormous interest con-
tent to refer the malcontents to facts, fig
ureS and results, and maintaining that an
immense continent like Australia, carrying
a population OF less than two to the square
mile, and possessing but narrowly developed
resources, could not possibly be worked to
| Qraa ter 6vantag a than In the lines which.
by their devotion to the production OF wool,
have proven both remunerative TO individu-
al interests and a source OF great revenue
TO the government
II have quoted at length to show how gov
ernmental aid is given TO foster, encourage,
stimulate, develop and build up this enor-
nous interest In Australia, and to further
show to any reasonable. candid, honest
mind that our conditions as wool growers
and those of this vast colony bear no COM
parison. In the face of the foregoing array
of facts, will any true friend of sheep hus-
bandry in this country say that our farm
ers, on high-priced lands, heavily taxed, can
compete with wool growers on free land
and untaxed focks, and 6 cents a day la
Dor? Free wool means turning over our
markets to the fostered sheep cormorants'
of Australia, to augment their individual
interests and prove a source of great rev.
enue TO the commonwealth.
The results attending the fostering care
of sheep husbandry in this colony have been
marvellous. In 1860 but 100000 sheep in
creased to ll9. 924. O62 in 1891. (See page 103,
Consular Report) The increase of the last
. eleven years equals the aggregate OF our
fiocks at this time. Those who argue that
wool was higher in price prior TO 1860 than
in recent years will find the reason in the
wonderful increase in the worlds number
of sheep and product of wool. The worlds
production of wool in 1860 was $50, 00o, go
pounds, increased, in 1891, to 2,i56, z 800
pounds.
while examining the New South Wales
exhibit of wool at the Worlds Columbian
Exposition, / was much Interested in the
enthusiasm manifested by the exhibitors.
| They painted i'm glowing colors the advan-
tages they possessed for the growing of
sheep and wool, representing that wool could
be profitably grown and prepared for mar
! ket at 10 cents per pound.
South American wool growers are aftord-
ed conditions for cheap production OF wool
far superior 10 that offered our farmers in
this country and with focks a~ggregating
nearly double our own, and exporting near
400. 000, coo pounds of wool annually, IS an
other factor potent for evil II wool is ad-
mitted free.
'"Tne law of 1888 but slightly reduced the
duty on classes ] and 2 of imported woods,
while class . (carpet wooD was reduced TO
21a cents per pound. BY an unfair con-
struction of the law, clothing woods, which
should have paid IL and L cents per pound
T, duty, were admitted as carpet wool, there
1 by d~efrauding the government and damag-
ing the wool growers. This law, and its
unjust construction, caused a rapid de-
crease i'm the number of sheep and the pro-
duction of wool. In 1891 the number Of sheep
in this country was 50.626, 626; in 1889 the
number had declined TO AZ, 599,079 a decrease
i'm five years of 1927, 547, with a decline in
value of 500. COG, 600. (See report of Secretary
Of Agriculture for 1889, page PAD
The Secretary of Agriculture, In his last
annual report, on pages 2i5-24S inclusive,