Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-06-21

West, which some Nermonters, strange to
say seem to prefer now-though of late the
movement in population seems to be back
eastward? In short, does not everybody
know that free wool will practically destroy
sheep husbandry, not only in Vermont, but
throughout every State and Territory.
History of Sheep Husbandry.
The history of that industry in this coun-
try in the light of tariff legislation is full of
instruction Let us look at it for just a
minute.
In 1910 there were 10000, 900 sheep in the
United States. In 1860 there were %, Al
275, gain of 12, All, 275 during 50 years,
in which much of the time wool was on the
free list, and none of the time duty on the
common grades.
In 1861 the Morrill, tariff put moderate
duty on every grade of wool, which in 1867
was increased to 13 cents per pound on the
best quality-the highest rate that it ever
carried This rate remained until 1888, at
which time the number of sheep in the
United States had grown to the enormous
number of 30, G26, 626-the largest number
in our history. Now make a note that at
the same point Of time we find standing to-
gether the highest rate of duty on wool and
the largest number of sheep.
You will, also, notice that here was a gain
of %, 000 600 head in round numbers during
23 years of protection, against 12,OOO, 900
during 80 years of revenue tariff-in con-
siderablv less than half the time considcra
bly, more than twice the gain. Nor is this
all.
In 1883 the duty on wool was reduced
from IL cents to 10 cents per pound, and so
remained until the Mckinley law of 1890.
Now what followed The number of sheep
decreased about 1000, 600 each year, SO that
in 1891 there were but 43, 45l, 1876.
In 1890 the Mckinley law raised the tariff
on wool from 10 to II cents per pound; and
on the imported animal from 20 per cent
equivalent to 10 or so cents per head to
81. 30 per head. Now note the effect. 1t
was instantaneous The number of sheep
promptly responded to this generous pro-
lection and in 1893 it was 41, 1903, 3jl-a
gain of just about 3, 600, 900 head annually.
Thus do we see that the number of sheep
in the United States has risen and fallen
with tariff changes just as certainly as the
barometer rises and falls with weather
changes. And | believe 10 years of free
wool would reduce tie number of sheep in
this country to one half what it was in 1888,
when the duty was l3 cents per pound,
)
which it ought never to have been changed
for in 10 years of that IS, from 1870 to
$780, there was gain in the hocks Of the
country Of 81, PSI, ,367 head; almost twice
as large as was the gain from 1910 to 1860,
during 30 years of free trade, in the So
called golden days of the republic to
which the democracy still proudly refers
Too Strange for the Truth.
Mr.. Chairman, if the Wilson bill should
become law sheep husbandry in the United
states is doomed; and yet the ib-tongued
free trader tells us, as though it were true,
that free wool will bring into
our markets certain grades of foreign
wool, which will be mixed with Ger
tain of our woods in the manufacture of
goods not now produced here and thus Gre
ate a larger market for American woods.
This is current statement in the demo-
| cratic papers; all have seen it, Even Chair
man Wilson said in his opening speech in
| the House. that free wool would steady
and improve the market for American
| wool. | would not speak harshly, but this
| is free trade vision too vague and unsub-
| stantial to merit serious reply. 1t is Il mere
invention; mere assertions; a mere fiction,
plausible, but on its face improbable and
strange: in fact altogether too strange for
the truth. 1t is not true, 1t is a wicked
fallacy.
But the free trader must, if possible pull
the wool over the eyes of the farmer some
way, so he tells him another thing, viz:
that wool under protection is not bringing
as much as it did under a revenue tariff;
and especially that under the Mckinley law
the price OF wool has declined.
Partly True and so Wholly False.
Now this is true but it is at the same
time wholly misleading, because it is not the
whole truth. 1t is really as false as an out
right falsehood. What is the whole truth ?
1t is this; that in the markets of the world.
the free trade market of London, if you
please, the decline in the price of wool has
been greater since 1860 than in Boston, the
| other great wool market of tho world and
| figures will prove it,
In 1860, clean, secured XX Ohio wool
was worth so cents per pound in Boston.
| Under the Mckinley law early in 1888 be-
| fore it was menaced with repeal the same
wool was worth 10 cents per pound-a de-
cline of l2t per cent,
In London in 1860, the value of Austral-
ian, clean, secured wool similar to XX Ohio.
though not quite as good, was 60 cents per
|
per pound, decline of 16 per cent against
l2t per cent under protection; which, in the
meantime, had stepped in and saved the
American market from the greater decline
in London.
But what of the decline under the Nc.
Kinley law, with which the free trader tries
to confuse the farmer 1t is true there wa,
a slight decline in the Boston market in
1912, notwithstanding the increase of
cent per pound duty which took effect il
October, 1890, But it is also true, which
the free trader carefully conceals that the
decrease in London which was really 10 pei
cent, was more than four times that in Bos
ton, which was but 4! per cent. This i,
shown by careful comparison Of the price.
current in these two markets; and another
thing shown is that the price is from 8 tC
II cents per pound higher on all grades il
Boston than in London, just about the diff
! ference of our tariff.
| Overproduction Cause of Decline.
The real cause for this decline rests in tn,
fact that for the last few years there ha