The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-28
FACTS ABOUT SHEEP AND WOOL.

A correspondent in Gosport writes the
Journal as follows:
A Democrat argues that there were more
sheep in the United States in the free-trade
days, back in the fftes than at the pres
ent time, and that wool commanded q bet
ter price under free trade than under pro-
lection. Please give statistics regarding
numbers, wool clip and prices.
At the outset, let us grasp the fact that
since the tariff act of 1916 there has not
been general free trade in wool. The cheap
est woods. worth or 10 cents a pound,
not raised in this country have been on
the free list from time to time. The Walker
tariff of 1916. which is called the revenue
or free-trade tariff, imposed duty of 80
per cent. ad valorem on all woods. while
the revised Walker act OF 1857 imposed a
duty of "a per cent ad valorem all woods
worth over IS cents a pound. This is the
first Congress to put all wool on the free
list.
The number of sheep returned by the
census. since 1910. was: 1910. 19,3OO,OOO; 1850,
p, 100000: 1860. 225OOOOO: 1870 2S5OO 900: $780,
IS. 100000; 1890. 44.9OOOOO. The highest num-
Der was reached in $3.50. 626.62s The
tariff act of 1888 reduced the duty on WOOL
ard the number fell to 42,599.079 in 1889.
After the passage of the Mckinley act in
1890 the number increased to 1923. 533. Jan.
/, 1898. valued at s125,9O9.2S4. Since that
date, under the almost certainty of free
wool, the number has fallen off to 45,04S017
and the value to $50 1910. In 1880. p. 7OO-
coo sheep yielded 52,576.s59 pounds of wool,
or little over 2A pounds per sheep; in
$685. A. 49, 55S sheep yielded 3OS 153. 900 pounds
of WOOL or 6 2-5 pounds to each sheep.
Since 1850 the price of wool has fallen the
world over. due to the enormous expansion
of the sheep industry in Australia and
South America, where it costs next to moth
ing for lands and the care of sheep. In
1910 the worlds clip Of wool was 7s6,00o000
pounds; in $780, 1.10s. 900. 0c0 pounds; in $780,
.9SS,0OO,O00 pounds; in 1887, 2,2lS.00OOo0
pounds. That is, more than twice as much
wool was put upon the market in 1887 as in
1860. In January 1852. according to Mauger
& Averys wool circular. the price of fine
medium ana coarse WaSneu OnlO Heece WOOL
in the Eastern markets was 43, IS and 81
cents. 1t was a little higher in 1853 and
1854, and lower in 1855 In 1891 the prices
of the same woods, respectively, were SO.
81 and 81 cents. Comparing the prices of
foreign woods with those of this country
in 1871, 1881 and 1891, as given by trade jour
nails in Liverpool and Philadelphia, the fall
has been a little less for American than for
foreign wools-ranging from 351s to 80 per
cent from 1871 to 1891 in Liverpool to 30a4
to 42ss on American woods in Eastern
that tariff Of IL cents a pound will keep
the price of wool up to the figure of TWEEN
ty years ago when the price of all woods
has fallen an average of over 40 per cent
in the free markets of the world. Excessive
production is the cause of the decline ] in
prices the world over. Until Jan. l. 1893,
the prices of the same grades of raw woods
in New York. Boston and Philadelphia were
from to IL cents a pound higher than in
London and Liverpool-that is, nearly as
much higher as the duty imposed by the
Mckinley law upon foreign wools With
the certainty of the putting of wool on the
free list, and the fact that the goods made
of this years clip would be sold to COM
pete with European goods made OF free
wool. the prices of raw woods have fallen
nearly to the London price.