Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-07-06

stituents, there is something wrong
with his reasoning, or arithmetic, or
Ms sympathies.
Senator Kyle prefaced his apology
by claiming to appreciate the import
ance of the wool industry. From the
Mississippi to the Rockies sheep rails
ing is a vast and growing industry and
Mr.. Kyle said it would be a great injus-
tice to strike it down, but he thought
the advantage that would accrue to the
farmers in the reduction of the price
of clothing would more than compen-
safe for any reduction in the price of
wool that might follow the free listing
of that product. He believed that wool
could be raised on the broad prairies
and in the mountains of the west as
cheaply as in Australia or any other
place. This, then, is Mr.. Kyle's creed
for the American farmer: everything
cheap.
The senator did not stop with gener-
alities. he gave figures. He said there
were 100000 sheep in his state. The
sum is probably too large, for on jan
uary l, 1893 the number was reported
at 324,OOO. but the increase was very
marked during the year. Taking his
figures as correct let us see what the
threat and prospect of free wool has
done for South Dakota farmers. Sena-
tor Shoup, of Idaho, stated in the sen
ate u few days ago that in his state
eighteen months ago sheep were val
ued at SD a head, and they are now
being offered at s1.25, and one flock of
1900 recently sold for 81 a head. The
same loss of value doubtless applies to
South Dakota flocks. The 10000
sheep were worth S2,225O,OOO; what are
they worth now? Any South Dakota
farmer a figure out the loss. Sheep
are today selling ON a free wool basis,
but the bottom has not been reached.
Again, take the value of the clip.
The same senator showed that the de-
cline i'll the price of wool since 1892
amounts to a loss of 100000 for the
Idaho wool growers, with fiocks about
equal i'll number to those of South Da-
kota. Senator Kyle is willing to vote
for free wool in order to give the farm
er cheaper clothing. What per cent.
of a mark down on blankets will be
needed to make up for the s2,OoO,OOO
loss on sheep? And then when the
additional loss OH other farm products
because of lessened markets and the
abandonment of industries from for
eign competition is added to the
total, it will be seen that Senator Kyle
indOrses' "a considerable lowering of the
basis OH which American industry can
be carried OF.
Senator Kyle does not want the in
dustry destroyed, and believes it can
be carried on as cheaply as in any other
country. But how is he going to save
an industry upheld by a duty of IL
cents "a pound Oh wool that can be laid
on the New York woarves for 5 and 6
cents a pound. 1t costs a good deal
more to have a pound of wool shipped
from South Dakota to the wooden mills
than it does to gather a pound from
the free 1ocks of Australia and send it
to Boston. We don't do business in
America on the Australian basis. So
long as there is free grazing lands in
the newer states and territories the
wool industry will linger, but there will
be no incentive to further settlement
of the lands. Pasturing sheep on 500
an acre land in Ohio will not long sur
vive free wool. 1t will never come
about under Mr.. Kyle's theory.-Sioux
| City journal.