The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-10-26

Politically this change Is important,
because wool was the one prominent
article as 70 which itCOUld be seriously
maintained st the farmer got a share
Of the protective bounty. Their were,
indeed, duties on wheat and corn and
meat, but 20 long 81 these commodities
are never imported, aud depend for
their market largely on the exports, il
cannot be pretended that their prices
are effected uy q duty, or that theirprO
dUcsrs Ees within the magic circle Of
those whose prosperity i the creature
Of legislation. But wool i imported,
and - = subject 10 foreign cOmpeti-
ton in the home market. The farmers
% some Eastern aud Central States,
like Ohio. Pennsylvania and Micbi
gan. have had IL dinusd in their ears
that free wool meant collapse Of the
prices Of wool aud slaughter 10 their
docks. Il Ieguiret courage 10 face this
cry, especially in doubtful states like
Ohio where p few thousand votes
might turn the scale Now the wool
growers, whether farmers in the East
OF rsnchmeu in the West. have been
told, once for all, that they must do
without legislative aid.
Economically the change 10 free
wool i important 10 itself, and a. the
emphatic recognition OF = sound pr.u-
cipie. On this holly debated article
our tariff nov stands sgUarely on the
ground that trade between nations i
a division Of labor in which both sides
gain; that there are some things
which IL i better for Us 10 buy than
70 make; aud that If We buy, We sell,
and need not fear ruin from reckless
over purchase. II l. surprising that
this truth should not have teen sooner
followed In regard 10 q commodity
like wool. II i the raw material Of a
manufacture which i inevitably and
admittedly hampered by the duty.
At the same time 10 i 8 material OF
which the quality i largely deter
mined by soil, climate. and other
physical causes, and which thus gives
little scope for that progress Of i'm
movement and invention sometimes
plzusibly claimed 10 bs the result Of
protection 10 manufactures.
The same sheep will yield a differ
ent fleece in England and in Oregon,
in Texas and in New South Wales.
The varieties OF fibre are endless; Ma
ture has her way in giving the sheep a
different covering a. its food and ex-
posure vary. For certain qualities OF
wool the dry and sunny plains OF
Australia are as clearly the natural
source OF supply ss the tier OF States
that border on the Gulf of Mexico are
the sources Of supply for the worlds
best cotton. Hence for years no civil
izsd country, except our own, has i'm
posed 3 duty on wool. And in this
country. while we have maintained
duty. wool has constantly been i'm
ported over the barrier; hue wool and
cheap wool have come in, nOtwith-
sanding duties OF % per cent. and
more. The domestic wool grOWers-
or their self-appOinted Spokesman
have promised that they would sup
ply the country with all qualities Of
wool. but they have never done so
Now we give Up the vain pretence OF
self-suffieieney, and open our ports TO
the wool OF the world.
In practice the result Will not be so
dramatic - the opponents OF the
change predict. The " oil growers
will not De ruined, nor viii the sheep
BE- slaughtered The finer qualities Of
wool will be more largely imported,
especially from Australia Perhaps
medium grades will also be imported
in larger quantities. Prices Of some
qualities OF wool mot of ALI viii 90
down they have already fallen IN
anticipation Of the new regime. The