The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-02-16
THE WOOL |N|QU|TY ]!
A Second Letter From Con-
grsssman Brstz,
SCORING ONE Of the wool
MILL BAR0MS
Who "|nfIue need his Workmen
to demonstrate Against
The Wilson Bill.
Some Cold Facts For Farmers
And LabOring Men to
Ponder Over.

Abss~e A~eSDOA assO A'.osA W.
Ponder Over.
Mr.. z. D. Barrows. a wealthy pro.
prietor OF wooden mill at La Porte
Ind :, unnertook 10 answer Congress
man Bretz's letter TO the lndtans
Wooden Mills combine, whose mem
bers have grown rich from . Protec'
tive Tariff. while the wool growing
farmer has been compelled to m ort.
gage his farm to get the necessariei
OF life, the manufacturer charg' De
him for his wearing apparel more
than his wool crop sold for. The
Wilson wool schedule will reduce this
price OF wearing appare! more than
GO per cent. and the farmer will be
able 10 cave some money. instead o.
the manufacturer getting it all. The
following Is Congressman Bretz's re-
ply TO the "open letter." of the WOO
baron:
HOUSE OF REPS, U. s.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. z, 1894
f. ID. Barrows, Esq..
La Porte. Indiana.
SIR:- Replying to your "open" let
ter OF 3Ist ult., forwarded TO me by
Messrs Geo. Merritt & Co.. Wooleu
Mft. &C., of Indianapolis, ] have tc
say, that l have no doubt you have
given the subject Of wool and wooleu
manufacturing q great deal Of atten'
ton. and II any body is capable o.
speaking knowingly upon the subjecv
you are. but you will pardon me II
O Ter come friendly criticism to some
OF the absurd arguments you make in
defense Of your protection ideas. Al
to the personalities used 10 your let
ter pass them bv with but few words
and that is, that IL had to depend
upon men Of Your desires, for my
election have no doubt would
never have been where am, but my
are shaped by men OF intelli.
gencc, Of broad and economical views
stripped of greed or pelf that seem to
prompt the actions Of some men who
take issue with me, and II you will
pardon me will conenlt them rather
than YOU when l ought to "retire to
rrivste life" Let me assure you
that my letter Of January 22ud, you
Geek 10 criticise. was written In my
sober thoughtful moments" and 90
is this one.
In defense OF your position you thus
the lite Of farmer ;
swhen the farmer comes to any Oi
our WOODEN mile and gets the highest
nrice for his wool that the market can
sfford. and often more thar the man.
n fac,urer can afford TO pay and make
the c,oths ths, they do, and sell again
70 the farmer at the price he gets the
goods At. thus enabling the farmer not
onlv 10 buy the woolen manu- facturer's
goods. but furnishes him the money
after he has clothed his family, to pay
hia debts, buy more lands. and oil his
house with luxuries." What q mag
nilicent picture OF q farmers life! but
In ere 10 no truth In 1t. Now let us
see how the farmer prospers In tho
sheep raising business: In 1898 there
were Al, ,273, ,553 sheep in the United
States or about -fourths OF a
sheen 10 each person. II is estimated
that about 50 per cent. Of the whole
people are engaged in farming which
be about 35 OO0, 900. or an aver
age Of about . sheep anil fourth to
each person engaged In farming. But
now let Us look At the sheep industry
in our own state where you cay 1.-The
farmer pavs his debts, buys other
lands, and Ills his house with luxur-
les all from the products Of his wool
In 1890, the population in
Indians. was placed at 9,l92, 40l and
In 1893 there we're l,06O,3S3 sheep, or
less than a half Of sheep TO each per-
son in the State. Indiana being more
OF an agricultural state than other
wise, about SO per cent. Of her popu
la,ion are engaged In farming, which
would be about 1 ,3l5 900, 90 that 10
each person engaged In farming there
would be abont three-qusrters Of q
sheep. The average clip to tho sheep
10 six pounds, or about four ponds ol
" COL year 10 each person engaged In
farming. The average price Of wool
In 1693 was 32 cents so that the farm.
er would realize on his four pounds
OF wool ol2S Now imagine the
good old farmer in Indiana rising up
early some 6nc May morning, with
his soul full OF music and look upon
his sturdy face that would seem to eel
Mt rest all anxiety for Ills future en-.
richment : see him going forth 10 ths
basn.lot 10 corral bis three. .quarters o.
. sheep and clip iis four pounds o
wooi and cart IL off IN fho "(s1oAr LAX