St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-11
WOOL MONARCHS PROTEST
DENUNcIATION Of THE NEW WILSON
TARIFF BILL.
ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW YORK
Manufacturers Who Claim That
Their Interests Will BE De-
stroyed by the Passage of the
Appeal to the President and
Members of CONGRESS-.
Members of Congress.


Members of Congress.
NEW YORK, Jan. 10.-The National
Association of Wool Manufacturers met
today al the Metropolitan hotel, with
Rufus S. Frost in the chair. S. N. d.
North, of Boston, acted as secretary.
The following were elected officers for
the ensuing year:
President. Rufus S. Frost; vice presi-
dents, John L. Houston, c. II. Hartly.
A. c. Miller and Thomas Dolan; treas
urer, Benjamin Phipps; secretary, s.
n. d. North.
Several prominent men made speeches
denouncing the Wilson bill in SO far as
it affects the wool business. At con-
ference held this afternoon to protest
against the Wilson bill. the following
protest was prepared and adopted. with
instructions that copies be sent to
President Cleveland and members OF
congress: The allied Industries repre-
sented at meeting held at the Metro
politan hotel. New York, jan 10, 1894
including all branches of the manufact-
ure and sale of wooden goods, carpets
and knit goods, and the wholesale
clothing and cloak manufacture. speak
ing for an investment of capital far
exceeding 500,O00,0O0, embarked in
business under the laws of the United
States, on the good faith of the govern
ment that its citizens shall be duly
guarded in their vested property rights.
As American citizens we have assem-
bled to protest against the enactment OF
a law which threatens to destroy a
large part of this capital. and to render
it uncertain whether the remainder
SHALL. BE PROTECTED.
The provisions of the wool aud wool
en- schedule of the Wilson tariff bill
compel this protest. which is made in
the belief that its trainers have no ade-
quate conception of its practical defects.
1t is so drawn as to entail upon the
American manufacturer the maximum
loss and embarrassment, and offer to
foreign competitors the possession of
the American market at the minimum
of risk and effort.
We base this protest upon pledge of
President Cleveland in his message to
congress of Dee. &, 1887, that "a read
justment of our tariff should be devised
with especial precaution against i'm
periling the existence of our manufact-
uring interests"
This bill, regardless of that pledge. is
framed in a manner that threatens dis
aSter to a great group of industries, 10
Gated in nearly every state in the Union.
We protest against this measure as
the sole cause of a prolOngation of bust
ness depression which would at once
disappear but for the menace of its fut-
ure enactment. The Wilson bill has
dlSorganiZed the business and commerce
of the country and its enactment is OPP
posed by every branch of industry and
the entire body of
AMERICAN PRODUCERS.
1t is a measure that creates a deficit
by reducing or removing duties almost
exclusively on articles of foreign manu-.
facture or production that compete with
American products; aud we especially
protest against that adjustment of the
bill which creates nearly 40 per cent of
this deficit. amounting to S2S, 100000 an
nually by removing or reducing duties
upon wool and WoolenS which enter
into competition with American farm
erS and factories.
We protest against these radical re-
auctions of duties at the time of indus
trial depression among the great manu-
featuring nations of Europe, when their
markets are glutted with surplus goods,
and the difficulties of American compe-
tltiOn are greatly aeeeEtuated. We par
tlcularly protest against this treatment
accorded the wool-growing industry
and all branches of the wool manutact-
ure in this BILL as harsh in the extreme,
and more radical and proscriptive than
in any other schedule.
The proposed rates of duty ad va
loren are insufficient, without accom-
panylng specific duties, to equalize the
present differences between foreign and
domestic cost of production. 1t is a
demonstrated fact that the labor costs
in this manufacture are double the SIM
liar costs in Great Britain, and often
three times as much as on the continent
of Europe. Ali other manufacturing
costs are diSpropOrtiOnate in like de-
gree-the cost of capital. plant, main
tenance, supplies, repairs, superintend-
entS, taxation. etc, compelling the en-
ployment of much
LARGER CAPITAL
to produce the same quantity of goods.
A duty of 40 pet cent upon the fereign
cost of wooden goods, equivalent to q
duty of but 2314 per cent upon the do
nestle cost, will not equalize those diff
ferences in the comparative manufact-
ure costs. We protest against the NAL
adjustment of duties in this schedule,
as 1t is illogical, unscientitic and mis-
fitted.
American manufacturers of wholesale
clothing, by transferring their patterns
and methods to the continent of Europe
and utilizing European cloths and labor
can supply American customers with
goods adapted to this market, paw the
proposed duty of 45 per cent and earn a
profit beyond the reach OF those who
continue the manufacture in this coun-
try.
We particularly protest against the
glaring injury and injustice done to the
carpet manufacture, the proposed dnties
upon carpets being no greater than
upon the yarns from which they are
woven.
We make this protest not only as
manufacturers, but also on behalf of
the labor employed in these industries,
including, under normal business con-
ditions. no less than 100000 persons. AS
manufacturers, we depiore controver-
sizes with labor, and contemplate with
profound regret the establishment of
conditions which compel the most rad
zeal readJustments of the present scales
of wages. Adequate help will be diff
cult to obtain at tue wages this bill will
compel. unless there shall be CORE
spending reduction of wages in all lines
OF Industry, both manufacturing and
otherwise.
We appeal to the patriotism of an
American congress to prevent the con-
summation of this national misfortune;
and we appeal to our fellow citizens, in
every walk of life, to second our pro-
test against legislative act Of extirpa-
ton.