The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-03
HULL'S CAUSTIC CRITICISM
Lonesome Defender Of the Theory
of Free Trade.
He Asked a Couple of Questions, and
Was Answered Quickly and
Completely.

Ing to him TO hold his peace when he
finds himself again in a n assemblage with
nobody On his side to help him fight. He
was an upright, clean-handed and, appar-
emily, perfectly sane citizen from Fairview
stock farm. Rolling Prairie, Ind. by the
name of n. w. Garvin. Senator j. "A.
Mount had just finished a well compilated
paper on THE Signs of the Times and
Whittier Is the Sheep Industry Tending"
which, in plain English, turned out to be
an emasculation of the Wilson bill for the
blow it proposes to strike at the WOOL
growing industry. Mr.. Garvin, with his
eyes flashing behind a pair of convex spec
tacles and with all the unwise temerity of
the charge of the Light Brigade at Bala-
klava, desired to ask Mr.. Mount two inno-
cent questions. He wanted to know What
has been the effect of the Mckinley law
on wool and Sheep" and he also sought
to know d you believe the removal of
the duty on wool would reduce the price
of wool an equal amount to that of the
duty removed?' adding that he did not
agree with Mr.. Mounts position.
The farmer from Montgomery county was
on his feet in a n instant. In reply to the
first question he said: 'The last report OF
the Secretary OF Agriculture shows an in
crease of nearly 3,OOe 900 sheep in 1892 and
an increase since the passage of the Nc
Kinley bill of over 5,000,0OO sheep. Further
more, since it's passage, wool in Europe
has declined in value from z cents TO 10
cents q pound, while In this country the
decline was only 2 cents a pound until the
present impending danger threatened in the
| Wilson bill"
For answer to the second question Mr..
Mount took the Rolling Prairie mans breath
away with this: "A man of much greater
wisdom than L claim, President Cleveland.
in his message TO Congress in 1887 said it
would (reduce the price of wool equally
with the shaving of duty.)"
up and yelled. The man from Rolling
Prairie buttoned his, coat tighter about his
and strobe out of the chilling atmosphere
of the hall in search of a steam heater in
the Statehouse corridor.
Before the association got down to bust
ness proper there were several desultory
talks on the all-important subject of threat
ened tariff legislation. 1t was the general
sentiment, as ex-senator Mount outlined in
| Ills interesting paper thai appears below,
that wool growers were as deserving of
the subject before all the industrial bodies
now in session at the Statehouse the fol-
| lowing resolution was adopted:
"ReoSlved, That We extend an invitation
to all those attending the industrial asso-
Citations of Indiana to meet together to-
morrow. at 1880 a. m, in Room II. State
cuss the effect the proposed traiff legisla-
ton would have on our industries"
II tlSHLn dIl1ludl COlNenllOl U WOO1
growers was an interesting session, as the
above incident will attest. There was a
| good representation form all sections of the
| State, and the comparisons of notes showed
that the past had been a hard year for the
industry, and all agreed the ensuing years
will be much harder unless the wild dream
| ers of free trade at Washington can be in
duced to maintain a suitable protection for
American sheep raisers. President j. +.
occupy the chair, having just recovered from
a serious illness. and his brother read the
brief but pointed address of the president.
In this the president hit the nail on the
head in his opening sentence with the
qusry; ua continue 20 ra,s. s,aon, r,,s
is the question in the minds of sheep farm
ers at the present time AS a reminder
of the condition of the wOol-growing indus
try, the president further said: Perhaps
the prices of sheep and lambs have declined
in the principal markets 80 per cent. in the
last two years, and % per cent. in the last
| year. The price of wool has also declined,
| especially on fine wool grades. Many sheep
raiserS have fallen into a panic. Many
have reduced their herds. and my opinion
have sold their fiocks. There is a stagna-
ton of the wool industry. From 1850 to
1892 the Australian wool product increased
from 993, 600 bales to 1,750,0W bales, while
| the price fell from $50 to 5000 per bale, with
the prospect of & still further decrease.
The recent drought and other embarrass-
ments have caused an unloading of the
farmers on the market. The receipts of
sheep at Chicago in eleven months have
| been 2.SO4.l 4I mead, but IN 1893 this number.
1t is thought, will reach $3.50, 900. In 1893
about 100000 more sheep were handled at
Chicago than in 1892"
The presidents address closed with a
promise that the sheep industry is bound to
be protected and that farmers should not
abandon the raising of sheep. as the enor-
ton alone showed the industry was becom-
ing more profitable each year.
The paper on Wool Handling" by c. E.
| Carroll, Of Hartford City, was not heard,
as Mr.. Carroll was absent. j. W. Hull, of
| indianapolis, had a carefully written COM
munication on Changing Phases of Sheep
HuSbandry." He touched UP the attempts
TO cripple the industry with the following:
There is an infinite variety of opinion
surrounding the changes now taking place
In sheep industry as a result of the pres
ent import duty regulation. which is some
What overwhelming to those directly inter-
ested in sheep. The manner in which it
came about and the course il is pursuing
in defiance of all civil measures by the
people to prevent a criminal loss is in
timidating to a humiliating degree. Vio-
lently forcing stagnation upon the indus
try that has been king of human comfort
since the world began, without which we,
as a nation, depend upon our enemies to
clothe us in time of war as well as peace.
"As an industry We must painfully admit
it is like Peters wife's mother-lay sick
her rudder-at the mercy of the atmos-
phere, we have cried aloud TO the wind to
blow our way and land us Where we used
whirlwinds-we have friends across the
sea.
AN imposition upon ten million farmers
to force a favor that is not a favor upon
a class of people who are Disguised with
the folly, and who never asked for cheaper
clothing. %Strangling with the stencil that
comes with every breath from a decaying
industry that is sacred to all people and
adds wealth TO State and Nation. y
change Of this description is a violation to
principles of liberty and prosperity as pre-
| scribed by statesmen who were giants in
political economy.
|.sXNpQ the uolxa iS N Ol1r nopEG Irrf MA
are yoked together doomed TO bite the
dust of Australasia"
There were two interesting papers on I'm
| provement Of Flocks by Selection and
breeding and Feeding for Mutton" by G..
A. Phelps, of New Castle, and j. c. Me
Gaughey, respectively. The discussion
brought out by these papers was listened to
with great interest. Next came the paper
by Hon. j. A. Mount, of Shannondale. on
18th Signs of the Times and Whittier Is
the Sheep Industry Tending" In this Mr..
Mount gave a clear exposition of the relative
merits of the industry in America and in
the rest of the world, showing that the Aus
petitorS United States growers have. The
paper is reproduced i'm full, as follows:
The topic you ask me TO discuss Is one
OF vital moment. The signs OF the times
forebode evil TO wool growers. and indicate
serious damage, If not partial destruction,
TO their great industry. This conclusion Is
forced upon us by pending legislation un-
and more hopeful aspect of this subject.
found In the increased demand for wool
and mutton. and the necessity for a diversi-