Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-07-13
H WOOL QUESTION.
A North Dakotan at Washington
Contrasts Senator Roach and
Hansbrough.

EDITOR TRIBUNE: The friends of SEN
ator Roach were doubtless surprised to
read in the TR1BuNE's columns recently,
that he vas in favor of putting raw
wool on the free list, on the ground that
protection had not sustained the prices
and because wool had declined in price
since the passage of the Mckinley bill.
The senator left no doubt in the minds
of his friends that he entertained the be-
lief that protection does not protect in
the case Of wool. It is a question that
80 closely concerns a very great interest
in the state of North Dakota, that while
there may be no doubt upon it, yet the
facts should be given. Senator Roach
did not quote figures to prove his asser-
tions; he merely gave his opinion and
belief in general terms. I find in a
speech delivered by Senator Hansbrough
in the senate recently, very interesting
statistics which completely refute the
argument Of Senator Roach. The figures
quoted seem to be from official sources,
and are at such great variance with the
position taken by Senator Roach that
they at onc Became interesting and in
%structive. Senator Hansbrough stated
that the decline in the price of wool
previous to Cleveland's election, and be-
fore the people knew there was to be a
change tn administration was 80 per
cent. in foreign markets and only per
cent. in the United States, and he held
that if there had been no protection to
wool in this country at that time the de-
cline would have been as great
in the United States as it was
abroad. Following this statement he
made q further declaration that imme-
diate succeeding Mr.. Cleveland's election,
after the people knew that wool was to
be placed upon the free list, because the
democratic house had previously passed
a bill Of that character, and the demo-
cratic party was on record in favor of
free wool, the decline in the price Of
wool declined in this country was
enormous, being over 50 per cent, while
the price in foreign markets remained
nearly stationary. Now, if these figures
are correct, and it is not probable that
Senator Hansbrough has used them
without knowing that they are correct, it
is incumbent upon the junior senator
from North Dakota, who declares that
he is for free wool, to explain to his CON
stituents, why he believes that protec-
ton does not help the wool raiser. I
find some further figures. in Senator
Hansbrough's speech which bear upon
this subject in an interesting way. He
quoted from other official statistics to
show that the output of wool in the
United States 1871 per cent. under the
Mckinley bill. He also said that the
output declined under the reduced tariff
Of 1883, and that the history Of the sheep
industry in this country showed con-
clusively that there was an increase in
the output Of wool in the United States
whenever the tariff wa advanced and q
decrease whenever it was reduced. Now
that we are to have absolute free wool
for the first time in the his
tory Of this country our people
will have an opportunity to judge for
themselves as to the correctness Of the
attitude Of our two senators. Our senior
senator claims that the wooden industry
in the United States will be practically
destroyed; our junior senator on the
other hand declares that il will be built
up. Our senior senator says that during
the republican administration from 1889
to 1893 the number Of sheep in North
Dakota increased about 100 per cent.
II the position taken by our junior sena-
tor is correct, that protection is Of no
benefit to1the wool raiser, then we shall
expect to see the increase in the state