The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-01-23


quences.
Trustworthy authorities from every
quarter verify the prophecies of those
who believe in protection to American
industry as TO the effect of free wool
upon one of the greatest of this
country's industries, the production of
wool Il was shown to congress that
the wool growers of the United States
produced upwards of eighty million
dollars in value in 1892, but the appeal
to save this important industry from
destruction fell upon ears stopped by
free trades delusive theories The peo-
pie stamped this and similar destruc-
tive legislation with the seal of its en-
phatic condemnation az the elections in
November, but the evil cannot be
remedied and the downward plunge of
this great industry checked and re-
versed earlier than in midsummer of
1898. Meantime American sheep hus.
bandry will struggle to maintain an eX
istence, awaiting with confidence the
hour when the trump OF an aggressive
A nerican policy shall summon it and
its sister industries to resume the
splendid progressive march interrupted
by the issue of the last national cleo
ton.
In this connec ioI, it is int resting to
note he opinions of some of the lead
ing industrial journals. Says the Com
mercial Bulletin of Boston in it's review
of 1894:
The year 1893 was the most fearful
ever witnessed in the history of the
American wool trade, Never was
wool in better statistical position than
when the threat of free trade assailed
the market. The heavy drop, as a
consequence of the change in our tariff
policy, was discounted in advance in
1898, and except on fleeces there has
been comparatively little alteration ia
1894 in the figures established, as usual,
in advance of the actual event. OHIO XX
was worth twenty-nine cents on Janu.
airy l, 1893, and but twonty-three cents
on January l, 1894 To-day it is selling
at seventeen cents. Territory de Elaine,
however, dropped between January
and December 81, 1898, from fifty
seven cents to thirty seven cents a
secured pound, and 10 day, after years
interval, it is worth thirty-four TO thirty
Eve cents the secured pound. The
history of 1894 has been one of desper-
ate hopes ultimately crushed by the
realization of the worst of fears, the
reduction of fleeces to the free wool
level already attained by western uu.
washed wool, the slaughter of sheep
and general reorganization of business
on the new basis of protection to the
manufacturer and free trade for the
grower. The strangest part of the
whole matter is that the change was
desperately opposed by both branches
of the industry, but was effected in
spite of them through the efforts of
politicians and certain newspapers
which deliberately msstated, and still
misstate, not merely the opinions of
men, but the facts Of the business.
The acceptance by the house of the
blow Since August Is, the week in
which that vote was taken, wool has
steadily declined despite the desperate
efforts of political newspapers to force
facts to fit their false predictions. For
eigners at once marked up their woods
and waited with eXuberant hope for
the September auctions. The demand
for wool in Boston fell off at once, and
decline of three cents a secured pound
was established in one week on finer
grades The raising of wool under free
wool is not likely to be profitable, but
it will doubtless continue to consider.
able extent, especially from those sheer
that produce early lambs and choice
mutton. Wool raisers will probably
follow the example of manufacturers
as far as possible, by reducing wages
and fighting for lower freight rates. /
will be some years before the tariff
discriminating 80 unjustly against The
wool grower, can be revised, but The
Interval will not be long enough to per
NIT of the absolute destruction of thu
American flock.
Justice, Bateman & Co., in thei
trade circular in relation to free woo
prices" publish table in which the,
show that foreign woods have declined
in two years from about ten to fourteen
per cent, while the same kind of Amer
lean wool during the same time has de
clined about thirty-eight to forty pc
cent. Here in Vermont store shee
Can hardly be given away. Correspor
dents from sections of the state wher
sheep husbandry is still something q
an industry report that sheep that coul
formerly be sold for from SO to ga fo
wintering find no buyers at twenty
five cents head.