The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-06
FACTS OF FREE WOOL.

4
augurated in 1893, and the wool clip of
that year was 364, 900, 900 pounds. During
| the two years OF free wool agitation il
fell, in 1885, to 264, ,0o0, 900 pounds--a de-
| cline during Mr.. CLEvELAND's admins
| tration of 100, 00O, 900 pounds. The declared
| policy OF the administration was made
known at once in March, 1S93 Among
other features recommended was the re-
| moval Of the wool duty, which was
accomplished later by the enactment Of
the German tariff. The flock masters
Immediately became alarmed, the free
trade price of wool was at once antici-
pated, and wool dropped between March,
1893, and March, 1895, measured by the
standard grade of Xxx Ohio, from little
over 30 cents TO about IS cents. The wool
growers, believing that there was no
future for the wool industry, sold their
fiocks in countless numbers to the butch
ers, SO that the clip OF 1894 fell of to
32s, OO0, 900 pounds and that OF 1895, Just
clipped, to only 2e4, 900, 900 pounds-a de-
crease, therefore, in the two years since
Mr.. CLEvELAND's Inauguration of 1OO,-
600, 600 pounds
To make up for this deficit in the
American clip we have been compelled to
import wool to take the place OF the
American wool destroyed. Instead of
only $4,000, 900 pounds of raw wool i'm
ported in 1894 we imported 2o3 900, 900
pounds in 1895, and for the fiscal year of
1896 will probably have to go to foreign
nations for 26s, ,OOO, 900 pounds OF raw
wool. This takes no account OF the i'm
ports OF shoddy, rags, waste, etc., which
are entered as manufactures of wool. In
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, which
was the last fiscal year under the McKin-
ley law, we imported only 173, ia pounds
OF shoddy, rags, waste, etc, but during
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, and
almost all OF 1t in ten months after the
passage OF the WILSON law, we imported
4,772, $50 pounds of shoddy, waste, etc.,
an increase OF over 1000 per cent.
These larger imports of shoddy were
made necessary, first, by the destruction
of the American clip, and second, by the
low duties upon manufactures of wool
and their ad valorem feature which per-
mitted differentiation and compelled
American manufacturers to increase their
use OF shoddy. Never in the history OF
the wool business in America has 1t been
necessary to use 80 many cheap admix-
lures in order to prevent our manufac-
turers from being driven out of their
home market by the shoddy goods ad-
mitted under the ad valorem rates OF the
German tariff law.
According to communication from
high authority to the American Econo-
mist, Free Trade in wool has DESTROYED
100, ooo, 600 pounds OF American wool since
GROVER CLEVELAND began his crusade
against American sheep, and our manu-
factuurers have been forced into the Lon
don market, as was predicted by protec-
tionists. And, as was also predicted,
when we were at the mercy of foreigners,
no longer producing an adequate wool |
supply, they have put up the prices on us.
Figures showing the total consumption |
OF wool for the past five years
show an increased consumption OF |
wool by the American people, which has
two causes the first is the increase in |
population, and the second comes from |
the reaction from the enforced economy |
made necessary by the CLEVELAND panic |
Of the previous year when the American
people used less wool, owing to the hard
times than for many previous years. The
net result OF this whole free wool business
is that since GROVER CLEVELAND was
inaugurated We are producing 100, 0Oo, 900
pounds less wool than was produced un-
der the last year OF President HARRISON. -
These figures are facts.
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