Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-05-30
WOOL AND TARIFFS.
Injustice sad Inequality OF so-Caued Pro-
lection Laws.


lection Laws.
We are exporting wool for the first
time in many years, and the fact that
this result has been reached under
what the republican press terms free
trade" and a tariff law charged with
being in the interest of foreign and OPP
posed to that of home growers is a
most conclusive answer to miSrepre-
sentation.
A reader of the Republic writes in
reference to an article which recently
appeared in a republican journal
charging that the Wilson tariff law
under which we are now working is re-
sponsible for what is alleged to be a
depressed condition of the wool-grow-
ing industry. The editor, after paint
ing the imaginary woes of the sheep
husbandman under the free trade of
the Wilson law, points out what a re-
vival will follow the return of the re-
publican party to power and the re-
enactment of the Mckinley law in
spirit if not in letter. Then" says
he, ''the American grower will get
ample protection against his foreign
rival"
AT the time this promise was writ
ten statistics We're available showing
that there has been decrease in the
importations of foreign wool since the
Mckinley lazy became imperative and
the Wilson law went into effect That
Is the important fact in the present
situation, but our correspondent real
ICES another and perhaps more impor-
tant fact as affecting the general dis
cussion of the tariff question, in ask
ing: ''Will this not be at the expense
Of the consumer, and do not the con-
sumers largely outnumber the class re-
ferred TOP"
The total assessed valuation of all
real and personal property in the
United States in 1890 was 81, 139, 903,-
495. The entire wool industry, including
growing and manufacturing, and TAX
| ing the value of the finished product
| as representing the value protected, or
| supposed to be protected, by tariff
laws, was 1898, 231, 100, or about 2 per
cent. of the total assessed wealth of
the country. OF course the value Of
the raw wool was not half of the total
value here expressed, so that the ''pro-
lection" so insolently demanded for the
wool grower is a claim, when reduced
to it's final analysis, that 90 per cent
of the wealth of the country shall be
taxed for the advantage of the other
per cent. A more striking ilustra-
ton of the disparity between the fig
ures and the claims is afforded by con-
sulting the census reports showing the
condition of the sheep-growing indus
| try in Missouri as compared with other
industries in this state. Such a COM
parison reveals the fact that in 1890
the assessed value of property was
1851, 1859, III, while the total value of
Missouri sheep was 81, 914, O23, or less
than one-third of 1 per cent. of the
total taxable wealth of the state.
The inequality and injustice of So
called protective tariffs can never be
more clearly proved than by the COM
! parison our correspondent has suggest
ed. But the inefficacy of tariff laws
for the development of the wool indus
try can be even more clearly proved.
Official statistics and tables of prices
show that in 1892, within a year after
the adoption Of the Mckinley law,
prices on all grades of wool had de-
clined heavily. The greatest drop in
price was 10 cents per pound and the
smallest cents. What is equally
| puzzling to sincere advocates of pro
! tectionism is the fact that within the
three years following the adoption OF
the Mckinley law the 1Inportaclons OF
foreign wool showed a steady increase.
In 1890 the percentage of foreign wool
consumed in the United States COM
pared with the homegrown article was
2s.4. In 1891 it had increased to 31.S,
in 1892 to 1876 and in 1898 to SO. 2.
During all these years the progress OF
prices for the domestic article was
steadily downward. Our correspondent
will be able to see from these stats
tics that he is not more opposed to a
revival of the conditions under which
they were possible than is the intelli-
gent wool grower who has studied his
business and the effect of high tariffs
upon its promotion.
If we might concede that it is ever
| iustifable or desirable to employ the
taxing power of the government to de-
velop any industry TO a self-sustaining
point. certainly no such concession can
be any longer made to the wool indus
try in view of the fact that it is thriv.
ing better without than with such a
tax, and that in the general revival OF
industry now promised it will have a
prominent piace--St. Louis Republic