The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-08-10
"A USELESS THREAT.
pRorEcrIoNlsTs SAY WOOL DUTIES
WILL ee RESTORED.

PNOVeCVIONvStO SNv WOOI OOttCO
WILL De RESTORED.
Under thc New Tariff Domestic Wool mas
Advanced and Manufacture Vastly In
crcascd- Republicans Can Fry No Fat
ON This Issue.
Nothing could more. significantly
demonstrate the growing prosperity Of
the country's woolen industries than
have the enormous importations of free
wool since the new tariff went into ef-
feet. During the I months ended May
81, 1895, the total importations Of wool
amounted to 1856, ,231,24l pounds, OF
which 170, 828, COS pounds were admit
ted free of duty In the corresponding
months Of the previous year the total
importations of wool amounted to 49,
486, ,988 pounds But this growth in the
quantity is not the most significant fact
connected with these wool imports.
Formerly the great bulk of these i'm
ports consisted Of low grade carpet
WOOL" or was invoiced as such. When
landed, considerable part Of this wool
was sorted out for the manufacture Of
clothing, and there is no doubt that moro
or less fraud was practiced from time to
time in its valuation. But since wool
has been made free the imports Of the
f1ue Australian and Andcan fieeces arc
pustripping the imports Of cheap carpet
wool Thus in the 1 1 months Of 1894
the dutiable imports of clothing wool
amounted to 8,116,181 pounds, and in
the nine months Of tho new tariff, be-
ginning Sept. and ended May 81, the
imports Of free clothing wool have
swollen to 1890, 458 pounds. Could
anything testify more clearly to the
progress of American woolcn industriesf
Since the new tariff went into effect
! American merchants have taken the
front rank of buyers in the London wool
market.
In an interview the other day Senator
Dubois of Idaho declared that ops Of the
first acts of the Republican party would
bo to restore the wool duties for the pro-
| lection of American farmers. There is
10 region on earth where sheep can be
more cheaply reared than on the free
slopes Of the Rocky mountains. But
this far western statesman has evident
| " not kept pace with the march of in
dustrial events. Instead of tho predicted
ruin" of the sheep growers, who were
advised by the organs Of calamity to
convert their herds into mutton, the
market for domestic wool has steadily
improved under the new tariff. The
larger the importations of foreign woods
for making cloths the greater is tho de-
mand for domestic woods for mixing III
the manufacture, and as proof Of this
tendency the average price Of domestic
wool has within u short period advanced
Q cents a pound. As further evidence Of
the phenomenal growth of the wooler
industries under the benign influence Of
the new tariff The Cotton and Wool Re
porter states that during the first hall
of the current year 2O1 new woolen fac
tories havo been established in the
United States against 116 in tho cor
responding period Of 1894.
What interest, then, does Senator
Dubois expect to enlist in behalf Of {
restoration Of the duties on wool? No
the sheep growers, for they must see b,
this time that obstruction OF the i'm
portation Of foreign wool discourage
American manufactures, and thereb.
depresses the market for their own prod
net. Nor can he look for any help from
intelligent woolen manufacturers, WIN
would regard with serious concern th
revival of q policy that would put then
to SO great disadvantage in competi
tion with their foreign rivals. Nor cal
he get any substantial aid from th
great mass Of American consumers, t
whom free wool means cheaper, bette
and purer clothing, and consequentl
! more comfort and health.
In this situation the protectionist
.. should abandon without further della
the threat to restore tho barbarous voc
duties which have been discarded by q.
manufacturing nations On this issu
no "fat" can be fried out Of America
manufacturers in the next presidentii
campaign. So far from it, tho manufa.
turers, the sheep growers and the col
; sumers will unite against any party ths
3 shall wantonly undertake to disturb til
industrial peace. OF this peace free wo'
is an absolutely essential condition, an
the tariff calamity howlers may as we
recognize the fact first as last. .-Phil
delphia Record.