The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-09-15
MKINLEY ON PROTECTION
MASTERFUL ADDRESS TO THE OHIO
 WOOL GROWERS.

WOOL GROWERS.
 Clear Explanation of the Present Business
 Blight-The Evil Effects of an Insuf-
 ficient Taritf Revenue Exhibited in
 Abundant Proof-Crops Have Disap-
 peared and Pieces Have Diminished in
 an Alarming Manner-Figures and n
 Figurer That Don't Lie-The Speakers
 Auditors Wildly Enthusiastic-Republ
 can Party Performs What it Promises
 Canton, O., Sept. 14-The visiting del- egation took an early start this morn ing. Major Mckinley commenced his speech making at 10 o'clock and he will not finish his ratorical labors till Sat urday morning. At S:30 delegation of a thousand wool growers and business men from Harrison county, Ohio, arriv- ed in Canton. This delegation started from Cadiz, the county seat, shortly after sunrise. They were received at the station by the Canton mounted troop, who escorted them to Major Me Kinley's residence.
 The candidate has made good many speeches in Harrison county, which is one of the greatest wool growing com munities in the west, and he has a large number of acquaintances and ad- mirers there, many of whom were among the visitors to-day. It was this fact that accounted in a measure for the ardor of the greeting which Major Mckinley received when he appeared on his front porch this morning. The farmers of Harrison county cheered long and Justify. Ex-Attorney General D. A. Hollingworth was spokesman and made an address.
 MT. Hollingworth's speech, which was very long, was enthusiastically ap- plauded. When the people became quiet Major Mckinley stepped forward There was thunder of applause, and then he commenced his speech. He said:
 "Mr. Hollingworth, Ladies and Gen tlemen: I count 1t a very special honor
 
 citizens composed for the most part of the farmers of Harrison county. I would have been glad to have had with you that most venerable citizen and statesman. the Hon. John A. Bingham (great applause), whose message of cheer and congratulation and good will you have brought me. I beg that you will carry back to him best wishes and my earnest prayer that his life may be long spared to enjoy the respect and honor given to him by his admiring countrymen everywhere (cheers). I know of no man in public life to whom greater opportunity was given and who more admirably improved those opportunities that your distinguished fellow citizen In the mightiest crisis of our country's history; and I need no l assurance from him that he stands now as he has always stood in the past. for his country and his countrymen, for his countrys honor and for the prosperity of the people. (Great ap- plause)
 Tt is especially gratifying to me to receive visit from so many of the farmers and wool growers of Harrison county. There Is scarcely a county in the state which is so essentially agricul- tural as yours. You have no large towns you have but few factories. and your occupations are almost exclusive " rural. Your county has long been noted as one of the great agricultural sections of the state and especially devoted h-o oh pf known as sheep raising and wool grow ing. There Is probably no portion of the country of the same area that has supported so many sheep as yours, and for many years, at least, this was the most profitable industry of your farm CTS. It is not so good, I believe, now as formerly. Slaughter and applause and cries of No, no")
 The last three years have been years of great trial, not only to the wool growers of your country, but to the entire country. You have seen your crops disappear and your fleeces dlmin- lsh in value to an extent that prior to 1892 you would not have believed was possible. l remember in 1891 to have delivered an address in the city of i, Cadiz, to the assembled farmers of Harrison county, in which I undertook to predict what would happen If we had free wool in the United States, There were few men in that great audi ence who believed my prediction then, What do you think of 1t now, farmers of Harrison county? (Cries of "We think 1t all rightly
 ''In 1891 you had, according to your banners displayed here to-day, 153, 503 sheep of an average value of $5 per head. In 1896 you had but 92,O0O sheep, worth only S1.5O per head.
 ''In 1891, you received from 30 to 32 per pound for your wool In 1896, for the same grade of wool, from II to 16 cents per pound.
 This enormous loss to a great indus try is truly astounding and calls for serious consideration and prompt rem edy if one can be found, and the only remedy we have in the United States is by the ballot, and if it is protection you want, you know what party carries the banner of protection. (Enthusias- tic cheering, and cries of That's right.p)
 Prior to the enactment of the Will son tariff law you have enjoyed almost without interruption from the begin ming of the government a tariff on your product to protect you from the com petition of the cheaper lands and the cheaper labor of other countries. By the act this product was made free and