The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-15

Canton. o., Sept A-Major McKin-
ley's first visitors today We're a dele
cation of 1000 wool growers and busi-
ness men from Harrison county. In the
course of his speech, Mr.. Mckinley
said
The last three years have been years OF
great trial not only to the wool growers OF
your county, but to the entire country:
lou nave seen your crops disappear ana
your tieecrs diminish in value to an extent
that, prior to 1892 you would not have be-
lieved possible. l remember in 1891 to have
delivered an address in the city of Cadiz,
to the assembled farmers of Harrison
county, in which | undertook to predict
what would happen il We had free wool
In the United Staes. There were few men
III that great audience who believed my
prediction then What do you think OF IL
now, farmers of Harrison county? (Cries
of I'VE think 1t all right.O
In 1891 you had, according to your ban
ners, displayed here today, 1535O3 sheep
OF an average value of s. per head. In
1896 you had but ~, 900 sheep worth only
Sl.5O per head. In 1882 you received from
80 to j. cents per pound for your wool: III
lSNi, Tor the same grade of wool, from II
TO IL cents per pound. This enormous loss
TO great industry Is truly astoundins
ana calls for serious consideration and
prompt remedy II one can be found, and
the only remedy we have in the United
ton you want you know what party car
ries the banner of protection. (Enthusias-
tic cheer ana cries of Whats the matter
with Mckinley? He's all rght.'D
FREE WOOLS EFFECT.
Prior to the enactment of the Wilson tar
if law you have enjoyed almost without
interruption from the beginning of the
government tariff on your product t.
protect you from the competition of the
cheaper lands and the cheaper labor OF
other countries. BY the act this product
was made free ana opened up to the unre.
structed competition Of all the wool OF
the world. What makes that act more in
defenSible Is first that 1t was wholly un-
necessary, and second that IL was singing
out one of the greatest industries of tn.
country Tor mediate sacrifice, leaving
other industries having no greater claim
upon the consideration of the government
practically unfelled. (Cries of That's
right.'D No class of cur citizens have
suffered SO much from that tariff law a.
the wool growers of the United States
and none We're more deserving of generou.
treatment than they. So inexcusable was
this act that Mr.. Cleveland, who IA
vored Il reduction of tariff all along tn,
| line, ana who believed in free raw mate.
| rials, was unwilling to sign the bill, an,
| used these characteristic words agains
| 1t: ut may well excite our wonder tina
Democrats are willing to depart from this
| Gree raw material doctrine) the mos
| democratic of all their principles, ant
| that the Inconsistent absurdity of such
| proposed departure should be emphasized
| by the suggestion that the wool OF III
farmers be put on the free list and protec
| tiOn of tariff taxation De placed aroun,
| the iron ore and coal corporations an,
capitalists
But this will not avert the fatal blow
| Less organized than any other industr.
| in the country, you We're unable to secur
| the recognition to which you We're justl!
| entitled, and your product was made tin
l II Il nj. ltH.t
| right.D You remember that in 1892 |
| was repeatedly stated that the free woo
| would increase the price of wool to tn
| American wool grower "a voice-"That'
| the biggest lie that was ever tOlu''-Sred
| laughter) But then you heard them tel
| ii. (Renewed laughter and a voice, Yes
| We did.'D There may have been som
| farmers who thought that was true then
| "a voice, well they know better now
great laughter) There are none VIII
| think SO now. (Renewed laughter AM
| applause.)
THE NEW PANACEA.
| 1t was said that If We opened up tn
| country to the free use of wool of tn
| world the farmers would be benefited. |
\ was done, ana with what benefit you know
| better than | can tell you. Now they tel
| you that more free silver 0aughter) Is tn
| panacea for all your ills. Uenewed laugh
| teri. And you nave the same money il
| circula ton now that you had four year
| ago, hut you wool growers have not go
| as much of it as you had then Cries o
| That's right.'D As free wool degrade
| your industry. so free silver viii degrad
| your money. applause and cries q
| That's right, too.D You have alread,
| been neced by loss on your tiockS and yol
| don't propose to be tieeced further by los
| Oh your money. ttreat cheering)
| We have opened up our mills to the wool
| of the world and both the wool ana tn
| WOODEN mills have suffered. The American
| farmer has seen his wool displaced by tn
| foreign clip. The American wooden manu-
| facturer has seen his goods disappear iron
| the American market to give place to tn
| foreign market And the American far
| mer has thus lost directly in the price U
| his wool and almost as severely by tn
| blow dealt to the home market for agri
, cultural products through the diminished
consumption resulting from idle mills
| The American farmer will not tamely sub
| nit to tAS injustice and wiring. "a voice
| I'VE don't intend to in Harrison county"
| The American wOrkngman in the wooe
| mills Will Indignantly repcl that legisia
| ton whose effect is to degrade his labor
| applause and cries of He will, on tn
| third of Nuyembtr")