Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-02-21
WOOL AND MUTTON.

|
passed the house of representatives and
is now pending in the senate is of epe-
cial interest to the woOlgrowers of the
country, and lte course is being watched
ton takes wool from the free list and
makes it dutiable to the extent of 60 per
cent of the Mckinley act. AS wool is
one of the great industries of Montana,
it goes without saying that any ieglsla-
ton that will enhance it's value and ben
etit the grower is being followed with
anxiety in the state. Strange to say, the
proposed duties on wool are not salts
factory to the National Woolgrowere'
association. or at least TO Judge Law
renee, its pre- iu,nt, who contends that
il is only halfway measure and will
not result in any good to those most
interested. In this contention he is
not supported by large mum Der OF
those engaged in the business through
out the country: in fact, the woolgrow-
ers are anything but united upon what
Legislation they need, or would like to
have. With a view of getting some idea
of the sentiment upon the subject, the
Boston Wool and Cotton Reporter
recently invited opinions from those
who are engaged in the industry and in
its issue of February 6 published over
one hundred replies. a large majority
of the writer's declared in favor of fiat
rate, but they varied in their figures,
many being as low as ); Others as high
as Is cents per pound. In the list nearly
all the states where sheep are raised to
any extent are represented: thus 1t will
be seen that the opinions are not sec
tional.
From Montana, Norton g. Lyons of
Big Elk write: I'VE prefer the McKin-
ley rates right through"
Clark Bros, Choteau, say: "We favor
single duty Of 10 cents per pound on a
3315 per cent clean wool-no tags, noils,
nor ring waste allowed to enter"
"W. A. Hedges of Yale: 81 favor a
single fiat rate of duty on all grades, not
less than cents and s if we can get it,
If we cannot get the tiat rates indicated
I should favor the Mckinley rates.
These are fair samples of the re-
sponses as published, and in referring to
the subject the editor of the Reporter,
who is vice president of the national as
ioti Ius tar moi
the legislation, there must be a change
in the conduct of the industry. He
says:
"E'ew farmers in this country can con-
slder longer or attempt longer the rails
ing OF sheep for wool alone. Once it
was wool first and mutton afterward,
now the situation is reversed and the
very life of the sheep breeding industry
is daily verging more and more on the
consumptive demand for mutton. AS a
healthful meat mutton is without doubt
without peer, and it's popularity
is growing daily. Sufficiently sup
ported as a mutton producer, our
hocks will continue to enrich the rocky
pastures aud uDprod uctive hill tops of
the farmer and bless his board with the
most wholesome, toothsOme meat grown.
Mutton can be grown cheaper than any
other meat because the fleece always
| goes far toward making up the cost Of
raising, and because no aGlmal will grow
faster in proportion t. the food con
eumed than d lamb. We should eat
more lamb, more mutton. and it may be
d blessing in disguise that the conditions
surrounding the sheep industry necessi'
tate pushing the mutton side of the
business"
This may be, and is no doubt good ad
vice for the small farmers ia the east
but how it viii effect the great flock
course they can grow sheep for botf
mutton and wool, but the question iF
cau it be made as profitable a. CROWN!
wool alone, il the article Is reasonabI.
protected. 1t Is not undemocratic 10 eX
press the hope that a duty will be place
on wool Modern dcm ocraCy is no
pledged to free trade; it opposes prC
J hibitory protection, but Is committed I
) tariff for revenne. As money must b
| raised, We see 30 reason why porto
Z Of these revenues should not he derive
3 from duty upon foreign WOOL In tn
{ face Of tins, however, il viii be the pai