The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-29
Bryan as an Industry Wrecker.

When Bryan as one of the trainers Of
be Wilson bill, said. during the debate
eceding it's passage in the house. that
didn't care what became Of the
Pl-growing industry. he showed the
bre Of his craftsmanship. He might
e as we'll have said he didn't care
became Of the iron or steel in
Estry, the glass industry or the great
Shops Of the land. All our industries
are interdependent. When one suffers
unfairly, all suffer: wise statesman
ship endeavors to frame legislation that
all may enjoy conditions contributing
to prosperity The following chapter
from the Cleveland World tells the
story Of what Bryan and his free trade
crew did for the WOOL growers Of Ameri-
ca. 1t shows their solicitude for the
farmer:
From 1890 (when the Mckinley tariff
took effecU until 1895 (under the Wilson,
German tariff passed In 1880 the price Of
wool, as shown by the statistical abstract
OF the United States, declined nearly so per
cent. Fine wool, which brought 80 cents
per pound In 1890, brought only 171a cents
in January, 1885: medium wool fell from 81
cents to 20 cents, and coarse wool from
II cents to IL cents per pound 1t is no
wonder that those who have hitherto found
sheep farming profitable, are discouraged
and clamoring for a change. What is the
change which they want? Is 1t change
from Cleveland to Bryan. or from Cleve-
land to Mckinley? There should be no
difficulty in determining the answer to
this question.
The friends Of free coinage of silver at
the ratio Of 16 to will. of course, con-
tend that the decline in the price Of wool
Is chargeable to "the crime Of 1873" It
is not true. They might as well undertake
to hold tho crime Of 1873 responsible for
earthquakes, cyclones, fires, foods FAM
ines and pestilehce. The real reason for
the decline In the price of wool, as Of all
other farm products, Is the increase in the
supply, as compared with the demand.
The law of supply and demand absolutely
controls the price of everything in the
world. 1t is to trade what the law of
gravitation Is in the physical world. In
one word, the law of supply and demand Is
as follows: Wherever the demand for any
commodity increases relatively to the sup
ply. prices 60 up; but whenever the supply
increases relatively to the demand, the
prices go down.
The production Of wool has been steadily
increasing for q long series of years. In
1857 Australia produced only $4,000 900
pounds of secured wool, but in 1892 1t pro-
duced 250000,0O0 pounds-an increase Of
783 per cent. The Argentine Republic pro-
duced in 1857 only 100000 pounds Of
secured wool; in 1893 1t produced 1lO,OOO-
600 pounds-an increase Of 1000 per cent.
The Cape Of Good Hope In 1857 produced
only 10000, 900 pounds of secured WOOL in
1893 It produced $4,000, 900 pounds-an in
crease Of 400 per cent. The supply Of wool
in the world today is about SIX times a.
great as 1t was In 1860.
From these figures, which are cited
only by the way Of illustration, It is evil
dent that the supply of wool has increased
at O greater ratio than the demand OF
course the price Of wool has fallen It
could NOT be otherwise. More sheep are
raised. the annual wool clip Ii larger. and
the universal. Interchangeable, irresistible
: lpw Of supply and demand has operated
as It always operates, under these condi-
tions, to bring the price down. No tariff
laws, no coinage laws, can hinder the
operation. OF larger economic law Of
nature.
1t follows from what has been said. that
NJ would have been unreasonable TO expect
lvsn of the Mckinley tari6. that It would
eQre than partially arrest the decline In
~ price Of wool az which the American
Roel-grower complains. The Mckinley
riR took effect Oct. Q, 1880. At that date.
e'wool WAS quoted In the. eastern mar-
- T. otptS msdium wool At'W centss