The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-06-03
Undeniable Facts About Wool.


we have seen of the democratic tariff
law, as evidenced IN its effect on the
wool trade, is found in the May cir
cular of A. +. Becker & Co., wool
merchants of Chicago, and we reprint
the same for the benefit of our wool
growing friends of southwestern
Michigan:
1.-THE wool situation at the present
time, if we are to rely upon the re-
ports emanating from all the leading
wool markets of our country, is the
gloomiest on record; it is simply par
alyzed. But bear in mind "the dark
est cloud has its silver lining," and
sometimes covers the most brilliant
sunshine. We believe that burrows
in the dark depressions of trade are
widening. If such be the case, we
will soon realize a change, with pros
perity and confidence again at the
helm.
''The price of wool has certainly
reached climax. There is no doubt
that the bottom has been touched.
American woods are going begging
below foreign competing wools-in
MANY instances several cents per
pound. The markets are glutted with
wool. Consequently, values are in
favor of the buyer. This is the
present state of the wool trade.
These are undeniable facts.
1.-THE cause for the present condi-
tion of trade can be explained in a
few words. 1t is, therefore, our in
tention to be brief, stating what we
believe are the main causes of our
troubles:
GA nation spending more than it
earns; in other words, importing
more merchandise than we export,
causing the balance of trade to be on
the side of the foreigner. This means,
IN the end, national bankruptcy, or
insolvency for its subjects.
"The Wilson. German tariff, which
made your wool free, has depleted
the American focks, made the prices
of wool the lowest in history, and
robbed the treasury OF the United
States of hundreds of millions of rev.
enue. Why should not trade be par
alyzed?
-Four years of depression under
the present administration have now
reached point at which the end of "a
paralyzed condition of trade is close
at hand. The death knell to free
wool, its iniquitous injustice to agri-
culture, and its evil consequences
have been sounded. Whoever re-
ceives the nomination at st. Louis
republican convention in June for
president, will be elected next No
vember, and it means higher prices
for your woods.
"lf Hon. William Mckinley, the
"high protectionist" and the wool
growers friend, should be the sue
cessful candidate (which is more than
probably, it means high protective
tariff on wool and higher value for
what agriculture produces.
ave are close 10 new era. The
country is ripe for new turn in the
wheel of prosperity. This is year
for speculation in wool. Everything
indicates this as the season advances.
Who has more ri ght to speculate than
the grower who raises wool?
"For four years you have been
asked to take less price each year
for your product. Now it is time for
you to call halt. Speculate upon
wool this season yourself. You have
the woods, and in your hands rests
the future value of the same. Our
advice is: Consign your wool, but
onl " to wool commission houses or
firms that will hold your wool until
after the presidential election; or
longer if you desire.
"In 1898, under the Mckinley act,
our sheep were valued at 1925, 909,-
264. In 1896, under the present
malicious law, they are worth only |
sos, 741 ,529-a loss of nearly one
half.
"From 1891 to 1894, under protec-
ton, we averaged OF imported wool
yearly only 1873, 647,Sl2 pounds,
while under the blighting and wither-
ing influence of the German Wilson
act we imported in 1895, PAS, 9S9,217 |
pounds. In addition to this, we
also imported 20,04S,10S pounds of
shoddy, the equivalent to 60,000,000
pounds of wool, making a total of
30S, 9S9,219 pounds of wool received
from the foreigners in 1895. This is
the way wool is protected-the wrong
way-our hocks are imprisoned be-
hind the tangled web of uncertainty.
Foreign flocks are fattening and in
creasing in value and in numbers,
while American wool goes begging
for buyers, selling at a discount in
every market of our country. The
loss to agriculture in farm products
and live stock in four years has been
81 ,462, 551 AT, but the end is near
L