New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-15

son County? ceres OF I'VE tnlnk III all iie"''
I'm 1891 YOU had. according to your bapners
displayed here to-day. 153,503 sheep, of an aver
age value Of SIS per head. In 1896 you had but
90. 600 sheep. worth only 81 80 per head. In
1891 YOU received from 30 TO 80 cents per pound
for your WOOL In 1896, for the same grade OF
wool from IA to IS cents per pound. This enor-
nous loss to great industry is truly astound-
ing, and calls for serious consideration and
prompt remedy II one can he found, ana the
only remedy we have in the United States Is by
the ballot, and IL 1t is Protection you want, you
know what party carries the banner of Protec-
tion Enthusiastic cheering and cries or
whats the matter with Mckinley Hes all
right"D
Prior to the enactment of the Wilson Tarih
law you have enjoyed almost without Interrupt
ton from the beginning of the Government a
tariff on your product. to protect you from the
competition of the cheaper lands and the
cheaper labor of other countries. BY the act
this product was made free and opened up to
the unrestricted competition of all the wool
Of the world. What makes that act more in
defensible is. first, that 1t was wholly unneces-
sary: and second, that 1t was singing out one
of the greatest industries of the country for
immediate sacrifice. leaving other industries
having no greater claim upon the consideration
of the Government practically unnamed
Cries of That's rght"D
"No class of our citizens have suffered so
much from that tariff law the wool-growers
of the United States. and none were more de-
serving Of generous treatment than they 80
inexcusable this act that Mr. Cleveland
who favored reduction Of tariff all along the
line. and who believed in free materials,
was unwilling to sign the bill, and used THESE
characteristic words against 1t: 1T may well
tic ora
depart from this free raw material doctrine)'
the most Democratic of all tariff principles. ana
that the inconsistent absurdity of such pro-
posed departure should be emphasized by the
suggestion that the wool of the farmers be put
on the free list and protection Of tariff taxa
ton be placed around the iron ore and coal OF
corporations and capitalists
THE VICTIM OF FREE TRADE.
But this did not avert the fatal blow Less
organized than other industries in the country
you were unable to secure the recognition 10
which you were justly entitled. and your great
nroduct was made the victim of free trade
tCries of That's rightrD In all the years in
which the Republican party was in power you
know that it gave protection TO wool, and In
the act of 1890 gave TO this industry increased
protection That law, the law Of lS9O, gave 10
every agricultural product of this country every
farmers product in this country. the best pro-
lection ever had. Every protection that coulo
be given to them against outside competition
and to preserve the home market was always
cheerfully and generously accorded by the he
publican party. Great applause and cries OF
That's right"p
THE nlatform of the National Republican
party upon which we stand this year. much 10
nv qualification. singles out the wool industry
u al entitled 10
full protection under our revenue laws. Noud
applause) This is the language of the Ma
tional platform: To all our products, to those
of the mine and the field, we'll as those or
the shop and factory-to hemp, to WOOL the
product of the great industry of sheep nus
bandry as we'll 10 the finished wooiiens Oh
the mll-we promise the most ample protection
fApplause) And what the Republican party
promises it is in the habit of performing. tCries
of That's right"D 1t does not make promises
TO be broken. 1t says what 1t means and means
what it says II clothed with power In all
branches of the Government. 1t would give to
this great industry fair and just protection
with all other industries Of the country
PRESERVATION OF THE HOME MARKET.
But my feow-citizens. what we want
whether we produce wool or any other
agricultural product, is TO preserve the
can producers Great applause) 1t Is the
hest market in the world. There is no other
market like It, and upon every principle OF JUS
tice and fair play it belongs TO us. and 10 NOBODY
else before us. applause and cries OF Ihat
right ~ Protection to the farmer has been rec
ognized from the beginning OF the Government
until now. ,.
LAS showing the importance of your industry
IT is only necessary to say that In 1917 ther'
we're 100000 wool growers in the United states
Seven hundred thousand people whose chlef oc
hot Of n1-Qr
probably one-fourth as many more VINO were
owners of small hocks of sheep in the Cnite'
States. This industry employed. ossiots ms
who owned the fiocks, it is estimated at ieast
half million laborers, representing. with thoS
who were dependent upon them, nearly -,ooV'oV
people There 100000 farms. aVeragln'
leo acres each devoted to this industry; and tn
mountainous regions and the vast plains OF tn
great West. which are not adapted 10 othe
kinds of farming. have been utilized In TINS grea
Industry and made valuable. Every one OF thes
farms comprising 100 acres Of land-ll2ooooo
acres In all-has been seriously injured ny piac
fng wool upon the free list. In one or tne az
cultural papers Of the West / have seen tn
statement that in oregon. Utah, washington
Idaho and Western Montana there We're re .; ~ a
sheen which were worth in 1S92 Sl3, Al ,OoO, an
which in 1896 were worth only S0.|lOOoo.
In 1892 we had Al 273 553 sheep In the Unite
States. valued at Hoo oo In 1870 we ma ma
imports of woollen goods in 1892 under the Re
publican protective tariff law, were mtti
above S37 900 600 and in 1899. under the Wliso
tar,rf law those imports amounted TO more ina
eco COO 600 (Cries of "Hurrah for McKinle
and the Republican party)
VICIOUS BLOW AT AGRICULTURE
ION the second day of April 1855. in presen
ing the minority report in opposition TO the NIL
Tariff bill in the National House Of Represents
tiyes. I said: Wool on the free list Is deadl
assault upon a great agricultural interest an
will fall with terrible severity upon mliiio
people, their households and dependencies.
invested capital unSettle eStdDioie
values wrest from hockmasters their nfetlH
earnings bankrupt thousands or our pest an
most Industrious farmers ana drive them III
other branches Of agriculture already owe
-. ,l,at,c ucha Il has done