Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-31
COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES.
This compilation ls made from official

This compilation ls made from official
publications of the government and the
best trade publications obtainable, and
it's figures have been Endorsed by the Hon.
Nelson W. Aldrioh in speech delivered
in the U. s. senate, June IL, 1904 The
market valne Of all wool is calculated
from the "scoured wool basis" and there
for, generally speaking, if the law ls
effective and the wool grower receives the
benefit of the full amount of the duty
levied, the difference between the foreign
and domestic secured wool values of the
same grade of wool should be equivalent
to the secured wool duty with the expen-
ses of shipment added.
study of this table is both interesting
and instructive. It proves:
First, that the law of 1867, or as some
would say, the restoration act of 1885, was
effective, and because it was so, it was
protective;
Second, that the act of 1888 was al
together change for the worse, and was
neither effective nor protective;
Third, that the act of 1890 afforded no
protection, although at first appearing to
do so, because 1t was found not to main.
tain the relative value of domestic secured
wool.
This invites a glance at the acts of '83
aud 80. In the first of these there was
really but little change from the previons
law. In first and second classes, the
dividing line was lowered from 32 to 80
cents, but this was Offset by dropping the
ad valorem rates. In third class the
duties we're lowered 1873 per cent, but the
most remarkable change was the addition
of the words "excluding charges in such
port" which had the effect of placing
nearly all woods under the dividing line
in their class, and thus materially reducing
duties; but, as before stated, there is little
in the law to explain why it was ineffec
tive.
The act of 1890 contains much new
matter and some new paragraphs, which
were intended to make the law explicit
aud effectual, but the most noticeable and
extraordinary addition is the proviso 10
paragraph 3S3, excepting both skirted
wool and secured sorted wool from the
penal clause. This alone is enough to
account for the failure of the act. 1t
appeared there in this manner: The
writer was one of committee of wool
growers which met committee of manu-
facturers in conference on this bill, in the
Ebbitt honse, at the city of Washington,
in 1890, in which meeting the manufac
turers insisted upon the insertion of this
proviso, The wool growers would not
consent, but the manufacturers stubborn
ly insisted and finally their chairman
asserted, "such has been the practice
heretofore" and demanded it's insertion
as the price Of their support of the bill.
The president of the Wool Growers
National association, the late Hon. Col
umbus Delano, after a most affecting,
earnest and solemn protest against their
action, accompanied by the secretary of
the association, withdrew from the con-
ference.
But the wool growers were induced to
withdraw their opposition and the pro.
viso became part of the law.
We have no reason to doubt the word
Of the manufacturers that, "such had
been the practice," and we thus find an
explanation for the failure Of the act of
1883, and, by referring to the above table,
can probably fix upon the year when the
illegal practice first obtained in the cus.
tom mouse.
The wool grower believes the defini.
tion of washed and soonred woods is left
too much matter Of opinion in the exe-
.cution of the Law. The Spanish system
of testing with water and "sulphate of
carbon" would be better, leaving no mar.
gin for opinions; and, as all Glasses Of
WOOL are now "combed" and "carded" for
clothing purposes, all Glasses should be
subject to the washed and secured duties.
BLOOD AND GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION.
The wool growers object to the blood
and geographical classification of wool as
being out Of date, for, within the last
thirty years, Merino breeding sheep have
been shipped from France, the United
States and elsewhere to all parts of the
world, and there is now but little wool
that is not "of Msrino blood immediate