The state herald., 1897-03-26
THE TARIFF ON WOOL.
Wool Growers and Wool Manufacturers
Failed to Agree.

The conference of committee Of
the National Association of Wool Man.
ufactures, and of committee of the
National Wool Growers Association,
held at the Ebbitt House, Washington,
ID. O., failed to agree on tariff rates
for wool.
The committee of wool manufactur-
ers proposed as the highest rates they
would aid in securing duties as fol-
lows:
1. "On class one, woods of the value
of sixteen cents per pound or less,
duty of eight cents per pound; ON
woods over sixteent cents per pound,
ten cents duty; double on washed;
treble on secured. (All the wool I'M
ports would be under sixteen cents)
The rate in the Mckinley act of 1880 Is
eleven cents per pound, without any
dividing line as to value, double on
washed, treble on secured.
Q. "On class two, woods of the value
of sixteen cents per pound or less, nine
cents per pound; on woods over sixteen
cents in. value, eleven cents per pound
duty. (All the wool imports would be
under sixteen cents) But these wools
to come in at these rates washed.
i
Mckinley act was twelve cents, In
same way, treble If secured.
3. "On class three, woods, the ad va
loren rates of the act of 1880, on woods
valued thirteen cents per pound or less,
thirty-two per cent, and fifty per cent.
over that value"
The committee of wool manufactur-
ers required that all wools should he
a ut
al duty.
The committee of the National Wool
Growers Association declined to agree
to these rates, and they were rejected
by unanimous vote of the association.
Some of the wool manufacturers
have endeavored to create the impress
sion that the members of the National
Wool Growers Association were divid
ed in opinion on the subject. That is
an error. The vote was MS stated,
unanimous.
After much discussion in the Ma
tional Wool Growers Association at
its recent meeting. 1t was quite certain
that with but one exception, they We're
In favor of the wool tariff bill agreed
on by the association. December, 1895.
endorsed by the Farmers National
State Grange, December. 1896. again
by the National Wool Growers Asso-
citation. December A.. 1896. again Jan
nary A.. 1897, and since then by the
Utah Wool Growers Association.
But In order, II possible. to secure
the cooperation Of the Wool Manufac-
turers. on motion of Hon. Calvin Cow
gill, ey-mcmber of Congress. of Wa
bash. Indiana. the National Wool
Growers Association proposed as the
lowest rates of duty to which they
would agree, duties as follows:
I. "On woods of the first and second
class a duty Of twelve cents per pound,
double on washed, treble on secured.
.. "On third class woods sometimes
called carpet woods. hut largely used IN
the manufacturing Of clothing goods. a
duty of eight cents per pound, as they
now compete with and supplant the
use of Merino and Down wools
Double II washed. treble II secured.
2. "An additional duty of three cents
| per pound on all skirted wool"
This was indorscd hy vote of the
National Wool Growers Association
unanimously, except one dissenting
vote.
The committee OF wool manufactur-
ers declined TO assent TO the rates OF
duty proposed by the wool growers.
and the conference of the committees
adjourned sine die.
To those not familiar with the sub
iect, n little explanation Is proper:
| "Sklrtlng" consists In cutting out
the center part Of the fleece for import
Into the United States. II was a Gun.
ming contrivancc to evnde the effect Of
a wool tarifr. Sorting" Of wool con
slsts In separating the. fleece into SIX
or eight parts, each Of different kind
of wool In the fleece, each used In max.
Ing n different kind Of manufacture.
"Sklrtlng" adds TO the value of the
| wool because:
I. II to n large extent saves the cost
of s0rting-an expense Of at least n Of
a cent pound.
.. BY rejecting the skirts or lnfc-
rlor portion OF the fleece. the sllrted
part to he imported into the United
States Is rendered more valuable.
especially In the ease Of MerIno woods.
10 the value thereof all OF two cents
per pound. besides the saving In the
cost OF sorting. In all nearly three
cents per pound.
with Il duty Of only eight cents per
pound, the protective benefit left To
wool growers would only hc five cents.
Tho difference In the value between
sllrted and unsklrted wool Is fully
shown by United States Consul Gcncr.
nj Wallace 10 Australia In his report
10 the State Department In 1892 and
In tie quotation of wool prices.
As 10 Merlno woods. the mannfnc.
iurcrs Import almost exclusively Aus
trallan or Port Phillip wool for two
reasons:
1 I. This wool. though not Of MS good
fiber ms Ohio and similar Mcrlno. and
not intrinslcally Ms valuable. will sell
IN Boston for about two cents per
pound more than our Ohio Merlno. be.
cause II makes n softer cloth OF pccu.
liar lustrc. required by fashionable
people. hut not 10y utility. This takes
on about two cents more of the benefit
~ n protective tariff. leaving only
three cents benefit 10 the wool grower.
Then, again, skr'cd Australian Me.
rlno-such ms viii be- imported under
n iarim only the llghtcst-wlll shrink
In securing only about ifiy per cent.
while all our Mcrlno woods viii shrink
nm average Of slxiysix ana iwo.thlr,is
per cent. or more In securing. This
gives the Australian Mcrlno nm advnn.
tnpe also over all onr American Mcrlno
wpols, and the Mcrlno woods of South
America aud South Africa.
Hence. In the year isi,l the Imports
of Australian Mcrino were 1i.G2I .iii
pounds, and from Argentine only H..