New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
FAY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNEl

fs7 TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBUNEl
Washington Feb. 1s-while the failure OF the rep
resentatves o. the woo.-growng and woolien MANU-
featuring interests to reach agreement does noi
lessen the magnitude OF the task before the Commit
tee on Ways and Means. IL smpiifes the proolem
somewhat II Al agreemen; had been reached the
committee would have found the pressure very
strong in favor OF the adoption Of particular schsd-
ule u duties which IN the judgment OF the 'rd'e's
OF the tariff Law. IL might have been uh"'se Oh
impractcable TO adopt A. i IS. that pressure WI.
not he fe and the efforts OF the wool-growers ana
the manufacturers may be expected 20 neutra.ize
each other TO some extent
Some information has ;eaked in regard 10 the
recent conference which indicates tina: the WOOL
growers committee was no; unanimous In supporting
the demands which the ultmatun that the
manufacturers declined TO accept Il is understood
that three Of the seven members OF the committee
which represented the wool-growers In the con-
ference did not favor the extreme position taken
by the majority under the lead OF Judge Lawrence
Of Ohio. The three dlssentients were NJ Markham
o. New-York secretary Of the National Wool-grow-
err Association. Senator Warren. OF Wyoming. and
Nj Read. OF Colorado The members who shared
and supported Judge Lawrence's views were e%-
Congressman Cowgirl OF Ind ana, Mr. Gisi. o; Yves;
Virginia. and Mr.. Clark, OF Pennsylvania.
The geographical distribution Of the majority and
nority Of the committee. respectively, may have
been significant. II Is ed that the Western wool
growers considered and urged that they were en-
titled to three members OF the committee instead o.
two and that their choice for the third member was
Mr.. Conrad. Of Montana % the la:ges; hock-
owners In the United States who In attendance.
but that their wishes overruled. Whether
tha; be true or not. K appears be that the
members from the four adjoining States Of Penn
sylvania IVES, Virginia. Ohio and Indiana controlled
the action OF the woOgrOwers' committee. which de-
manded schedule OF rates considerably higher han
those OF he act Of 1880
This schedule TO which the wool-growers' repre-
sentatives determined 10 adhere proposes TO divide
WOOL for tariff purposes, into three classes. With
rates OF duty correspond. 1t wipes out the dis
tnct!on between combing WOODS and clothing woods,
and proposes duty OF T. cents a pound on cloth
ing and combing woods II unwashed. q cents
pound II washed. ard 8 cents pound II secured.
on all woods Of the third class. commercially known
carpet woods duty of cents pound is pro-
posed. and all skirted heeces OF every descrip-
ton an additional duty Of cents pound is de-
mauded. II IL asserted that this schedule not
agreed upon until after Ions and somewhat spicy
discussion. and that after II was carried into
the conference az leas, two Of the members OF the
committee so adverse it that they expressed
strong desire have il modified. and, falling to
have their desire gratifed. virtually washed their
hands OF the whole matter one OF them. II is said.
was Senator Warren OF Wyoming
According 70 statements made by several OF them
to a Tribune correspondent. the representatives Of
the manUfa CturerS q unit IN resisting the de-
mands OF the wool-growers' committee. but were
willing 20 make. and actually did offer 20 make
after hearing the arguments OF the latter substan-
tal concessions TO rates wool. These offers,
they assert. were rejected. According to the same
sources Of information there two important
matters Of contention aside from that affecting
rates OF duty unwashed. washed and secured
wool respectively one the proposed additional
duty on sklrted heeces. and the other related 70
thrd-class or carpet woods In regard both
these matters considerable testimony was offered
before the Committee Ways and Means al the
public hearing. Judge Lawrence's statements re-
specting the extent 20 which the skir;ing process
Is carried IN Australia the cost OF II and the
market value of the skirted heeces etc. were met
with stout denlals by the representatives OF th.
manufacturers. and confirmed 20 some extent by a
woo-sorter from Philadelphia. who asserted that
the practice of importing skirted wool had become
so general that hundreds of American wholesalers
had been deprived Of employment. as large pro-
ro-ton he kited feec.- went direct TO tn spin
ners without any further asserting.
on the who.e. the testimony IN regard 10 the effect
on the domestic wool-growine industry Of the i'm
portatiOh OF skirted wool was extremely contra
dictory. and for that reason unsatisfactory. The
same remark Is true ~ regard 10 the testimony con-
used in the manufacture Of other goods-cheviots,
felt goods. b11kes. .tc-the representatives. Of the
woo-Srowers contending that Il was very large and
The manufacturers that II was extremely small. and
did not actually exceed per cent or the total i'm
facturers committee set up as proof Of their
tons I'm regard TO the proportion Of third-cias- woods
CONSUMED IN all manufactures OF wool other than
carpets the statistics relating wOoien manu-
features which were collected and compiled for the
report Of the NIth Census by ; y. u. North. who
Is nov secretary Of the National Association OF
Wool Manufacturers According 20 these statistics.
II was urged the output Of carpets from domestic
manufactures accounted TOR % per cent Of al the
thI~f-cIass woods imported and tho further fact
was urged thar the returns which formed the basis
pIrposr when excluded the idea that they would
ever be taken into IN the framing Of eys!a-
ton affecting duties wool.
IL would not be very surprising II the Committee
on Ways and Means should recommend the re-en-
actment OF the wool schedule OF 1880. For more
than a year the manufacturers have had experts az
work trying tnd 70 apply specific rates Of
duty 10 imported wOOen cloths The efforts have
been wholly unsuccessful and the attempt may now
be regarded abandoned. Whatever protection
mauufa cturers OF wOOlen cloths may be able 10 de-
rive from the tariff must come TO them through al
valorem duties their finished products. coupled
with compensatory specific duties