The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-07

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meant to continue his assaults on this in
dustry. with the assistance of both branches
oh tba' Toah erss faar rnm, isa began 1sa 70 t6 dlspoSe OF
of sheep had decreased % per cent. and
there were now fewer in the United States
than in 1865. Had the Mckinley law been
continued the United States would be able
10 produce its full consumption of $4,000
600 of wool.
MR.. JUSTICES TABLES.
Mr.. Justice presented elaborate tables
showing variations in the production and
prices of wool in different countries. illus
trating. among other points. that American
woods had fallen in prices under free trade
and Australian woods had risen. The per
cent. of sheep east OF the Mississippi in 1870
was Il and to-day 30 per cent. No harm
would be done the american business If
woods costing under 10 cents were admitted
free, for these never would be raised profit
ably in the United States.
In the course of his statement, Mr.. Jus
tice said that MIR. Mckinley had told the
woolgfowers and manufacturers that IL
tney would agree unanimously on a Sche-
dule he would accept il. Accordingly the
schedule had been framed by a convention
OF representative manufacturers and grow
ers. ana both had prospered under IL
At would be strange il they did not pros
per when they made their own schedule. :"
Mr.. McMillin commented. and he asked:
was III not a Tact that the manufacturer
got the Denent of a part of the specific rate
imposed for the benefit of the f8rmers?"
Mr.. Justice assented. and continued that
the farmers had disposed of all their clip
under the Mckinley law to the American
manufacturers who i'm turn had increased
their exports. Referring to shoddy, he said
that while the annual importation of il I'M
der the Mckinley law had been 100000
pounds. between August and December of
the year the Wilson law was enacted there
the first full calendar year under that law
20. 7lS,0 o. pounds. The theory OF the farmers
of the Wilson law had been that free wool
would stop Importation of shoddy: No ma
ton had ever used as little shoddy as the
United States under the Mckinley law. The
explanation of the increased use or shoddy
was that the increased importations of
cheap clothes under the Wilson law COM
PEELED the American manufacturers 10 make
such cheap clothes to compete that they
were obliged to use shoddy. Moreover,
there had been less money earned by all
classes under the Wilson law to spend for
clothes. The decrease in price TO the pur-
chaser of wooden goods under the Wilson
law had been about equal TO the decrease
in the tariff on the goods.
The next speaker, Is. c. Moses. an i'm
porter of Australian and South American
woods, commended that the duties asked by
the Woolgrowers' Association were pro-
hihitive and would mean death to the man.
ufacturer. He did not believe public opinion
nor the good sense of the committee would
sustain such a schedule.
Delegate Catron, of New Mexico, stated
that the value of the wool produced by the
3.o0O,0O0 sheep in that territory had de-
creased on an average of ii cents a pound
since the enactment of the Wilson law. He
suggested specific duties on third-class
woods.
Senator Carter and W. G.. Conrad. of Mon
tana, appeared In behalf of the woolgrow-
erS of their State and filed statements with
the committee.
Jesse NJ. Smith. of Utah. president of the
State Woolgrowers' Association. asserted
that, as sheep raising east of the Mississippi
river was greater than west. the Western
men would be satisfied with any tariff
which the Fasteners would accept. Their
greatest necessity was "A stable tariff which
would remove uncertainties.
Wilson H.. Brown. of Philadelphia. pro-
tested against discriminating against the
manufactures by any scheme involving du-
ties on noilS and waste.
John Ridgeway. of Philadelphia. spoke for
protection to the workingmen by a schedule
which would exclude skirted woods from
Australia and give employment TO the wool
%sorterS, who We're now walking the streets.
During thirty-one years experience as "A
wool sorter in the United States he had
never seen as much suffering and loss of
time among the craft as In the past three
years. The committee then adjourned.