Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-01-28
a TRIBUTE FROM THE ENEMY.
Tariff Reformers Have Scored q Marked
Triumph on tho Wool Schedule.

the ways and means committee of the
house of representatives was by all odds
the most interesting and enlightening
disclosure that the tariff hearing has
called out, if indeed it is not the most
important contribution to tariff litera-
ture and thought that has appeared
since Grover Cleveland's celebrated
tariff message of 1887.
1t was a genuine surprise. 1t was a
terrible shock to the fanatical protec-
zionist. 1t was the highest tribute to
the principle of tariff reform that could
be paid. Between the position of the
free traders, as the protectionist press
denominates tariff reformers, and the
wooden manufacturers as represented
by Mr.. North. there is scarcely one iota
of practical difference. In other words,
the wooden manufacturers. speaking
through their official representative,
proclaim to the world their acceptance
of the policy of the free traders. This
is a great advance towards the final
and satisfactory settlement of the tariff
question.
The corner stone of the tariff reform
structure was free wool. That was the
key note of President Cieveland's tariff
message in 1887. The center of opposi-
ton to tariff reform was massed against
free wool. The free traders. ccepting
the enemy's designation of tariff re-
formers, said that free wool would be
boon to the people because it would
give them cheaper and better clothing;
that it would be boon for the manu-
facturer because it would enlarge and
cheaper the supply of raw material;
and that it would not injure the Ameri-
can wool grower because the wool i'm
ported would not compete with the
home clip; that the American grower
would be likely to be benefited by the
building up of the American wooden
manufacturing industries. President
Cleveland set forth these views nine
years ago, and they were combatted
with such intensity by both the manu-
facturer and the grower that for very
consistency extreme views in the Op-
posite direction were incorporated into
the Mckinley law. What is Mr.. North's
testimony to-day? We quote from the
press report of his speech:
Never until he had had experience under
free wool, did the manufacturer realize the
disadvantage he suffered under a wool
duty. and the impossibility of any COM
pensatory duty offsetting these disadvan-
tages. The concentration of American
purchases upon the woods which can be
bought under the duty increases the price
compared with that which would be paid
If all woods were available, and the course
of the market under free wool has indicated
that the enhancement of the price is about
four cents per pound. A duty has another
effect in cheapening the price Of the wool
which cannot be imported. that the for
eign manufacturer, added to all the other
advantages which he naturally possesses,
is able to get his wool cheaper from a cause
growing indirectly out of the duty.
All the restrictions of the old law were
| put there, Mr.. North insisted, to embarrass
| and impede the manufacturer in his choice
| of wool. They have that effect, and are
| thus additional disadvantages for which he
| gets no equivalent. Mr.. North declared
| that these restrictions were not required.
| because there was hardly any occupa ton
| for which the opportunities were so few
| as in the sale of wool.
It was necessary. he believed, to recite
| these facts, that congress and the Amer
| lean people should understand the econom-
! ic disadvantages Of duty on wool. The
| manufacturers did not appear to resist the
| restoration of wool duty. They were
| willing to make sacrifices in order that the
| policy of protection might apply to all
products that need protection. They
| agreed in advance to a degree of protection
| equal to that TO be imposed on their goods
| They simply demanded that there should be
| no return to the restrictive rates of pre-
| ViOuS wool schedules.
1t was a great and important fact that
| as the manufacture had now developed
| here. the use of foreign woods had become
| indispensable. Any duties on wool, the pur
| pose of which was to exclude and pro-
| hibit it's Importation, would restrict the
| American manufacturer to such ia brics a:
| can be produced from domestic wool. The
| effect of such restriction would be to In
crease the importation of foreign woods IL
| manufactured form and diminish the de
| mand for American woods and the employ
| ment of American machinery.
Mr.. North declared that no American
| manufacturer bought foreign wool for any
| purpose for which he could use domestic
wool, and that foreign wool was not useC
| to displace American, and that, while Il
| did not displace it, its Importation increased
the market for American wool.
Pretty substantial testimony in favor
| OF free wool, is it not? A thorough ac
acknowledgement of the correctness of the
position of the free traders, is it not? L
must be remembered that Mr.. North i:
no mere theorist, as he once regarded
President Cleveland, and Roger Q
Mills, William L. Wilson and other fres
traders. He is not an emissary from the
Golden club, paid by British gold.
He is the representative and spokesman
of the practical men in business. He il
the secretary of the Wool Manufactur
crs' association, and the views he pre-
sents must be accepted as the views o
the practical wool manufacturers. AnC
no theorizing free trader has put thu
arguments for free wool stronger thar