Evening star., 1897-06-04
FOR THEWOOL RAISER
Mr.. Mantle Addresses the Senate at
Length.
ADVANTAGES OF FHE MANUFACTURER
Producers Disappointed in the
Pending Tariff Bill.
DVANTAGES OF YHE MANUFACTURER
WARNSFELLOw REPUBLICANS

Senator Mantle (silver republican, Mont.)
addressed the Senate for two hours today
upon the subject of wool. He said that there
had been opportunity for presenting
the woolgrowers' side of the contention in
the other branch of Congress for the rea-
son that owing to the brief time allowed
for debate the wool schedule has never
been reached in that body. He presented
fully, ard supported with numerous tables
and statistics, the woogrowers side OF
the controversy, and showed the enormous
losses sustained by the woolgrowers in
the depreciation in value of sheep and
wool during the past six years
He declared that by the reason of the
enormous importations in anticipation of
the enactment of the tariff law the wool
grower would not receive much benefit
from protective tariff for four years to
come.
He asserted that whenever tariff law
is to be enacted the powerful manufactur-
ing interests of the country with their
compact ahd effective organizations are
always on the ground and in the committee
rooms pressing their claims and pushing
their interests, while the farmers and wool
growers and producers of raw materials
generally are isolated and scattered
class from the nature of their vocations,
and thus lacking in effective
ganiZation, hence in the past their in
terests had been neglected, and they had
not received their just share of protec-
ton.
Voted for Mckinley.
The great majority of woolgrowers of
the country are, he said, protectionists and
republicans; NEST of them are believers in
the free coinage of gold and silver inde-
pendently by this country. but the question
of protection and free coinage having been
divided in the last campaign, the wool
growers, accepting the pledge contained in
the republican national platform in favor
of ample protection for WOOL" ard be-
Geving proteI tion to be the paramount is
sue, cast their votes in the doubtful states
for President Mckinley, and elected him.
The tariff bill, 1t passed the House,
and as now amended by the Senate, he
said, utterly fails to meet the expectations
OF the woolgrowers, and is regarded by
them largely as Reputation OF the re-
publican pledge of ample protection for
wool"
The Woolgrowers of the country, he con-
tinued. are indignant over this treatment
OF their interests, and he warned the re-
publicans that they must change the pro-
posed rates or they would lose the support
OF this numerous element in ensuing cam
paiSns He asserted that the Mckinley
law had not afforded the Necessary pro-
lection to the woolgrowers. and quoted
statistics to prove the assertion. He
charged that it was full of loopholes per-
mlttfnS fraud and evasion, and was espec-
iaily emphatic in his GenunCiation of the ad
Valorem duties proposed on third-ciass
woods.
Senator AIdrich Contradfcted
The senator quoted Senator Aldricn's
statement that the proposed Senate rates
would give from ~ to 20 per cent more pro-
lection to the woolgrower than he had ever
received under any former tariff and pro-
duced statistics to show that the proposed
rates were much lower instead of being
higher.
He enumerated the objections OF the
woolgrowers as follows: =,
l. To the skirting clause.
z. To the ad valorem duties on third-class
woods.
3. To the admission of washed wools Of
the second-class without payment of aldi-
tional duties.
1. To the admission of washed and scour-
ed woods of the thrd-class without the raw
ment of additional duties.
D. To the imperfect classificaticns which
permit evaSions.
More Harmful Than Cheap Labor.
referring to the large Importation of
cheap Chinese and other wool produced by
Ike cheap labor, and which comes into
competition with American-grown woods,
at rates of duty which Mr.. Mantle said af-
lord no protection whatever, he inquired if
this policy was not quite as hurtful to the
American wool grower as Chinese cheap
labor to the industrial wage earners of the
country In this connection MIR. Mantle
continued:
ITO my mind, the importations of cheap
goods, produced by ill-paid and degraded
labor. which comes into competition with
like products of our own country, without
the payment OF adequate protective rates
Is. IL possible, more harmful than the i'm
portation of the cheap laborer himself If
the laDOrer comes he le2Sf live
and must help to consume of the surplus
products of our farms and factories. Not
only this, but he becomes amenab!e to our
laws. IL he acquires property, he must pay
taxes upon it, and thus contribute to the
support of our government. Ii he engages
In business among us, ne must pay for the
privilege OF doing SO, and under these con-
ditions there is at least some slight hope
that by contact with an enlightened and
progressive people, living in atmos-
phere of liberty and enjoying the blessings
OF free government, he may possibly
gather inspiration from his surroundings
and in time become useful citizen. But
when this cheap labor comes in the form
OF box OF merchandise or a bale of wool,
without payment of an adequate protective
duty, 1t monopolizeS our market injures
our producers, degrades our labor and
takes employment from our own citizens
without any just compensatory advantages
If the laborer himself comes he may perhaps
be induced to cooperate with our own la
borers for the protection of labor interests,
he can be talked to and reasoned with. but
the American wage Garner cannot argue
with box of cheap foreign merchandise
neither can the American farmer argue
with bale Of cheap Chinese WOOL"
Protection for Producers,
In concluding his remarks, he quoted
from speech delivered by President Nc
kinney to the Ohio wool growers In 1898,
and. commenting upon the speech, said he
commended these utterances particularly
to the distinguished senator from that
state tHanna). whose reelection, he said.
will depend upon next falls campaign
Mr.. Mantle declared no protective tariff
can ever again endure in the nation which
does not fully guard the interests of the
great mass of producers OF what are known
as raw materials. and among these he de-
clared the protection Of wool Is the most
important; 1T is the keystone to the great
arch Of protection. and unless II be well