The San Francisco call., 1897-02-12
WOOL INTERESTS DISAGREE.
The Conference of ,he Big Associations
Ended in IfreccacIia6ie Differences
ON HI0b Tariffs

WASHINGTON, D. c., FEB. 1.-THE
National Wool Growers Association and
the National Association OF Wool Manu-
facturers have split on the wool schedule
that each favors.
The conference has been in session here
almost continuously for the past two
days behind closed doors. An effort was
made to reach an agreement as to the
rates of duty on wool, which might be rec
commended to the House Ways and Means
Committee.
7r S. D. n. North, secretary of the National
Association OF Wool Manufacturers
speaking of the disagreement, said: THE
conference was entirely friendly at every
stage, but it ended in complete disagree
ment, due to irreconcilable differences of
opinion as to what a reasonable rate of
duty on wool is, under present condi-
tions, and with a view to permanent tariff
laws.
The manufacturers committee, at the
request of the wooI-growers, finally sub
mitted a schedule of rates which they
would join in recommending for the sake
of securing harmonious cooperation.
This schedule was higher than the judg-
ment of the manufacturers approved, but
1t was rendered as an evidence of their
kindly feeling toward the wool growers
and of their willingness to concede 10 the
latter even higher rates of duty upon the
raw material than they ask or expect upon
their own manufactured products.
They proposed q duty of 8 cents pound
on woods of class l, under 16 cents a pound
in value, and 10 cents a pound over that
value, with double and triple duti s on
washed and secured woods, and II cents a
pound on class woods, with the same
dividing line OF value, and upon carpet
woods The Mckinley law rates, namely:
Thirty-two per cent under 13 cents in
value and so per cent over that value and
without a sorting clause This proposi-
ton would have given the wool-growers a
higher protection upon merino woods, so
far as the ad valorem equivalent is con-
cerned, than they have ever had under
any tariff law.
The wool-growers after a protracted
session passed resolution rejecting this
proposition in all its parts, and stating
that they find it impossible to agree 10
the schedule proposed in justice to the
absolute necessities of the wool growers"
Before separating the wool-growers were
asked TO name the very lowest rates of
duty they were willing to accept in return
for the support OF the manufacturers, and
they authorized Judge Lawrence to SUBJ
NIT the following schedule as their uIti-
matum: Twelve cents pound on class
and class woods, double duty on washed
and triple duty on secured, eight cents
pound on all carpet woods, and double and
double and triple duties on washed and
secured, and eight cents pound addi-
tional duty on all skirted woods.
This is the original Lawrence schedule
with some slight notifications, and it's
disastrous effects upon wool manufacture
and carpet manufacture are obvious to all
manufacturers. There were members of
the wool-growers' committee who recog-
nized the i'm possibility OF acquiescence in
such extreme rates; but the appointment
eI a committee OF conference had been
PLACED in the hands of Judge Lawrence.
and he so constituted the committee that
it was ironclad against material deviation
from the tariff programme which he had
been advocating, notwithstanding the fact
that the manufacturers have evidence
which leads them to believe that ma
iority OF the wool-growers of the country.
and particularly OF the far West, believe
that their best interests will be promoted
by much more moderate duties.