The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-07
DUTY OF At LEAST IL CENTS.
wooi Growers Argue fer Protection
BEFORE the Taria Committee

ule furnished t1e text toF the speakers D.
fore The WAYS and means com znittee TO-DAY.
Judge wuHau Lawrence. of Ohio. presi-
aauf Of the National Wool Growers Asso-
glaffop. anf THEODORE Jasace. a PhiIadei-
mia woeI dealer. consumed most Of the
tire The recommendation OF tne grow
e-s was for a rate of j cents on GBwasAed
wrags = ceuts on washed. and IS cents on
secured the Australian unEashed 70 be
f.gasse6 as washed and al rates 10 Be ad
vzrced II cents q year for six years
ID tse classeft as washed and al rates 10
b advanced Its cents year fo- SIX years.
Mr. Justice presented a great array of
statistics 70 show ths ruin Of the wool
business By the WIlson law. He coEnbafted
the rates dena nded by Inc growers az too
high and stated that the decrease in the
prices Of goods 10 consumers under the
Wilson law was equiv 7enf 10 the Tsauc-
ton OF the tariff
Personally would IKE a much higher
duty than u cents said Mfr. Lawrence,
but the growers limit their demands 10
that figure.
When the speaker asserted that Aus
Italian wool could he pat on ship at Mel
bourne az a cost Of 8 cents a pound. Mr.
Wheeler. OF Alabama, commented: And
that is the wool on which you ask "a cents
duiyT"
.sWen. "a and is - cents. and that wool
vii bring from to I cents more than
about - cents II peopl will use luxuries
they should pay luxurious duty
Would a pound OF Australian wool be
brought into this country at "A cents?"
asked Chairman Dinghy.
Anyway Il would transfer our trade
from Australia. where, We have 10 pay in
gold. TO South America. Hnere We would
exchange agricultural implements and
goods for their wool.
Continuing Mr.. Lawrence urged that
China woolashould be classed as frst-cIass.
otherwise there would be an influx which
would Kill the American business. In
cidentaMy he referred 10 the Cd valorem
system as the most internal scheme ever
invented by rascaIs on earth
As a plan TO prevent a food of imports
pending the passage Of a bill. Judge Law
renee suggested that congress pdss at the
present session a bill DECLARING that all
articles imported after the first day of
the first session Of the Fifty-iifth congress
be subject TO the rates Of duty OF any
law passed by that congress when the new
rates are advanced. bonds 10 he given by
importers for such payments before goods
can be withdrawn.
The senator from Montana Carter on
my right says that the senate might pass
suca bill by October, interrupted Mr..
Ding.cy.
As Mr.. Lawrence was explaining that
under the schedule proposed BY his asso-
supply the home market IN four years. MIR.
Daizell inquired how much revenue would
be secured.
"A little more than by the Mckinley
law. Eight or ten millions during the four
years he replied.
And finally get none" interposed Mr.
Wheeler.
''Why should we want any?" retorted
Mr. Lawrence, amid laughter Il mean
from wool" he amended. The country
viii be prosperous and we can get revenue
from other sources
Mr.. Turner. of Georgia, Inquired if the
| schedule had not really been drawn TO shut
out the higher grades OF wool, which Mr..
Lawrence denied.
In reply TO questions from Mr.. Turner.
Mr.. Lawrence said the average citizen
would receive s25 worth of benefits for ev-
cry s. advance in the prices of WOODS. The
point was elected that the wool growers
plan proposed an annual increase Of
y cent pound.
And where would we finally land?"
inquired Mr.. Dingley.
.'The increase would end at Is cents a
pound" was the explanation.
The consumer was represented at the
afternoon session by Theodore Justice, a
wool dealer OF Philadelphia. He said;
when II was known that Grover CIeve-
land meant 20 continue his assaults on
this industry. with the assistance OF both
branches Of congress. farmers began TO
dispose Of their hocks From 1898 10 1876
the number OF sheep had decreased q per
cent. and there was now fewer in the
United states than in lisa. Had the Nc
/ kniey Law been continued the United
States would he able TO produce its fuii
consumption OF go 0se0 GO pounds OF wool.
Mr. Justice stated that no harm would
| be done the American business if woods
costing under 10 cents were admitted free.
fer these never Nould be raised probably
/ In the United Sta'es. Referring 70 shoddy.
he said that while the annual importa-
| tions Of Il under the Mckinley law had
| bttn $4,000 pounds, between August and
| September of the year the Wilson law was
| enacted there had been 4o0a.0 pounds I'M
rorfed. aud in the full calendar year un-
| der that law 2o.7ls 600 pounds
The theory Of the trainers OF the Wilson
! law had been that free wool would stop
! iusportatlone OF shoi3y No nation had
| ever used as little shoddy as the United
States under the Mckinley law. The ex-
/ plenatiOu OF the increased use Of shoddy
vas that the increased iup1rtations Of
cheap clothes under the Wilson law conf
PEELED the American manufacturer TO
/ make such cheap clothes 20 compete that
he was obliged 10 use shoddy. Moreover,
there had been less money earned by All
/ classes under the Wilson Law 20 spend for
/ clothes. The decrease fu price 70 the pur-
| chasers of wooden goods under the Wilson
/ laN had been a bout equal 20 the decrease
in tho tariff on the goods.
| The manufactures ~ v~oolen goods wiA
/ have -3leir inning tomorrow.
DEBATE ON PACIFIC ROADS.