Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-01
The Wool Situation.

Judge VIM. Lawrence, president of the
National Association of Wool Growers,
takes an encouraging view of the future
of the wool industry in the United
States. In his opinion prices for wool
must materially advance in the near flu
ture, for the following reasons:
The people of the country must have
a certain amount of wooden manufac-
lures. During the financial panic
which depressed business of all kinds in
the years from 1893 to 1897 there was a
reduction in the amount of wool manu-
features and the purchases made by the
consumers. The decrease in purchases
left the population in a condition to
need large amounts of supplies, which
have not yet been furnished, and will
require in the near future increased
purchases for immediate consumption.
The supplies are not being met by i'm
ports. This is shown by statistics which
verify the statement recently made by
the Bradford, England, Observer thai
'.the exports of woolens to America,
owing to the Dingley tariff act, have al
most ceased"
Since 1895 there has been a great de-
crease in the number of sheep in the
world, and consequently in the supply
of wool. In August, 1897, the Boston
Home Market Journal estimated that
one-fifth of the finest wool sheep on the
entire globe had persisted. The greatest
losses were sustained in Australia and
the United States. In the former coun-
try a drouth of over two years duration
resulted in the death Of 10000 o head;
in this country the disastrous effect of
the Wilson tariff reduced the flocks by al
most 10, 900, 900 head. OF course, since
the time the estimate was made Hooks
in all countries have been increasing In
size, but it will require several years
for the losses to be made good. 1t must
be apparent that the decline in the num-
Der of fleece PRODUCING sheep will have
the effect to raise prices.
The Judge gives as the reason for
prices having not as yet advanced mate
rally is the fact hat during the pc
Rod of free wool and low tariff on wool
manufactures the excessive imports OF
wool and wool manufactures nave met
American needs. But these are now
substantially exhausted While Judge
Lawrence is firmly of the opinion that
better prices are a matter of only a
short time, still he gives the wool grow
ers the following note of warning:
THE prices of wool, even if they do go
up to the importing point, will not be
sufficient to give prosperity to the wool
industry. They are much less than
prices prior to 1890, under which the
number of sheep and the wool product
actually declined, owing to the tariff act
of 1883. And ever under the better but
inadequate wool tariff of 1890 sheep and
wool products did not increase as fast
az the population. The Dingley WOO
duties are less protective than those of
1890, and the inevitable result will be
that sheep husbandry cannot be pros
porous. Inc HOOKS Ol AuSLIdlld Will NC
restored to more than the number OF
sheep prior to the drouth of 1895, and the
American wool prices will decline. In
the next congress wool growers will ask
for such amendments of the wool tariff
as will make it more protective"
In the effort to secure adequate pro-
lection the f~lockmasters of New Mex
leo should join, and bring every infu'
ence to bear possible to secure a WOO
schedule that will place foreign pro
ducers on an equal footing with those
of the United States. If they desire tt
market wool in this country that can BIZ
raised in Australia and South America
for less than one-half what it costs tc
produce American woods, let them pay
for the privilege. The increase in the
tariff will not affect the price Of clothing
and wooden stuffs, although the free
traders will make an awful howl about
the poor working men when the matter
comes before congress-.