New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-06
wool CONSUMPTION AVID SUPPLY.

\ convention Of wool growers at columbus on
Thursday resolved Ia organize n league OF deal
Crs in the principal markets to receive cohsleh-
ments of wool TO advance money 10 growers
and local buyers and TO hold wool "for sale III
no case for loss than It's fair value. IT happens
that an article Is printed in The Tribune to-day
which is peculiarly timely In view oi sich pro-
posal. though II was prepared before the cohVeh-
lion was held and without any idea that snch
plan would be suggested. II shows what supplies
Of wool probably remain in this country ioT
ronsumuion The figures given VIII be sur
prising 10 most people. In, they rest upon no III
dividuai judgment or guess. and cannot he con
rrovcrcd with success by different guess from
somebody else In fact. they arc simply n com
pllation Of the best information anywhere oh
tainnhlc as to the production. Importation, con-
sumption and resulting surplus % wool
The Agricultural Department and the Wool
manufacturers Association have pursued Tor
years separate invest gations regarding the
quantity Of wool produced. These invcstiga-
lions conducted In each case with considerable
expense. result In certain records which are un-
Gcnlably sustained by the best Information yet
obtained by anybody. and the best that can he
obtained without larger authority ana cNpcndi-
turc than have ever been devoted 10 the lnvcsti-
cation fhus far Any and all human conclu-
slons are liable n error but no reasonable man
takes his own Individual gucSS or the unsup-
portcd guess of any other man. In place Of such
information Taking these statements OF pro-
duction Of wool IN the wears since July !. 1S!3.
with the ofclal records showing all Imports
loss exports " wool. the quantity supplied Is de-
torulincd on the best evidence anywhere obtain
ohlo Tho consumption In manufacture during
the four years 81 depression Is known by every
body to have been much below the maximum in
previous wears Evidence * given by several in
dependent Investigations as 10 the decrease In
number of hands employed or Of machines opcr-
afcd From these again the best and indeed
,ho only evidence obtained MP Ia date, concll-
sions are compared with tho records Of sales of
wool and Of prices. Indicating what quantities
can have gone into consumption in the four DIS
astrouS fiscal years lS9i'97. while consump-
tion fully mp 10 the maximum In past years Is
allowed FOR tho fiscal year just closed.
From these data the conclusion j. reached that
the quantity Of wool net tally supplied ana in
all probability vet remaining unconsumed Is at
least as much. without any further importation
whatever. rs full years maximum consump-
ton in the past. and presumably as much
rs the maximum consumption In year
and 4 half 1t seems evident that the
acquisition and handling of n years clip and
tho lending Of many millions on the wool held
for sale nj what the growers may think "a fair
price" I'm the face Of such supplies already on
hand and unconsumcd would he an operation OF
moro than ordinary risk. In fact, II may be
doubted wih some reason whether people Will
he found 10 store mp wool. lend money on II and
undertake To hold It until it can he sold At such
prices rs the producers mag desire under the
existing or any other circumstances likely 10
arise for some time 10 come.