La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-04-16
WOOL AND TARIFF.
THE COUNTRY IS RECOVERING
FROM CLEvELANDiSM
The Protective Tariff Is Doing All That
Can Reasonably nc Expected - Tho
Reform Club and It's free Trade
Theories Den,olishcd on Every Hand.

WOOL industry OF the free WOOL prOSi-
sion of the Wilson tariff without ex-
pressions OF the most profound iadig-
nation. There was really not the slight
est excuse for such a complete reversal
of revenue policy. 1t was simply b;u-
tai. and it had the appearance Of vim
dictiveness on the part OF Its authors.
1t was un-American In the extreme.
The free wool provision Of the Will
son tariff resulted in the almost entire
destruction OF an industry amounting
| in value to more than 500. 900.
which industry had not only been max
ing steady growth but which. under
continued favorable conditions, would
doubtless have increased In Importance
year by year.
Through the operation OF the Wilson
tnrin the value of the domestic wool
clip Of the country. comparing the fls-
cal year 1S90-9l with that of 1886.
was reduced more than one-half. The
free wool measure was not demanded
by any important interest. and 1t
seems to have been urged by desire
to overthrow or. at least. to counteract
the prosperous business conditions
which had followed the Inauguration
and successful operations OF the Nc
Kinley tariff.
The effect upon the sheep industry
OF the free wool provisions of the Will
son tariff is indicated by the statistics
OF some OF the principal sheep growing
states in the northwest. In 1882 the
value OF sheep in Wisconsin was 3d.
lS.2s7. BY 1897, under the influence
Of the Wilson tariff. this value had been
reduced to $70s.722. In Minnesota the
value of sheep fell from $1.447.s2s in
kota the value Of sheep declined from
s1.173.699 in 1893 to &616.701 in 1895.
while in South Dakota the fall was
equally great In Michigan sheep val
ues were reduced from $s.512.679 in
1893 to 2.S43. .1S9 in 1896. and in Colo
RADIO from $4.263 .673 In 1899 to $685.
05S In 1895.
| What is true OF these states is also
true Of every other wool growing state
in the Union. Influenced by foreign
competition OF free wool the growing
OF the staple became SO Improbable
that whole herds OF sheep were sold at
| tuc CNCi INNpIuSa IL
Ohio, where fine blooded sheep
were raised, the value fell from 81 to
$3.50 to 40 to 10 cents. Necessarily
farmers who devoted their attention to
this industry sustained heavy loss. In
the fiscal year 1S93-94. under the Nc
Kinley tariff. the consumption OF wool
In the United States was 346.654 .90i
pounds OF which only 55.152, ,55S
pounds. or 1876 per cent. was Imported.
In the next fiscal year. under the Will
son tariff. consumption was 500. Al ,41G
pounds, of which 39S per cent was i'm
ported. and In the following fiscal year
this percentage OF imported wool in
creased to 45.4 per cent, and. more
over. the imports of wool were. for the
first time in nearly thirty years, in ex-
cess Of the domestic production.
These figures clearly show that for
| eign importers were. as the trainers OF
the law probably intended they should
be, directly benefited by the free wool
provision Of the Wilson tariff.
With free wool came depression in
American wool manufacturing indus
tries. Manufacturers who had been en-
couraged by the Mckinley tariff to I'M
prove the class of goods. SO as success
fully to compete with foreign manu-
facturers, were discouraged, mills were
closed. operatives lost their employ
ment and distress prevailed. Foreign
fabrics flooded the markets of the coun-
try to the practical exclusion Of nearly
all others. and those manufacturers
who had been. by voice and influence,
seeking to secure cheaper raw mater
ial, through free wool. found that they
were undersold and that they had
greatly miscalculated the extent of Eu-
ropean competition. sst'a-
Manifestly. therefore, Europeans
benefited, not only through free raw
material. but through the broader mar
ket which they obtained for foreign
made fabrics. uF
No sooner did a change in admins
tration indicate that there would be a
speedy revision OF the tariff than the
European wool interests prepared to
flood this country with their product.
hoping thereby to continue in the en-
joyment Of this market at least until
the American wool industry should
naturally revive under the influence of
protective tariff. The supplies of
wool imported during the last half of
the fiscal year 1s9697 were enormous.
The largest importation was 95. .559 1893
pounds in April. 1897. nearly one-half
of which came from Australia. Ware
houses were Allied to repletion. reposi-
tories for the staple were sought in
every principal city. and extraordinary
Inducements were offered American
consumers to purchase in advance for
eign made goods.
The American woolen manufacturing
industry. however, promptly revived
under the influence of the Dingley tar
III, there was a marked increase in
| xS