The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-29
THE WOOL GROWERS
NEED HAVE NO FEAR
New Rec'proc Il Comm arcial Treaty With
Argentine Will Not Affect Ameri-
can interests.

Washington Dec 2S.--The following
official statement of facts respecting
the Argentine convention is given out
for public information and TO correct
misrepresentation In respect to the eff
feet of the treaty on the wool in
terest:
THE Argentine tariff system involves
not only a fixed rate Of duty on I'M
ports, but also provides for a valuation
which Is to be fixed from time to time
by executive authority. BY this sys-
tenn duties are often effectually in
creased without any new legislat on
and at the will of the executive Off
GERS.
1.-THE object of the United States was
therefore to obtain reductions OF the
tariff on our exports as far as possible;
and to reduce the aforo, or else to es-
tablish a valuation beyond which they
could not go as the basis for assessing
duties.
THE convention, for example, not
only secures to United States exporters
a reduction on Oregon pine lumber and
southern lumber, in fact all KINDS q
undressed lumber, but fixed the afo o,
and on Oregon and yellow pine reduces
it over 40 per cent. The duty ON cot
ton seed oil is reduced about 30 per
cent, on bacon and many food products
it is reduced by 20 per cent; on 'af-
affine wax largely in demand the e.
the charges were prohibitlve and the
duty is now reduced so per cent end
the aforo reduced by 621& per cent; On
canned salmon and other canned sf"ds
the reduction of duty is SO per cent
and the aforo is reduced by varying
percentages from so to GO par cant. On
wind mills 0argely used there) there is
a reduction of duty of 80 per cent and
of aforo, 80 per cent. On dried Or evapof-
rated fruits tapples, etcD the duly Is
reduced 80 per cent: on cotton ducking,
white or colored, the aforo is reduced
SO 1-3 per cent. On sal Irvine and cot
ton rope, the duty is reduced 20 per
cent and aforo SO 1-3 per cent.
"On the other hand, the Argentine
government demanded reciprocal tE-
cessions on the few articles she s"rds
to this country. Among these was W OIL
and American wool growers have *
pressed fears that this W 1Iid prove III
furious to domestic interest,".
THE total import Of wool into the
United States for 1899 from all coun-
tries was 1858. 600 pounds. Of this,
from the Argentine came only 1851 900
pounds, which is very small p.Ftion
of our aggregate importation. IL ap-
pears that our wooden factories require.
Notwithstanding high duties, cert2 n
the domestic product. There is no PR -
posal for any reduction of wool duti 3
in favor of any other foreign country.
1t is evident the proposed reduction for
Argentine woods alone can have no
effect on our market prices. The ma
iority of the wool is of the coarsest
class (for carpets, etc), which Is not at
all, or but little, supplied by this coun-
try. If other countries imposed the
same high duties with ourselves upon
raw wool imported for manufacture
this reduction of duty would turn the
tide of wool supply to the United
states, but other nations have adopted
the policy of free admission Of wool.
Consequently the Argentine wool seeks
the European free markets. France,
Germany, Belgium, Great Britain. italy
and others and will continue to do so.
1.-THE statistics for II months of 1885,
90 show that during that period Argen-
tine exported 461, ISL bales of wool. OF
this more than 100000 bales went to
the free Ports of Europe In addition
the absence of duties in the wool
| manufacturing countries of Europe, Ar
gentine woods tend thither because
| freignts are cheaper there than to the
United States by about 80 per cent.
| Early in November, 1899, the price of
unwashed wool (class one) London,
was liz per cent. or (say) % cents
per pound In New York. same date,
with duty added, it was 25 cents. That
is to say, the price of class one, TArgen-
tine wool, afloat in London. was %
cents against Il cents afloat in New
York, which shows abundant reason for
the wool seeking the British market
rather than the American. 1t also In
dictates how little danger there is OF
the small reduction made by this
treaty in our protective duty on woods
producing either any reduction OF
prices in our market or any increase
| over present importations, 1t is esti
mated at the treasury department thai
so per cent. of our whole importation
is Of coarse or Cordova wool, which we
| do not produce to any extent
| This concession on Argentine WOO
was made. not because OF its effect
unon our amount of importation, fol-
that would be nothing against the free
markets of Europe. but because 1t was
| one of the only three articles of Ar
gentine export of which reciprocal re
latfons could be made and one without
which that renublic would not consent
| to the convention"