The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-29
To Correct MIsapprshenslons Respecting
Its Effect on Wool Interests.
While the Importations Of Wool
From the Argentine Are Small,
and Only of the Coarsest Glass,
the United States Gains Advan-
tages in Reductions of the Tar
if on Our Exports Which
Largely Offset an Injury to the
Wool Interest.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-The fol-
lowing official statement OF facts re-
spectins the Argentine convention Is
given out for public information, ana
to correct many misapprehensions in
respect to the effect of the treaty on the
wool interest:
The Argentine tariff system involves
not only fixed and high rate of duties
on imports, but also provides Tor an
aforo, or valuation, which is to be
fixed from time to time by executive
authority. By this system duties are
often effectually increased without any
new legislation, and at the VIII Of ex-
ecutfve officers.
THE object of the United States was
therefore to obtain reductions of the
tariffs on our exports as far as posi-
BILE, and to reduce the afolo, or else to
establish valuation beyond which
they could not go as the basis for as
sessing duties.
The convention, for example, not
only secures to United States export
ers reduction on Oregon pine lumber
and southern lumber-in fact all kinds
of undreSSed lumber-but fixed the
aforo, and on Oregon and yellow pine
reduces it over 40 per cent. The duty
on cottonseed oil is reduced about 90
per cent. On paraffine wax largely in
demand there the charges were pro-
hibitive, and the duty is now reduced
30 per cent, and the aforo reduced by
621a per cent. On canned salmon and
other canned goods the reduction Of
duty is 80 per cent, and the aforo is
r-nd NV
80 to 20 per cent. On windmills largely
used there) there is a reduction ofsduty
of 90 per cent and of aforo 60 per
cent. On dried or evaporated apples,
ETC., the duty is reduced 90 per cent
On cotton ducking, white or colored,
the aforo is reduced 1913 per cent. On
sail Irvine and cotton rope the duty is
reduced 20 per cent, and the aforo 331A 4,
per cent.
"On the other hand, the Argentine
Government demanded reciprocal con-
cessions on the few articles she sends
to this market. Among these was
wool, and American wool growers have
expressed fears that this would prove
injurious to the domestic interest.
The total import of wool into the
United States for 1899 from all coun-
tries was 76,673.000 pounds. Of this,
from the Argentine countries only T.
951, goo pounds, which is a very small
portion of our aggregate importation.
1T appears that our wooden factories
require, Notwithstanding high duties,
certain amount of foreign wool to
supplement the domestic product.
There is no proposal for any reduction
of wool duties in favor of any other
foreign country. 1t is evident that
the proposed reduction of Argentine
WOODS alone can have no effect on our
market prices. The majority of the
wool is of the coarsest class (for car
pets. etc., which is not at all or but
little supplied by this country. If
other countries imposed the same high
duties with ourselves upon raw woods
imported for manufacture this reduc-
tlon of duty would turn the tide of
wool supply to the United States. But
other nations have adopted the policy
OF Tree admission of WOOL Conse-
quently, the Argentine wool seeks tho
european free markets, France Ger
many, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy.
etc., and will continue to do So"