The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1900-03-02
FAVORS FREE WOOL.
BRYhsI HATES PROTECTION AS
MUCH AS EVER.
Declares He Stands rs He Stood Six
Years, An Incorporating Opponent
of any Tariff for tho Benefit OF tho
American Sheep Grower.

Last week the wool market report of
the Commercial Bulletin contained the
following paragraph:
"The Salt Lake City correspondent
of Hecht, Lehman & Co., of this city,
writes that Mr.. VIM. ]. Bryan, in his
recent visit to Utah, assured leading
dealers and growers in private CONVEX
sation that he had changed his mind
on wool, and that though he would
consent to a reduction of duties, they
could rest assured that he never would
sign a free-wool bill"
We desire to repeat the paragraph,
and are perfectly prepared to furnish
the James OF the persons who were
given the assurance that the wool tar
if would not be an issue and that the
protectionist who wished to vote for
free silver might do so without fear
that the beneficent duty would be re-
moved from wool by Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Bryan now makes this publica-
ton unnecessary, however, by a public
pledge, which, Of course, recalls all pri-
vate or personal assurances as to his
attitude on wool. In an interview &C
cepted as authentic by such free wool
authority as the Boston Herald, he is
quoted by that paper, among others, of
Jan. IA as follows:
When asked regarding the report
that he had changed his views on the
matter of free wool importation, and
had asserted that, in behalf of western
dealers and manufacturers, he would.
if elected president, favor a tariff on
wool, Mr.. Bryan stated most emphati-
cally that he had made no statement
whatever to the effect hat he had
changed his former views on the ques-
ton"
These are MI. Bfyan's former
views" as expressed ON the floor of
congress, March 16, 1892:
Il, therefore, Mr.. Chairman, denounce
as fallacious, as unworthy of consider
alton, the only reason chat can De given
in support of a tariff on wool, as a
protective tariff and ror protective pur-
poses"
And on Jan. 10, 1894:
at is immaterial in my judgment
whether the sheep grower receives any
benefit from the tariff or lot Wheth-
er he does Or does not, whether the
wool manufacturer collects a compen-
satory duty from the of
wooden goods and pays it owe to the
wool grower, or collects and keeps it
himself, or doesn't collect it at all, and
therefore doesn't need it, | am for free
WOOL"
1t is idle for Mr.. Bryan's friends in
Utah or the other Western states long
er to seek the votes of wool growers,
as they have been doing, on whispered
assurances that the free trade plank
of the Chicago platform is not an is
sue.
Free wool is an issue in 1900.
Mr.. Bryan has made it so by his W
public utterance at Columbia, Miss,
Jan. Is, 1900. The private whisper
in Salt Lake City is overridden by the
public declaration again publicly en-
dorsed: Il am for free WOOL
A Bryan victory thus means not only
surrender and free silver, but a drop to
the old free wool basis of q cents a
secured pound for ordinary fine me-
dunn Utah wool. The Western wool
grower will do well to ponder this and
to cut out Mr.. Bryan's interview for
reference when the campaign is on
next fall.-Boston Commercial Bulle-
tin.