Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-06-25

lines of freight shipments are also fall
ing OFF more or less.
SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY.
ITS LIFE I'D PROGRESS DE-
PENDENT UPON PROTECTIVE
TARIFF MEASURES.
The effect upon the number Of sheep
in the United States illustrates more
than anything else can the effect upon
an important industry OF favorable or
unfavorable tariff legislation. During
the last four years of the war tariff OF
1867, when the duties were over II
cents per pound, the number of sheep
in the United States increased 25 per
cent. At this rate Of increase if it
had continued till the present time,
the American nation would have pro-
duced its own supply OF wool. This
shows, if any thing does, that protec-
ton when adequate does protect
In 1888 the effect of tariff reduction
caused prices for woel to fall. Cleve-
land was lnaugurated in 1855, and his
free. wool theory was advocated, and
took form in the Mills bill, and the
wool growers of the United States were
SO alarmed that they fattened their
sheep, and sold them in countless null
titudes to the butchers, and the slaugh-
ter was only arrested by the election
OF President Harrison in 1883.
! During Cleveland's nrst term the
number of sheep decreased from 5O,-
800, 900 to Al, 100000, a decrease of
nearly IS per cent, under the influence
OF hostile legislation. After Harri-
sons election in 1888 the prospect of
| the passage of a tariff law giving ade-
quate protection to wool followed by
| the Mckinley law, fostered the sheep
industry, and the focks increased un-
der President Harrison's administra-
tion IL per cent, and up to the time of
Cleveland's Inauguration the number
OF sheep had increased to A 500, 600.
If the Mckinley law had not been
menaced with repeal, and the effects of
its repeal discounted, at the same rate
OF increase as under the Mckinley law,
the American nation before 1905 would
have had enough sheep to furnish its
entire wool supply. ~
H1oro1orS,c
that the policy of his administration
would be in the direction of free wool,
and the Wilson-Gorman law was its
1ulfllment. The fear of free wool.
with the certainty of double importa-
tions of cheap foreign wool and wool
ems, caused the entire annihilation of
American focks in many sections of
the country, SO that by the first of
January, 1896, there were only 3S5OO.-a
600 sheep left in the United States.
This country had more sheep than this
in 1868, twenty-eight years before. a.
The future of the sheep industry in
Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and
other states west of these is largely,
if not solely, dependent upon the wool
market. When the price of wool in
the grease, as produced in these states.
is above 15 cents per pound at the rail-
road station, the business will pay, and
those in it will stay in and increase
their f1ocks. When the price is below
that point it is practically unprofitable,
and herds become reduced, and many
sheepmen of necessity go out OF the
business.
The general outlook for the sheep
business is good; and so long as favor
able conditions exist there will doubt b
less be some revival in the industry.
The increasing production Of alfalfa
will, to some extent, stimulate the feed
ing industry and cause market for
sheep to the producers of mutton.
There is evidently a brighter future for
the sheepman than has existed for
some years past, But the narrowing
OF territory on which to Craze large
herds, coupled with the tariff question
on wool always unstablel, are ele-
ments Of uncertainty and act as hind
RANGES to any great increase ip the
business. Hugo (Colo.) Range Led
ger.
CHICAGO FIRE.
r. Chicago. June % Fire this morn