Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-03
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make Certain COIiCesSlOIS 10 ludl CuuIi-
try as to import duties on products sent
to the United States. The purpose is to
make it easier to place American goods
in Argentina by a reduction Of duties
there. But the United States should
take care that it is not grasping at a
shadow and losing the substance; that
it Is not trading the birthright Of the
people for a mess of pottage, in con-
to let the Argentine wool grow
ers send their fleeces into this country
at a reduced duty to compete with the
homegrown wool. To be ure the
treaty proposed and now before the sem
ate cuts off but one-fifth Of the duty,
but the prospect Of establishing a de-
mand for American goods in Argentina
should be abandoned rather than per-
nit the wool of that country to make
the home market Improbable to the
farmers and sheep owners Of the United
States. 1t may be hat President Nc
Kinley and the SENATE are to be de-
oeived into thinking that the reduction
in duty would not result in imports, but
the wool producers of this country do
not wish any fooling with edged tools.
Disguised with conditions under Cleve-
land, they voted for Mckinley and he
Republican party to secure a protective
tariff; and the people not engaged in the
industry rejoice to see the wool inter-
est thrive under the Dingley tariff sys-
tenn. Let this be altered through the
connivance Of spectators and buyers
who seek to secure the introduction of
a cheap foreign product, when congress
and the people would not sanction a di-
rect reduction of duty, and the result
may seriously affect the strength Of the
Republican party In states like Indiana
and the northwestern portion of the
country, where voters are forsaking the
free silver party for the M which has
made the wool industry a success.
The danger from the Argentine treaty
is real rather than imaginary, the asso-
Citations of wool growers know. The
association of California flock owners
has sounded the alarm, and it behooves
all wool growers to protest, regardless
Of party utilization, to prevent senators
voting for the treaty that is a step in
the direction of free trade. The Argen-
tine government, in asking for this re-
duction of duty, represented the great
flock owners of the plains of that coun-
try, who know that the wool SO cheaply
produced there can, with the ocean
transportation, be placed at United
States ports at a profit if the 20 per cent
reduction be granted. The enormous
production of wool in the Argentine
country ia little known in the United
States, because the product has here
tofore gone mostly to Europe, though
some of it came thence to this country.
Let the proposed concession be given
and production will be stimulated. A
flood of wool will come this way, and
the home producer will be again at the
mercy Of buyers. Manufacturers may
be benefited, but the people will get
WOODEN goods no cheaper, for the Ar
gentine country is not a competitor in
manufacturing.
1t is we'll that the wool grower should
know what vast production there is in
the Argentine country to draw from. In
1898 there were in the United States but
33, 200, 900 sheep, while in the Argentine
republic there were lao, 600, 900. The COM
No ,.a tive nrn511ntinn Of tho two ppIn-
tries for that year cannot be given, but
in the previous year the United States
produced 259, 900, 900 and the Argentine
growers 4S0, 900, 900 pounds. The sheep in
the latter country are Of poor grade, but
are being improved to produce more
wool. The Argentine republic now ex-
ports two or three times as much wool
as the United States imports. Let the
product be turned this way and admit
ted and the product in this country will
cease to be profitable and will decrease
in quantity. The classes that are abso-
lutely dependent upon this industry In
the arid regions will again be plunged
into poverty. With control of the wool
trade Of this country secured by Argen-
tina under this treaty, the industry
there would grow enormously, for but
s per cent Of the available agricultural
land Is now utilized; the government Is
promoting the settlement of the lands,
and in twenty-five years have induced
2,063, 900 immigrants, mostly S~paniards
and Italians, to settle in the country.
nearly doubling the population. In
eighteen years of that period the num-
Der Of sheep in Argentina have in
creased from 49, 0 900 to lao, 900, 900,
while in the United States the increase
has been from 1900, 900 to 1000, 900,
though in the era before free trade in
wool stopped the growth of this indus
try. the number rose to A. 900, 900, and
then rapidly fell to 81, 0O0,0 900 again be-
fore tariff protection came to save the
aocks and encouraged production.
The senate should beware Of taking
a step that will again arrest the devel-
opment Of this great source of wealth
to the agricultural classes. And the
Republican party will suffer greatly If
any of the advantages gained for the
producers Of this country be frittered
away by reciprocity bargaining, which
may benefit a few and beggar masses.
The wool growers of the United States
are home builders, wealth producers
and Americans. The senate and the
president Of the United States must not,
pit them against the alien nomads of
the Argentine plains, after the people
have barred out the products of Aus
tralia and the other countries of the far
Pacific; the great markets Of the world
are opening to absorb American prod
ucts as the hungry bivalve opens Its
shell to take s~ustenance from the sea.
The smaller markets should MOI be bait
ed at the expense of the wool producers
Of this country.