Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-02-25
PROTECTION AND WOOL.
system by Which II Farmer Is
EIeeced to Help the
Trusts Along.

1t is rather singular that about all
the products of the farm that have no
real tariff protection are advancing in
price very materially, but wool, the
one product that is protected to the
verge of prohibition, is standing still,
and in some classes eve declining in
price. Cotton has been bringing more
than the average price the farmer and
sheep ranch men are getting for wool.
There is no tariff on cotton, 10 protec-
ton fosters it's growth, while the tariff
on wool is II cents a pound. How can
our protection enthusiasts explain this
anomaly which, according to their
theory, shows that the duty on wool
is still too low? Why don't they
amend the tariff and give the farmer
more protection instead of standing
pat? The imports of foreign WOOL are
increasing. The last report of COM
merce and finance, issued by the de-
partment of commerce and labor, gives
the imports of wool for the II months
ending November for 1901 in pounds
as Ill, 74S,490; 1902, 161, 631,91S; 1903,
1853, 27S, 1892. Thus fer the same period
foreign wool has been coming in the
past year at the rate of over $4,000, 900
pounds more than in 1901.
What is the reason for this increased
competition of the foreign wool grow
ers with our home product? In spite
of nearly 100 per cent. protection the
sheep industry is not so prosperous as
1t was when we had free wool under
the tariff of 1894. The price of WOODEN
goods is declining from the inability
of the great majority of our people
to buy wool clothing. Cotton and
shoddy have largely taken the place
Of wool from the sheer necessity 81
the family with limited incomes tc
meet the increased cost of living. The
importation of foreign wool is princl'
pally of the coarse grades, used in the
manufacture of carpets. That class o.
wool our wool growers cannot supply
in sufficient quantity to supply the de-
mand, and the high tariff only adds
to the cost of the articles made from
it. The farmer, when he buys a car
pet, or other product made of coarse
wool, pays a big tax on it, with no
even the compensating advantage o
an increased profit on the wool he him
self raises. Those farmers who d.
not raise sheep are practically unpro
tected by the tariff, although nearl.
all agricultural products are included
in schedule G, of the tariff law; ye
the surplus of agricultural product
raised above what this country cal
consume, when sold abroad, mus
compete in the worlds markets, an
the price is fixed by the foreign buG
ers. The price paid in the home mar
ket is controlled by the price the sur
plus brings, so in that case protectiol
does not protect the farmer. Their
are a few exceptions to this rule, in
Guiding those who raise sugar cane
.ice and wrapper tobacco, but tn
trusts that control the market TO
those products get the largest slic
Of the profits. Some farmers who liv
zeal the Canadian border may b
slightly protected by the lack of com
petition on eggs and vegetables fror
their Canadian neighbors, but this ad
vantage, if any, is more than over
come by the increased price of wha
they purchase.
The farmer that votes to continu
the protection tariff votes to protet
and foster the trusts, and not onl
pays the tariff tax to the governmeI
but a much greater tax on about a
ne buys to the favored corporations.