The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-06-18
MOST UNJUST OF BURDENS
Tariff Cursed Wool Industry Is a Fine
Sample of Republican Love
of Big Trusts.

Of the many foolish, injurious and
even outrageous tariff taxes levied by
the Dingley bill, none, perhaps, does a
greater amount of harm to all, and a
smaller amount of good to a few, than
do those levied on wool and woolens.
This tax, averaging nearly 100 per
cent. on both raw wool and on wooden
goods, increases the cost of wooden
clothes by nearly 100 per cent, reduces
the amount of wool consumed by about
half; compels the general use of cotton,
shoddy and other cheap substitutes and
adulterants, instead of wool; compels
working men with ordinary incomes to
wear inferior and improper clothing in
winter, and is responsible for much OF
the pneumonia and other diseases that
carry off such a large percentage OF our
northern population every year.
This tax on wool and woolens is, be-
sides. a heavy burden upon the wooden
manufacturing industry, which is now
languishing, and is comparatively stag
nant and Improbable. Neither has it,
apparently. DCICljSu InC NOOl SAO"A ~
industry, for fewer pounds of wool are
produced now than either 10 or 20 years
ago. while the number OF sheep is about
the same nov as then.
The only real prosperity enjoyed by
the wooden industry for more than 80
years was during the three years of free
wool under the Wilson bill. During
this period our wooden mills manufac-
tured more yards of woolens than ever
before or since, and the per capita con-
sumption of wool increased greatly, and
was then about 60 per cent. greater
than 1t has since been.
The duties of wool vary from 4 to II
cents per pound on raw wool, to
SO to sc cents on secured wool. Duties
on wooden goods vary greatly. Cen
orally speaking, they are three or four
times as much per pound as upon an
equal number of pounds of raw wool,
and, in addition, from 80 to SO per cent.
ad valorem. The duties on raw CLOTH
ing wool may be considered as II cents
per pound, on wooden clothes, at A
cents per pound, and so per cent, and
on clothing, A cents per pound and So
per cent. The duty collected on i'm
ported wool last year was 80 per cent. OF
the value of the wool, and that collect
ed on wooden goods was equal to 81 per
cent. of their value.
AS these, like all other specific or
| partly specific duties, are higher on
cheap than on expensive goods, it is evil
dent that they will average about 100
per cent. on ordinary wooden goods.
AS about 40 per cent. of the wool con-
sumed in this country comes from
abroad, and. therefore, is nearly doubled
in value by the tariff duties, it is evident
that the tariff must increase the value
of most wooIens sold here by nearly 100
per cent.
The total value at retail of all wooden
goods and clothing sold in this country
is probably about $500, coo, 900 a year.
1t is safe to say that $3.50, DOC, 900 of
this amount IS due to the tariff duties on
wool and woolens. This is an average
of about nine dollars per family for our
whole population.
But not more than half of the price
of wool (probably not one-fifth) can be
credited to the duty IN raw wool.
Therefore, in order to grant a protec-
ton bonus of from $4,000, 0CO to $780,
900, 900 a year to u wool growers, we
tax all families an average of nine dol
lars per family, in order that We may
confer a tariff benefit which cannot pos
sibly exceed two dollars, and which
probably does not exceed Is cents per
family. But, as one-half of this pro-
lection bonus most certainly goes to
less than 200, 900 of the big ranchmen Of
Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Cal
ifornia, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Ari-
IONA and New Mexico, who produce
more than one-half the wool grown in
this country, the average for all the 9TH
err families cannot exceed one dollar,
and probably does not exceed 40 cents
per family.
In order to facilitate that pure
campaign, Mr.. Carnegie will be prompt,
no doubt, in RENTING that check for a
million or. so to Mr.. CONGREGATIONS
ton (Tex.) Post.
After feeling the pulse and look
| ing at the tongue of the average trust,
there is little hope of its dying off in a
natural way, as predicted.-Washing-
ton Star (Rep.).
1t is reported that Attorney Gen.
eral Knox IS going after the trusts again,
but they hare such a start it is not be-