, 1908-08-14
DENVER REPUBLICAN suocEsTs
THAT PROFESSIONAL FREE
TRADER MIGHT REPRO
pucE FIGURES.
Former Attorney General Of Ohio and
Perpetual Candidate Bryan Can
Get Some Pointers In Their Raid
Upon Wool Growers by studying
Facts in Recent Years in History
of Wool Legislation in Country.

Former Attorney General Monnett Of
Ohio has sprung into the arena as a
Bryan champion, says the Denver Re-
publican, and he has chosen as the chief
point against which TO direct his at
tack the protective tariff behind which
the wool interests of the west have for
years found shelter.
Being "a student of maxims rather
than OF markets." he attacks the wool
tariff for the purpose of capturing the
voters, hoping, it would seem, to con
vert them tc a do~ctrlnaire view of the
tariff question. like the one taken by
the democrats when they framed the
Wilson tariff bill in the first congress
which assembled after the election of
Mr.. Cleveland In 1892.
Can Preach In Ohio.
His own state, Ohio, Is a great pro-
| Queer of wool, and Mr.. Monnett will
have ample opportunity to preach his
| free trade doctrine respecting wool to
| the farmers neal his own home. In
case he oxhausts the field which is
local to himself We suggest that he
come out 10 the Rocky mountains and
tell, the wool growers in Colorado,
Wyoming and Montana ABOUT the won
| derful advantages of letting Argentine
and Australian wool come in free.
Great Reduction in Ftocks.
A recent issue of the Boston Com
mercial Bulletin contains some inter-
esting information which Mr.. Monnet,
might study with profit and which we
wish he would present to the audiences
of wool growers whom he may have &C
casion to address during the course Of
the campaign. Take for instance, the
fact that on January /, 1893, just be-
fore the beginning of President Cleve-
lands second administration and the
enactment of the democratic, or Will
son tariff act, the number of sheep in
the United States was Al, 273, 553, and
that on January /. 1897. just before the
close of the Cleveland administration,
the number had been reduced to 49,
SIS, 643. This was II of the fruits Of
democratic legislation respecting the
wool tariff, which the wool growers of
today have not forgotten.
Tariff and Wool Prices.
Another matter to which Mr.. Mon
nett might call attention Is the fact
that on January / 1898. shortly before
| the democratic wool tariff went inlo
effect, Ohio washed XXX fleece was
selling in the Boston market at 27
cents a pound, and that in August,
1896, while it still remained a question
| whether Mr.. Bryan or Mr.. Mckinley
would be. elected. the same grade Of
wool was quoted at II cents a pound.
Under the influence of the Dingley
tariff the same kind of wool sells to-
| day at 80 cents a pound.
Comparison Of Prices.
OF course these are matters of little
interest to a professional free trader
like Mr.. Monnett, for what are mar
keis and market quotations compared
| with the doctrines of the free trade
| schools? Nevertheless the wool grow,
ers listening to him might be interest
| ed in a comparison of prices in cents
per pound like the following:
August 1S96-Ohio Xxx washed, II
| cents; Kentucky quarter blood, un-
washed, X cents, territory best fine
staple, clean, 80 cents.
July, 1908,Ohio Xxx washed, 80
cents; Kentucky q~uarter-blood, un-
washed, % cents; territory best Ave
staple, clean. 60 cents.
Wool Grower Ia Sensible.
However Indifferent Mr.. Monnett
and Mr.. Bryan may be to market quo
t~at.ons, 1t is by them that wool grow
ers sell their product; and unless the
latter think it more profitable to
chase a theory than to produce wool,
they will find 1t difficult to discern
wherein the low prices resulting from
free trade are better for them than the
high prices which are a result Of the
protection which the republican tariff
policy insures. President Harrison
must have had just such men as Mr..
Bryan and Mr.. Monnett in mind when
he said of the democrats that they
were students of maxims and not OF
markets.