The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-23
SMooT LEARNS SOMETHING.

1t appears that Apostle Smoot is able
TO learn something, after all. Hc plumed
himself very much on the wool schedule
which was alleged to have been kept
at the Dlnglcy basis at his particular
importantly, an allegation not true, of
course, but it served his self touting pur.
poses. The Tribune pointed out that
the wool tariff was bad in that it gave
to the wool manufacturers all the bene.
fit and left the producers absolutely at
their mercy This had been demonstrat-
ed fully, and was especially proved by
the experience Of the flock masters of
this region having to provide last year
for the storage of their wool in the
East in order that they might get fair
prices for their clip, The manufactur-
ers put down the price of wool and
held it down as long rs they could,
simply to fleece the fleece raisers But
the wool men thwarted them to a large
degree by storing their clips. but they
had TO put up money for the storage
Of their wool. The present year the
wool manufacturers did not want to
make any demonstration for fear that
the 6ockmasters would insist upon pro-
visions being put in the tariff bill that
would deprive the wool manufacturers
of such control Of the market as they
had heretofore exercised. And so the
wool men were lulled to sleep, and were
left. as before, to the mercy of the
wool manufacturers, unless they put
themselves to the cost of storing their
wool.
This objection Of The Tribune was ig-
nored by Smoot and apparently over
looked by the wool raisers in most of
this western region. But Smoot has
finally walked up. He sees that the wool
men are not particularly taken care of
in the new tariff, but that the wool
manufacturers get the chief benefit, and
are confirmed by the tariff in their alb
solute control of the wool market in
this country. Smoot is quoted in the
eastern papers as saying:
It is my belief that In 1910 the Ameri-
can people Will wake up to the fact that
there has been no raise In the wool
schedule at all and that what they be-
lieved TO be raise in price as the re-
another cause, which I believe to be the
manufacturers themselves.
The manufacturers, it appears, have
lost no time in showing their hand and
their power in the two directions indi-
Gated; first, in raising the price in
woolen goods unduly through the control
given them by the tariff; and second.
they are sure, rs before. of the control
of the price of wool against the wool
producers in their own interests. The
tariff is all for the wooden manufac.
turers; nothing for the people; nothing
for the wool raisers. The manufacture
ers get it all. When The Tribune point |
ed this out last spring, and has done
the same at intervals since, the fact |
was ignored and all concerned seemed |
to think that the wool matter was in |
splendid shape. But now ii appears that |
Smoot has walked up to the importance |
of what was pointed out; he sees that |
the manufacturers get it ALL Next |
spring, doubtless. the wool raisers will
see the same thing. and there will be
a general outcry against the wool tariff |
which protects the manufacturers to
the extent of giving them such control
of the markets, both the raw material
and the completed fabric, as allows them
to fleece everybody in sight, cutting
both ways.