The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-12


A few days ago TIE Sun published
a Little Chapter on Wool. In which
the statement was made that the fiocks
Of the United States had decreased from
a total Of % 600. O0O bead in IeOo to ss,-
OOO. OoO in 1900. To this Mr.. THEODORE
JUSTICE OF PhiIadelphia takes exception.
declaring Il 90 be q misleading half
truth He holds that TO show what
has been done for sheep under the pres-
ent rate on wool duties you must take
the whole period covered
sheep and Iamba 10000. SOoam Hm@o
This Ia 50 per cent, or 10000. OOO. in
crease.
Sheep raising il in part a question Of
food products and in part a question Of
wool and sheep skins. Several half
truths may be cited. including that Of
the 50 per cent increase in the flock.
The wool clip OF 1897 was 2se. 600 900
pounds and the clip Of 1909 was 10. OoO.-
COO pounds. Thus We have 81 per cent
increase IN the flock and an increase Of
only - per cent in the wool clip Be
cause Of the technicalities Of the bust
ness price comparison IL difficult, but the
quotations for January. 1897. on washed
Ohip fleece were about 20 cents a pound
and the quotations for January. 1910
were nearly 20 cents. an increase Of
nearly 100 per cent. Apparently IL tho
tarih il responsible for an increase Of
50 per cent in the number Of sheep IL il
also responsible for an increase Of only
"a per cent. in The wool clip and for an
increase Of nearly 100 per cent in the
price Of washed Ohio fleece. Also. Il
the tariff increased the flock from 81
OOO. 600 in 1897 70 S. 900 600 in 1910. - IL
not also fair TO say that il increased the
fiock from ~ eco OOO in 1897 TO a. 900 .OOO
in 1908 and decreased u to 81 900 .OOO in
1910?
That the tariff has been . factor in
the increase IN the number OF sheep in
the country NAV not be denied The
transfer Of wool TO the free list in the
Wilson tariff Of 1904 frightened sheep
raisers and reduced the focks from
Is. 900 .OOO head in 1894 to u 900 90 head
in 1897 The reestablishment OF sheep
raising a. a highly protected industry
naturally resulted IN an increase in the
fiOcks Vet these various truths and
half truths and various others like unto
them do not materially affect statements
which our critic appears 10 have read as
an argument for free wool rather than
a. a collection Of facts bearing on an
interesting question. Mr. JUSTICE "a IN
the wool bushes He IL a beneficiary
under the tariff In his solicitiIde for
the American wool business he magni-
fed an incident and seems TO have
overlooked the more important state
ments Of the article he criticises. The
focks have increased. "a he saws, from
81 90 90 tO 81 90 900 since 1897 They
have also decreased. a. THE SUN said.
from a. OO.OOO in 1919 10 $500. 90 in
1919 The more important statement
Of the article criticised was thar red,Ic-
ton or removal Of the duties on wool
would probably make little difference in
the price 81 clothing. blankets, car
pets. &c.
Assume that yesterday the entire
HOck Of the United States was sunk in
the middle Of the ocean. or assume that
IL was utterly wiped out by transfer Of
wool to the free list There would still
he need Of wool. and draft would neces-
sarily he made on the limited supply Of
the world. The inevitable result would
be an increase IN price Of imported wool
70 approximately the present level Of
I prices for American wool. Prices would
advance the world over by reason Of the
American demaDd. There appears 20
: he decline rather than increase in total
world supply The world clip Of 1900
~ reported ~ s7.5OOOO leas than the
4 clap ~ IsOa The object Of the Little
Chapter on Wool was rather 20 cor-
rect the prevalent mistaken beIief that
fire.. Wool would result IN an immediate
and heavy redu"tion m the price II
lvOOlien goods than 70 urge tariH roduc-