The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-22
THE WOOLEN TARIFF.

with his comments thereon, meets the
expectation which had been formed
from his previous uttcranccs, that he
would recommend substantial rcdnc'
tons in the wool schedule. He points
out specifically. precisely as has been
done in these columns. aud in the re-
port of tho California Woogrowcrs AS
secured wool ou a sbrnkagc basis OF
66 2.3 per cent works iujustice To the
American woolcrowcr and TO the ad-
vintage of the wooleu manufacturer Ill
his imports. Bv making selections OF
flecccs and the eliminating of parts
of flecces that carry dirt aud heavy
grease. wooleu manufacturers arc able
10 import on an actual secured basis
of about forty per cent, averaging.
perhaps = little less. They therefore
put into their own pockets the differ
cucc between forty and 66 2.3 per cent
gained by them in the imported sclcc-
tions. President Taft shows that in the
average of flccccs, especially Austrs-
Ian flceces. which are chiefly Imported
into the United States, the sbrinkage
does not exceed 30 per cent This, how
ever, refers, of course, 10 whole flecccs
but where those flecccs which, as a
whole. would Scour on the fifty per cent
basis OF sbrinkage, arc trimmed aud
the portions carrying the heavy
grease aud dirt eliminated, it is plain
trtn N ii
easily be made TO fall below forty per
cont. rs il actually does. Right there
is the crux Of the whole question. 1T Is
not enough to say that wool is 10 be
imported con thc secured basis, because
wc practically have tho secured basis
now, standarlizing the waste at DO 20
per cent, which is found TO be turned
by the WOODEN manufacturers 20 their
advantage i'm their imports.
The President goes very thoroughly
into this question, and he shows TINT
any fixed basis is liable to abuse; aud
those who wish TO derive advantage
from different interpretations or from
tricks can do So accordingly, he rec
ommends the examination of the I'M
ports package by package. so that the
proper basis of shrinkagc can be de-
tcrmincd for each. Speaking Generally,
however. he says that the shrinka2e
docs not average over fifty per cent;
this. of course, on whole fleeces. SO
that, as shown. here is leakage
against the producer and IN favor or
the wool manufactures Of l6 2-3 per
cent to begin with; and when, as stated,
careful selection and trimming are in.
dulgcd in ON the separate fleeces,
The shrinkagc is reduced below forty
per cent.
Woods vary greatly in many points.
1t is not alone IN the matter of shrink
age on securing that advantages or
disadvantages arc to he computed. The
grade of wool, the fiber, tho quality,
all count; and. as the President shows,
our present wool tariff is wholly un-
scientific in that it does not take note
OF the woods that we need, but which
are excluded under the tariff classifi,
cations. Exsctness in this matter from
the theoretical standpoint is out Of the
question. II is necessary TO examine
he woods themselves to ascertain Just
what they arc, Just what the shrink
age would be, and what fair meas
ure Of protection would be needed for
the American woolgrower with respect
to the particular wool thus sampled.
And in recommending that the Govern
mcnt give close supervision 10 all the
imports, examining the packages AS
they come, President Taft gets right
down 10 practical business, and abap-
dons tho unworkable theories which
have been so much depended upon in
framing the wool tariff. The truth
of it is that the woolen manufacturers
have heretofore been able TO get the
schedule * framed 10 suit themselves.
The wool2rowers, as shown by the re-
cent expressions in the woolmeu S con.
vention in Utah. do not seem to com
preheDd where they are hit. aud they
think that. as President CaIlister ex-
pressed il. If they can get wool I'M.
ported on secured basis, they will be
well protected. This ignores the fact
that practically woods arc imported now
on secured basis; tho woods imported
in the grease being all brought in on
Il standardized sbrinkagc OF &c 2.3 per
cent TO bring them To the secured basis.
But the idea which relies simply on a
general expression or on the mere fact
of a secured basis, and that all is right
when that basis is achieved, is both
crude and costly TO tue woolgrower-
1T is not only necessary, as President
Taft clearly points out, TO have this
basis 10 work from, but it is necessary
to have standardiziug which ap-
proachcs the fact, and not an arbitrary
standard as now at sc 2-3 per cent,
which works directly and positively
against the woolgrower, &epriving him
of five cents pound in his projection.
The present tariff is supposed TO give
the wOolgrowcr a protection of eleven
cents pound; but, as the Secretary
uf thp California Wonlurnyyors $40