Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-08
THE MATTER OF WOOL TARIFF,

The effect OF the tariff On WoOI ~
shown clear in a speech by non
John Dalzell Of Pennsylvania before
the house in considering the bill 10 re
duce the duties on wool and the man
ufactures Of wool. Referring to the Inn
portance of the wooden industry, Mr
Dalzell says:
SIT is a serious matter to interfere
with an industry of such importance
to our people as is the WOODEN INDUS
try. Almost every state In the union
il Interested in 1t. There are in the
neighborhood of a thousand mills, AND
the capital invested exceeds 100000,
600. More than a hundred and sixty
thousand employees are dependent on
It for their livelihood, and wages re-
ceived by them aggregate annualiy
over SO, OOO, 900. The four hundred mil
lions Of capital represents very large
number of stockholders, great and
small, many Of them women and rep
resentatives of estates. Interests SO
important in amount and extent and
80 varied should be dealt with with
great elaboration and not In the hasty.
unintelligent and haphazard manner
proposed in the pending bill"
Continuing, Mr.. Dalzell showed the
great difference in the cost of wages
paid in this country, in England.
France and italy. American wages
are twice as much as those paid IN
England. the difference in America 8
favor Is even greater when compared
with the wage of italy and France. He
cites one English firm, Joseph Benn
q Son. that has mill in this country
and another in England, and the diff
fenence in pay is shown to be 100 per
cent more in the American mill than
IN the English. Benn & Son say their
employees can save more money in this
country than they can earn IN
England.
The Importance Of the wooden in
dustry to America is shown to be felt
at all times by Mr.. Dalzell, who says
There is one other feature
to which L. desire to call atten-
ton and that, Is this: The wool
and the wooden industry Is g. matter
of commanding Importance In its re-
iation to our national independence
A country might just as well be with
out an army or navy as without
wool industry. 1t is necessary IN time
of peace for the health OF our people,
and absolutely necessary to our sue
cess in time of war. To be without
wool industry at whatever cost Is to
be dependent for our most material
equipment upon foreign nations de.
pendence the thought ofiwhich 10 not
to be tolerated for moment. Our
revenue commission, which was ap-
pointed In 1865 to consider our general
revenue system, gave prominence TO
this idea when they said, amongst
other things:
The home production is necessary
to render us properly Independent Oh
foreign policies, in peace and in war,
in obtaining our supplies Of an article
on which the lives and health OF all
our people depend. It is necessary to
national economy, for no great agri-
cultural country can afford to import
its most important and costly raw
material. . = And finally, 1t Is
necessary to extend and complete the
circle OF diversified industries on
which the wealth and independence OF
nations 30 much depend.
..The question, therefore. Of the life
of the industry rises high above the
mere question of it's cost.
Herbert, Whitney Wright has re-
Drcntly written book, entitled, Wool
growing and; the Tariff, which has
been published as one Of the volumes
in the series of Harvard Economic
studies. in which he reviews in most
impartial and philosophic manner the
history of the inception and growth OF
the wool and wooden industries OF this
country. Treating the tariff question
from non-political viewpoint. he is
inclined to believe that it has not had
the Influence upon the industry that
At generally attributed to It, AS bear
ing upon this question OF our national
independence, I beg leave to quote
what he says:
From the conclusion that the
mower OF the tariff to affect the loss
Of the woolgrowing industry has in the
past proved very slight 1t does not
necessarily follow that such power as
Il has should not be exercised.
Whether the maintenance OF the IN
dustry in this country is worth the
cost involved is question upon which
va do not here attempt to pass judg-
ment. The advisability Of the adoption
Of free trade or protection involves
broad problems Of economic principles
and public policies sucn as wouio
carry us rather beyond the subject in
hand. But assuming that the policy
70 be followed is determined. that it is
deemed best to maintain the wool
growing industry and to protect it
against foreign competition. let us see
what light study of the history OF the
industry throws upon the method to
he adopted and the line of action to
he followed in order to secure the end
desired.
"'To reach this end two things are
essential. First, there must be thor
ough understanding of all the forces
which exert an influence on the In
dustry: secondly, there must be suf-
ficient power in the duties to counter
balance the rivalry, of whatever sort.
which all the other forces may de-
yelop. This being the case, bare out