Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1912-01-05
SHEEP IN THE UNITED STATES.

Any attempt to gain votes in the Western
states by retaining high duty on raw wool
and reducing the rate cloth and yarns will re-
suit in running the sheep business of the noun
tain states just as surely as if wool was put ON
the free list. There is some danger that this may
be done as an election dodge under the plea of
of reducing the cost Of clothing and protecting
the sheep raiser at the same time. The annual
wool review issued by the National Association of
Wool Manufacturers deals with the wool trade of
the whole world and thoroughly proves the weak
of the sheep raiser's position in event of any
change in the tariff
The mills of this country are the only possible
consumers of wool produced on the western
ranges, the industry would become extinct far
as the states of Montana. Idaho, Wyoming, Utah
Colorado, Arizona New Mexico, Texas and Ne
yada concerned. AS il is the number Of sheep
IN these western states is decreasing; and the in
grasses noticed in eastern and middle west states
due to the demand for better mutton than the
mountain ranges produce Some wool will
produced as long as mutton is eaten, but it is
only by-product in that ease.
Tariff agitation has depressed the price of wool
and caused the mills to hold off Mill owners
do not expect an increase in the duty raw
wool, the chances are all in their favor in
waiting until they whether the duty will be
lowered The special session of congress last
spring hurt the wool grower badly because il
came at the very time his wool was ready for
market and no one could guess what would hap
pen to schedule X
Out Of 3976l 600 sheep in the country last
spring 29,4S3,OOO We're in the western states and
out of the total decrease of 2,23S5 500 from the
preceding year loss of l,Sl5000 fell ON the west.
ern states. The domestic clip, exclusive of pulle
woolS this year was 277,547,000 decrease OF
3,sl4S50 from last year; but the output of pulled
wool increased about 100000 pounds and this
IL.
pounds
Though the number of sheep is decreasing the
slaughter for food purposes continues to grow
and is estimated at 100000 to 100000 a
year which must nearly equal the lamb crop
This proves that the price of mutton and especial
~ of lamb, will have to rise if the duty on wool
is lowered. Sheep are now raised for mutton alone
TO some extent, but the market for them is limited
TO those cities where extra prices can be got for
fancy qualities of meat. But the average wage
Garner finds mutton the cheapest meat as a rule
that he buy and what he eats is western
mutton and lamb. There are Just about enough
sheep IN the country now to supply the food de-
mand. AS the duty ON wool is lowered
the number of sheep the farms and ranges
will fall and will continue to fall until the higher
price of mutton makes up the loss on the wool
IS was recently pointed out in these columns the
man with family viii then pay dollars more for
food when he saves cents ON clothing The fig
HfeS Suppned bN TINS wool report prove that thu
will be the inevitable result
The cost of wool has very little to do with
the cost of suit of clothes 1t is the labor put
on the raw wool in turning II into the cloth and
then into finished clothing that counts 1t costs
twice rs much here to scour the wool and put
Il IN the form of top for spinning as it does in
England. and it costs about 80 per cent more to
spin the yarn and weave the cloth on this side of
the Atlantic Labor gets all that difference in
cost. The workman pays more for clothing here.
but wage-eamerS in mills and tailor shops get
ten dollars in extra wages above the foreign seal
for every dollar that the duty adds to the price
of the suit of clothes
Grant that free trade would make clothing
cheaper Take off the duty ON wool and twenty
five dollar suit will cost a dollar less. and the
sheep-herder loses his job Take off the duty on
yarn and the cost comes down to twenty-three
dollars, and the spinner is out Of work And so
Il goes until the duty is taken off of finished
clothing and the price drops to say nine dollars
suit The tailors and other makers of clothing
now earn Sl5l,0000OO a year and most of them
VIII have nothing to do and no money with which
to buy clothes
Why travel road when every step that is