The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-13
Some Wool TAX.

Some Wool Talk.
"A Wool Buyer" in Bloomfield Re-
publican: In the last issue of the
Democrat appeared a long article con-
corning wool prices and tariff effect
| by Mr.. v. G. Warner, a prominent
farmer and sheep breeder of Davis
county.
Now i do not care to enter into a
discussion of tariff figures and the eff
feet tariff changes have upon the
price of commodities, for to my mind
the average man knows very little
about the intricacies of a tariff affected
jmarket-he just thinks he knows, and
of course has right to exploit his
opinions But in dealing with an is
sue it is always policy ito be fair in
quoting figures and especially accurate
Mr. Warner states that report is
current that Bloomfield wool buyers
are paying only 1914 cents for wool
cents and 20 cents. Now Mr.. Warn.
er apologies in way for this rank
error, by stating that we should not
boost for downward market on
home products if our town is to he
made the best city in the county.
Whether Intentionally or not Mr.
Warner conveys the impression that
Bloomfield Is poor wool market-he
boosts for downward market on
home products. That Bloomfield is
and has been for years the best wool
market in southern Iowa is an admit
ted fact. More wool has been bought
and shipped out of Bloomfield than
any town or city in the state and the
reason for this is that the highest
prices have been paid here. Our wool
buyers have gone into other counties,
some near and some farther away and
taken wool away from local buyers
because of ability to pay higher
prices. This year is no exception to
preceding years. The highest prices
for wool are to be had right here in
Bloomfield, but the prices this year
are not so high as last year. This is
no fault Of the local buyer. His prices
are based upon quotations received
from the wool market centers. 1t
would be a poor business sense In
deed to pay more for wool than could
be had for 1t in the big city markets.
The local buyer measures his prices
by the controlling market price anc
lit is safe shot that the Bloomfield
buyers go the limit in prices. This is
evidenced by the amount or wool pur-
chased here and shipped into Bloom
field for sale.
Now about the prices and tariff eff
feet on prices. | am not authority on
these matters. My opinion. however.
is worth as much as Mr.. Warmers. If
tariff agitation and tariff changes
have no effect upon the price of wool,
| why monkey with the tariff--why not
let it alone. This much / do know.
tariff agitation in the past always eff
fected the price of wool. Mr. Warner
states that we had no tariff agitation
last year. He forgets his political his.
tory. There was plenty of it and IL
my memory serves me right bill go,
by both the house and senate and was
vetoed by President Taft on the
ground that 1t was not framed in the
proper way-meaning that the tariff
commission had not been called upon
to submit figures and estimates OF the
cost Of production here and abroad.
The campaign last year was largely a
tariff campaign, and the Democrats
won not by majority but because Of
division in the Republican ranks over
leadership. And Mr.. Warner says that
wool was bought in Bloomfield last
year at II and is cents That was
true on few loads that were defec.
tive and the seller did not expect any
thing better. 1t Is also true that 5
cents was paid but every sensible
man knows that these prices were
not because of drop in the market,
but because of poor quality. Some
wool has been bought this year at IL
cents, but only for the reason stated
above, the same grade brought 1s
cents last year. The market here Is
! 18 to 20 cents now, as high or higher
than can be had other places.