Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-21
CAN SEE NOPER|L
TO SHEEP RA|SERS
Senator Pittman Denies Free
Raw Wool viii Destroy
the Industry.
REFUTES DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST THE PRODUCERS
Democrats Now Predicting Tariff
BILL Will Be Out Of Way by
September Is.

Il am heartily in favor of the free raw
wool provision of the tariff bill. and ]
am firmly convinced that it is for the
best interests of the people OF my state,
as we'll as for those Of other states, said
Senator Pittman of Nevada. today dur
ing the tariff debate. In his defense OF
the action of the democrats In placing
wool on the free list Senator Pittman
made a detailed criticism of the tariff
boards report on wool under the last adj
ministration
Il believe that the report of the tariff
board on wool is strongly biased In favor
of a high protective tariff, said Senator
Pittman. Il believe that the board was
appointed for the purpose OF sustaining
President Taft I'm his opposition to the
Underwood bill. which reduced the duty
on raw wool. From whom did the board
seek its evidence: From the defendants
who were under indictment, the sheep
raisers.
Senator Pittman insisted that placing.
raw wool on the free list would not de-
stroy the industry in this country; that
it is not discrimination against the
producer. and that II will not injure the
wool-producing states
Increase In Demand.
The foreigner cannot afford to sell his
wool in the United States for less than
he can obtain for ii in the markets of
the world. said Senator Pittman. Also.
he cannot afford to sell it for less than
II cost him to produce. The price OF wool
in the markets OF the world depends upon
the supply and demand. For number
of years there has been demand for all
the wool that is produced. There is now
an active demand for the entire wool
production. The demand for the article
is increasing with far greater rapidity
than the supply. The supply has about
reached its maximum and must decrease
with the advance of civilization. Vast
ranges of free or cheap lands are needed
for sheep raising
The worlds price for wool last year was
43 cents a pound, and this price prevailed
Senator Pittman. In the United States
the sheep man added the duty to the
world price and received - cents. This
difference was paid in the end by the con-
sumers of WOODEN goods in this country,
he said. Senator Pittman said that the
wool man could stand the loss of the
duty and make money at the world price
for wool.
Mutton Adds to Profit.
Senator Pittman pointed out that the
sheep men of Washington and Nevada
increase their profits by raising sheep
for mutton.
Let the sheep raisers of Montana.
Wyoming and other western states pay
more attention TO raising sheep for NUT
ton. and they will have no more need of
a protective tariff than the states Of
Washington and Nevada he said
Senator Pittman pointed out that the
persons who are benefited by a duty on
raw wool are the comparatively few
sheep owners and herders. while those
who are injured by the duty are the mil
lions of men. women and children in the
United States who must pay higher prices
for their clothes because of the tax.
Encouraged by Progress.
Encouraged by the rapid progress made
on the tariff bill during the last two
days. democrats last night were pre-
dieting that the measure would be out
OF the way by September IL
Less resistance than was expected de-
veloped on the cotton schedule. Senator
Iippitt Of Rhode Island conducting the
opposition. He induced the democrats
10 accept one of his suggestions modify
ing provisions of the paragraph relat-
ing TO cotton cloths. and the committee
also agreed to reconsider the paragraph,
together with that relating to table dam
ASKS Some reclassifcations may be
agreed to later
final disposition of the cotton rates
will not be made without another dis
cussion. however. bscause Senator La
Toilette gaze notice that he would SUBJ
nit substitute for the entire schedule
when the bill came from the committee
of the whole.
Opposes Free Listing of Flax.
Senator McCumber of North Dakota
vigorously opposed the free listing OF
fax and hemp as decreed by the Senate
finance committee. He asked the demo
Gratis why they had retained protection or
the products of the fax mills and given
free material to the mills.
We have chosen to put all textile raw
materials on the free list said Senator
Williams. Ito enable Us to make greater
reductions in the tariffs on finished
products than we otherwise could have
done
Senator Smith announced that the com.
mittee had in contemplation an amend.
ment reclassifying cotton table damask.
and other advanced cotton manufactures
Substitute by Penrose.
Senator Penrose introduced his substi
lutte wool schedule. the same as he pro.
posed last year in substitution for the