Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-11
EFFECT OF WAR ON WOOL INDUSTRY
One of the Days Best Cartoons.
ny FREDERIC ,. HASH

WASHINGTON. y. G. March iO.-In
Welcoming the lis, or Industries ,h,,
I'VE been doomed by war. YOU scarce
think OF the range sheep ot the
Nsst Yet the sheep I'm America &c
~ l"aSt rs Important ~ factor as tho
p""!c' mill. and tho sheep mar has
t"'en generous share OF war pros
pcriN
past year was PROBABLY the most
'''ahabie in the history OF tho
nnerN Nan wool trade II opened with
.nc "old at war aud FREQ wool on Inc
."r''' @hcduic Wool growcrs-.,id
they iirludc som: Of the wesi,lfn.,
anu mot influential mon in a dozen
T'c making all sorts OF di,o
Ii'p"'.iei as to the effect Of tho free.
Moo' c'"ur They made few propne-
"o""t tho war. because nobody
k'cw how tc war would nit tho si.cS,
industry here was no pr.ceden, 70,
re'Snine editions. and ,ro,hcc,cs
""Fc af discount. But when /, came
!" me 'hrih. the prophets went bac.
data = Us
WOOL growers now adml: ,hat tho
BUSINESS mas n"'er seen such :. wear
- IN" past one, since the civil War
friccs climbed y what tho ,xncr,,
Sh"iactefiZcd as dangerously Ton
hcaEN position. AID stuck ;hcrc fo-
h"nths-are stickiiS there stu. AUS
'';t!i" ana other forign countries sho.
hoo'o""'o"" pounds OF WOOL into America,
domestic ranges clipped alruoS, 200
100000, and the country nhsorhnI ~
and called for more. Tho whole record
TO" the year was one ma, would have
attracted national attention IN timcs
les. err "dcd with woridshaking events
and Girioinatic crises: ,nd II has no
more ihin reached a Clirlax :o-day.
with another seasons Gin cnDroa,,,.
ing. "ud the market sur5m.d IN ~
"Tc m'io liant as gone cr;zv." BUYERS
and sellers are keeping one suspicious
"Nc on their competitors AMI the other
on world politics. Now is the time
when Eastern buyers so 10 the Wcs,
and contracts for the wool, will he
shorn ~ .tpri and May. II 'is somc-
thin" OF " speculative proceeding UNI
der tho most normal Conditi,ns. and
this year y makes Wall STREET deal
in-s look tame. Who know, what
WORLD conditions will be next MAY"
E"th sides keep the pOssibiiity OF =
sudden European peace in miuG con
tinually Rut as to tho results or
peace" II is case where doctors dis
agree Some men think it viii loYoci5
tho lotion out OF tho market. oHcra
believe it viii take off tho roof
Meanwhile the sheer men of lhe
while tho sun shines. Conservative
leaders in tho game are advising thdr
followers to take no chances. As ore
OF them put II in "a speech TO the WOO
Growers Association. now is the timS
10 pay off the mortgage and put some
Il ing aside with which to send the
boys 10 college. Some ranchers have
followed the advice even To the eS
tent OF selling their nocks, for tho
price Of sheep has gone np with the
price OF wool. They plan to buy back
when a decline comes But set against
their opinion is that OF tho men who
are buying sheep. They evidently be-
lievc that the decline is not going 10
materiali2e.
Many Factors Involved.
The situation is fraught with enough
uncertain possibilities TO make one
mans guess as good as another's. Be
sides the big question OF when the war
will end there are the chances oil
changed foreign and naval policies
abroad, the uncertain factors OF AUS
tralian and South American production
To he considered. and hnallN ana al
WAYS the tariff. Protectionists claim
that only unprecedented conditions
saved the sheep industry from disaster
Their opponents assert that the AIneri-
can wool business has become world
business capable of absorbing its share
OF world production. Time alone car
growers alike are skating over thii
ice. and one Of the greatest American
industries. representing hundreds OF
millions Of dollars in Investment. is
going through some of the most stir
ring times in it's history
Market conditions for the last few
months. as one dealer put it, were
enough TO turn the traders hair gray
Reports OF big war orders for uniform
cloth swept through the business like
fire through stubblc. Owners held foI
fancy prices: mills refused to pay
Spinncrs. who, III ordinary years. buy
enough 10 run their mills for months
turned around and bought from day
10 day. Zig cOnsignments OF Australian
woods came continually 10 compicat,
matters. The Pacific coast entered into
| the game. The British embargo alone
was enough to keep brokers awake
. nights.
RumorS Unsettled Prices.
The British government issued AN or.
der prohibiting the expectation OF WOO
| from its colonial possessions to foreign
countries. American woods. with a pros
! pcct Of Australian competition removed
! jumped accordingly. But the allict
| troops needed more cloth than Engilsl
| mills could spin I'm arrangement wa:
| reached by which American manufac.
turcrs could import through their asso
citation, aftor a certificate had beer