Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1920-10-28
A TARIFF ON WOOL

Less than ten days will be left te
wool growers, after receiving this is
sue of the National Wool Grower, TO
use their opportunity and to do then
duty in supporting those candidates
for Congress who favor the leyying
Of an import duty upon wool
We are not talking politics. We
are talking good citizenship. 1t is
good citizenship to serve our country
first OF all through efficiency in our
own occupation. Practically one hun
bred per cent of wool growers be.
lieye that the United States should
collect duty from foreign wool enter.
ing our ports. That they are not sell
fish in this, or unmindful of the
rights and needs Of other industries
is evidenced by the agreement OF
opinions on the question, among
well-informed citizens, Democrats
and Republicans, who are not in the
sheep or wool business.
The wool tariff is not a partisan
question. II may be a political ques-
ton in the sense that it is decided by
the votes of men who are elected to
represent 43j Congressional districts
in foTty-eight American Common.
wealths But it is not a party ques-
ton. If it were, it would not publicly
be referred to by officers of the Ma.
tional Wool Growers Association. OF
discussed in this journal.
4 tariff for revenue has always
been favored by the main political
parties. One of the big Jobs of the
next Congress is to effect an equit.
able readjustment of taxes that will
maintain revenues sufficient TO sup.
port the increasing service Of the Fed
eral government and 10 pay the cost
of our part in the war. We must not
forget or overlook the conditions of
our national finances in the early
part Of 1914. Congress found it nee /
essary to recOup the treasury by the
levying of war taxes two years be- /.
fore the United States entered that
memorable conflict !
Protection against the full force !
of competition with foreign woods in
our own markets was furnished by /
the shortage of ships and by British I
control of the wool pro.
ductiOn of colonial clips. which make
up the chief part of the worlds ex.
portable wool Now that ships for
wool are available, American wool .
growers are paying ruinous rates of
interest on money borrowed to pay
expenses that should have been paid
from the proceeds of the 1920 clip
That clip is lying in warehouses await
ing. not bids comparable with pro-
duction costs, but bids of any kind.
And the government figures inform
US that in August the mills of the
United States consumed eleven mil.
lion pounds of home grown wool and
twenty-one million pounds of import
ed wool. There might be argument
for such destroying of home indus
try and building up foreign countries
If the public was being benefited
As il is they have been mulcted for
profits and again for
revenue to replace what should have
been collected from these foreign
raised cargoes. l.
The question is not so much one OF
protection as of preparedness for
war and for peace-time industry. Ma
rional interest calls for a larger de.
gree of independence from foreign
wool supplies. 1t is no more than
good national business TO allow the
home producer at least an equal
chance with the foreigner. if not a
preference. in our own market /
Newly elected Congressman can,
not have an opportunity for voting
on such questions as this earlier
than next March. The present mem,
DerS must attend to this matter at
the December session if further
bankTupting of American producers
IS to be stopped. 1t is not a party
question and a law for a tariff on
wool can be passed by both houses
of Congress and go into effect this .
year if the present members are brot .
to real understanding of the Ques. .
ton now.