Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-12-01
SHEEP INDUSTRY
ON THE TOBOGGAN
36,OOO,OOO LESS SHEEP IN WORLD
NOW THAN PREVIOUS TO
WORLD WAR.
WOOL HELD FOR HIGHER PRICES
Henry Gillespie Writes Interesting Ar.
tfele ON Situation as Viewed BY
Sheep Men.
(BY HENRY GILLEsPIE.)

CH6ep Mens
(BY HENRY GILLESPIE.)
The most hopeful fact in the wool
situation is that there are 36,0OO,000
less sheep now in the world than be-
fore the war and that the people OF
the world, America included, have to-
day greater need Of wooden cloth
ing and blankets than ever before in
this generation. But the people are not
buying, in Europe because of war ex-
haustion and to some extent in Ameri-
ca for, the same reason plus profi-
teering.
Widely heralded cuts to pre- war
prices ETC., refer principally to excess
sive profits, and goods Of secondary
value, including an unknown amount
OF shoddy. This effort at unloading
upon the public is not likely to help
the market for the better grades Of
wool in q marked degree. Mills are
not running to anywhere near capacity
and are buying only In small lots at
the bargain counter or outside the u.
s. The rate Of foreign exchange is
such that dollars worth of Austral-
ian wool is about equal to s1.40 OF
home grown. Foreign wool is duty free
and normally constitutes more than
half that used in the U. s. There is
ia tariff OF 80 per cent upon manu-
factured wool. European mills are at
q standstill for lack Of raw material
and OF money or credit to buy. Sheep
shearing in Australia, and, South
America is now adding largely to the
wool already waiting market. 1t will
be months, parhaps years before the
buying power of the people is re-
tored to normal.
Agriculture, the one industry upon
which as nothing else, prosperity rests
has had the worst blow since the
calamity which followed the Civil War.
and many thousands of city workers
are now without money and work.
Furthermore, while prices Of farm
produce were high, farmers did not
lay by surplus but were forced to
economize, and limit production in
the past year or two because Of the
high cost of labor and farm supplies
which were higher in proportion than
before the war;. DeflatiOn has increas-
ed that proportion. Big woolen mills
and other interests do not appear to
take kindly to our wool pool and are
fN oh th, 20 los
son" as to help in the common cause.
Are we to find our 1920 wool crop
eat up with storage and sale expen-
ses, and this important industry ruin
ed for decade? We will, If pressure
is not speedily brought upon our Con-
gressmen to take immediate steps to
restore foreign exchange and by tar
iff or embargo make it to the in
terest of American woolen mills to
buy American wool at fair price
and sell their goods ditto. Foreign
exchange and credits are more or less
fixed by international bankers as we'll
as by natural conditions which even
government may not fully control.
Why not put in force a tariff which
would at once, permanently and auto
matically equalize in trade the in
equalities of exchange? Such law
would do considerable to stabilize
fair prices and stop wild speculation
and profiteering. 1t would give the
wool producer fighting chance. with
the wool manufacturer for profit
able business. Some advocate a tenn
porary embargo upon foreign wool.
The alleged over supply OF WOOL IS
not true, altho millions OF pounds
| await a market. There can be no over
supply until everyone has all or more
wollens than they need for health and
comfort. The real surplus OF wool is
surplus of accumulated need. II the
mills of the world were working at
full capacity and all the wool used
fup that need would be still very great.
| The farmer and the ranchman have
done their part, and are willing to
bear their full share Of the burdens
| of war. If the manufacturer and fin
anciers of this country can not or will
not do their part the time for gov
ernment to act has come. The oppor-
tunity for real craftsmanship is at
hand.
Those who still hold their wool
would do well to have it made up
1 into bats OF yarn and blankets Tor
home use or sale.
If the government fails to give re-
lief there is one thing left: Let the
wool growers acquire mills, and cloth
ing manufacturing plants, also If nee
cessary, and put real woolen goods
upon the market at no profit price.
other than reasonable manufacturing
and producing costs. That would solve
the problem.