The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-08-04
CLASH ON WOODEN TARIFF

McCumDef tariff DILL by an attdck OH
the wool schedule.
He characterized the committee
rate of 40 cents pound and so per
cent ad valorem on wooden cloth
weighing not more than four ounces
to the square yard as an outrage. He
said it worked out at 100 per cent ad
valorem.
eff that's the kind of tariff you
want to indict upon the American peo-
pie we want to know it," he shouted.
81 never heard of more unconsclon-
able duty. I would be ashamed to go
back to Minnesota and tell the people
I had voted for duty of 100 per cent
on cloth all of US have to wear In the
winter time"
The wool market presents a pecu-
| liar situation from the farmer point
of view. We produce considerably
less wool than the country consumes
and hence tariff on wool ought to
protect the wool growers OF this eoun-
try. But the American Wool Trust
buys practically all the wool consumed
in America and hence is able to set
an arbitrary price regardless OF tarl1f
protection. And the duty which the
tariff makers allow on the cloth and
other finished products made from
wool. on the other hand, constitute
real protection for the wooden trust:
Thus the American farmer sells his
wool without practical protection and
buvs back the fully protected product
There seems to be only two possible
solutions to this cor.odLi. ION from the
farmer point of view.
/ |. Organization of all the WOO
growers to sell as one man, TO the
present buyer.
2. Government sterilization of the
wool price at cost Of production with
a sufficient protective tariff to pre-,
vent importations Of similar woods be-
fore the American production has
been consumed.
The latter plan would be by far the
quicker and more likely to produce
successful results, because the task o.
organizing hundreds Of thousands o:
farmers scattered throughout the Y
s. is not one to be entered upon Will
, a light heart. On the other hand
farmer pressure upon Washington t.
exceed that now exerted by the wool
| on trust would be sufficient 60 prodlc
, wool sterilization. il the farmer
| cannot exert this pressure now the.
can hardly protect an organization
/ thew might build up from the assault
| Of the WOODEN trust and politicians a
? setting.
, soon as it became effective in pric
: setting.
Fred L Jeklin who has been station
| ed in London as sales agent OF tn
: Northwest wheat growers, predict
that European demand for wheat Wi
exceed that of last year by more tina
loo. 100000 bushels. Europe too
about 300000,00O bushels of our las
wears wheat crop. He reports snla
crops in England and France.
"North America which usually send
early wheat to Europe" says NJ
Jeklin. SIS now importing just at hal
vest time. Last year at this tin1e tn
Belgian government held 100000
bushels of wheat and there We're otf
er large government stores Which al
not in existence now.
He reports plans to suspend cel
traIized buying on the part Of Euro
mean nations with the exception {
GERMANY and Russia. This centralize
bnying has kept up since the war a
though America abolished her govern
taent grain corporation for selling Il
grain as quickly as it could be
j. cuidated after the Armistle.. The
!. IS hardly room for DOUBT that tt
e continuation of this centrali Ell BIZ.
ing after we abolished centralized Sci