Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1894 — FREE TRADE IN WOOL. [ARTICLE]

FREE TRADE IN WOOL.

HIGH TAXERS CONFOUNDED AT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Where the Amerirau Farmer Sells and Buys—Two Blessings in Disguise—We Are Now Paying Revenue Instead of Blood Money. Wool Prices Under Free Wool. The wool market just ngw affords a good study for the political wool-grow-ers of Ohio. It will pay them to study facts awhile, and to forget their theories and their calamity cries. In 1890 McKinley listened to the cries of Delano, Harpster and Lawrence, and granted them greatly increased duties on wools in order to raise prices. But prices never declined so much and so rapidly as during the four years of McKinleyism. The decline has been almost steady, except that it was checked for a few months after the election of 1892, and it was changed into an advance during the last two months of McKinleyism. The decline has been from 35tot>0 per cent. High duties on wools, then, have not caused higher prices, as these wool

prophots predicted. This is mistake number one. Nothing was rpore certain, in the opinion of the Ohio shepherds, than that free wool would greatly reduce prices of domestic wools and ruin tho wool and sheep producing industries. Fer the first time', since lßlfi, all wools are now free of duty. What now aro the facts up to date t All wools became freo on Aug. 28. We quote the following prices of foreign and domestic wools from tho American Wool anl Cotton Reporter: DOMESTIC. ,—Prices, 1831.—. July s. Au«. ;:o. Grades. Cts. Cts. 0.,Pa.& W.Va.. XX and above.2<x®.. 20:«21 0., Fa. * W. Va., No 1 I9®2n 21 <32:! Mich., Wis. & N. Y., No. l 18@19 19®21 California, No. 1 spring, free. .12<®18 18316 Texas, fine 12 moa., choice... .11(312 12(314 Idaho, fine 9@lo 10@12 Montana, line, med., choice.. .11(312 13(315 FOREIGN. Australian, combing, choloe. 30(331 19322 Australian, combing, g00d... .29(3:30 18® 19 Australian, clothing 30(332 19321 Cape and Natal 25®20 14315 Montevideo 25@27 14<@15 English, coarse 35(337 23 325 This is indeed a strange phenomenon for the consideration of national wool growers’ associations. Prices of foreign have declined about iO per cent., whi'e prices of domestic wools have advanced about 10 per cent, during the last two months. The Reporter of August 30 says that the chief feature of the Boston wool market has been “the purchase of a million and a half pounds of Montana by a manufactuier,” and concludes that “it has been, on the whole, a fair week for trade, and wools in general have been said at as high a price as at any time during the month; medium wools are especially firm. * * * The feeling in general is hopeful.” Under New York the Reporter says: “Despite the uncertainty surrounding tho markets there is no quotable change in prices. * * * There are a good many arguments favoring a steadiness in prices of domestic for some time to come.” Prices of domestic wools, then, have not tumbled with the adoption of free wool, as was predicted by the Ohio This is mistake number two. It might be supposed that after such monstrous failures Delano, Lawrence and Harpster would withdraw into their shells and never peep again on the wool question. This is, however, unlikely. The real question now is, will the rea 1 wool growers ever again believe these false prophets. “You know, for you have followed with watchful interest the virying history of our attempt at tariff reform. You have followed with rising hopes and hearty approval the action of tho House of Representatives in the framing and passage of a measure bearing the badges of Democratic principles and fraught with promised benefits to all the people. You have followed with waning hopes and angry disapproval the tedious and tortuous passage of that bill through the Senate, and seen that, despite a nominal Democratic majority in that body, Ibo great trusts and monopolies were still able to write their taxes as they bad done under Republican rule in some of its most important schedules.” —William L. Wilson's speech at Martinsburg, W. Va., Aug.' 29. A Flood of Prosperity. We had lived but two days under the new tariff law when the Iren Ago of Aug. 30 was published. It has always been a strong protection organ and its readers must have been surprised at the following in an editorial entitled, “Improving Trade in the We t:” ‘•The West reports considerable improvement in general trade. Merchandise of ail kinds is in greater demand, and in some lines the prospects favor the largest movement for years. Railroad traffic has picked up remarkably, and on seme linos a shortage of rolling stock is reported. The settlement of the tariff question is assigned as the main reason. Some look forward to an immediate return of prosperity, arguing that an immense volume of business has been dammed up by tho long prevailing uncertainty which will now precipitate a flood, with Veneficial effects to follow for many days. Others, however, take a less sanguine view of . the situation ar.d think that tho increased movement wi 1 soon spend its force, when trade will relapse into its old stato of dullness. But no one can

accurately forecast the future. Experience dees not teach in this instance, because the condit ions recently existing have been unparalleled.” Two Splendid Mistaken. It now seems probable that two ot the mistakos or over-sights in the present tariff bill will prove to be blessings in disguise. One of these is the “free alcohol in the arts" clause, which passed both houses without much discussion. If, as now seems likely, tho Treasury Department can collect the duty ou all alcohol not used in the arts no'revenue will he lost and the benefits of freo alcohol to the chemical industry will be very great. In the opinion of some experts it will revolutionize the whole industry and enable us to become large exporters of chemical products Of course the Republicans, who can see the bad, but not tho good, effects of free raw materials, are telling us that free alcohol in the mechanical arts will ruin the wood alcohol industry. Suppose it will! Thousands of cabinet and furniture makers who now work in the stinking and deadly fume 3 of wood alcohol will welcome the change to pure grain alcohol. Wood alcohol is produ ed at a cost of 50 to 60 cents per gallon, while grain alcohol is produced at only 20 to 25 cents. The tax of 90 cents per gallon on grain

alcohol has made a market for the miserable and poisonous substitute of wood alcohol—so poisonous that it cannot be used in medicines or drugs, and therefore has not been taxed. The wood alcohol industry is confinod almost entirely to Delaware, 'Sullivan and Broomo Counties, in New York, and to that part of Pennsylvania across tho lino from these counties The whole industry amounts to but $2,000,000 or $3,000,010 a year. It is stripping these counties of beech, birch and maple. Many intelligent citizens are prophesying destructive floods in spring and equally disastrous droughts in summer and fall whore tho forests have boon devasted. Thousands of dairymen will not bo sorry to see the industry go. The other oversight is in tho sugar schedule. The duty on refined sugar is fixed in the sugar clause at 40 per cent, plus I of acentper pound. Whilo the trust was fighting and bribing to have this clause woll loaded with protection, it seems not to havo noticed that in tho candy and confectionery clause, “sugar after being relined, when tincturod, colored, or in any way adulterated,” shall be dutiable at only 35 per cent, ad valorem. If, as seems clear, a slight discoloration or adulteration will save about one-fifth of a cent per pound to the importer we may bo sure that ways will bo devised of importing refined sugar at 35 per cent duty, and of purifying and clarifying it so that it can compete with the trust's choicest sugars. This would take away over one-half of the trust's hard-earned protection. This weak spot in tho sugar schedule has been the cau-e of considerable doclino in the price of sugar stocks and it is certain that sugar trust officials aro greatly worried and are kicking themselves for their stupidity. Unlo6B th6y can obtain rulings from the Treasury Department in their favor, which seems improbable, they are baaten at their own bunco-steering game. Farmers Take Notes. Let the farmers make a note of the average McKinlo.y prices for wool. Now is the time to do it. Let them also set down the average prices for lumber, shingles, salt, agricultural implements and woolen goods. Now is the time. At the end of the year they will be able to see how much they have lost in their wool sales, if anything. At the same time they can make °a computation of how much they have gained by tho lessened prices of articles on which the McKinley duties have- been reduced. By comparing their gains and their losses they may bo able to find out whether or not they have profited by the tariff changes. A little honm ciphering of this kind is worth acres of political haranguing and pamphleteering. Philadelphia Record. “No man could fitly undertake to frame a revenue bill for a nation of seventy million people, unsurpassed in wealth and in the magnitude and variety of their industrial and commercial interests: to purge injustice and monopoly from that system, to replace class exaction by public taxation, privilege by equality; to lighten the burden of the people, secure larger rewards for i heir labor and freer play for their industries, without being appalled by the greatness of the trust committed to him and the thickening difficulties in the way of its successful performance.”—William L. Wilson's speech at Martinsburg.W. Va, Aug. 29. Founded Upon Sound Principles. If the Democrats will give us free sugar, iron ore and coal, during the short session of Congress, and abolish tho duties that protect the steel rail, starch, borax, and some other of the more obnoxious trusts, they will be forgiven by the people for their shortcomings during the present long and trying session of Congress. The Democratic party is based upon sound principles and it should, and we believe will, become the great party of the future as it has been of the past, if the Democratic masses exercise greater care in choosing leaders, their party will soon have what it has not now, a working majority in both houses. “The weapons with which monopoly [the Sugar Trust] has fought us they [the Republican party 1 have forged anl tempered and supplied."—William L. Wilson’s speech at Martinsbur& West Va., Aug. 29.