Show WOOL AND ITS PRICE I 1 THE CAUSE OF THE DECLINE M MADE ADE CLEARLY EVIDENT in the world worlds I 1 luea so goolt t of wool since I 1 see ilas forced I 1 g a on the be figure down of wool grow t maintained lo 10 I 1 MOW that the democratic chairman 0 of f I 1 ways and means committee la Is out 00 nth with bis his free wool bill we may ma look for renewed effort on the part of the free I 1 trade reformers to blind the ees eyes of I 1 far banners to the great and positive benefit the ha tariff on wool is and has been to I 1 khorll of coarse the unsatisfactory conation condition of tho the wool market during the last list year will be ascribed to the tar tariff jt it would be well w ell for farmers to bo be posted on the facts in the case so as to be prepared to explode their sophisms sophi sms kvool has indeed fallen in the last fifteen months bat but so it lias has been gradually uy falling failing throughout the century ibis this cheapening has come through improvement provement pro of brood breed vast extension in the sheep raising area and consequent increase in wool production throughout the world in 1800 1600 all europe produced pounds of wool in 1890 its production was vi as T pounds the united states grew pounds in 1800 in 1890 an increase of per cent cont in the same time the production of the argentine republic roee rose from pounds to pounds an increase of more than per cent while asias went from pounds to pounds a grow growth th of per cent not till 1830 do we find record of any considerable wool production in in africa in that year it was 2200 OW pounds in 1890 it had grown to 5 80 pounds or 2500 per cent even that world renowned wool w ool producer australia does not appear in the records till 1830 when vi hen it was credited with kh a paltry pounds in 1890 it produced poun pounds db a growth of percent in the meantime the increase in the worlds population was less than threefold Is 1 it any vendor wonder that prices have tended downward under thia this wonderful expansion it docs does not follow that the profits of wool growing fell with the price there has been a constant improvement in breeds of sheep and in tho the weight of wool obtained from each animal in this country the average weight of the fleece has increased as follow follows s in pounds in IMO 1850 2 42 pounds in 1860 08 pounds in in 1870 0 3 52 1 pounds in 1880 pounds in 1887 6 pounds in 1891 66 6 pounds the weight and quality of tho the carcass for mutton has also been improved and the science of sheep husbandry so perfected in all directions that flock master masters found although compelled by the sharp competition consequent on VU an enormously expanding supply in all quarters of the globe to accept diminishing prices that they could sell their product for less and less per pound from year to i ear w without t unduly diminishing their profits it never was a part of the purpose of the american wool tariff to retard this progress toward plentiful wool at low prices all rational pers persons onswill will agree that it bis bs been een a priceless boon to humanity that an article so universally used and vitally necessary to health and comfort lias has been placed within reach of the poorest the steady increase in in the weight of the american fleece mentioned above indicates the wonderful advance in tho the science and art of wool w ool growing that has taken place in these protected united states it is quite safe to say that we have led tho the world in this respect and american breeding sheep have been sought by wool growers in all parts of the world for the purpose of improving their flocks whoever agrees with andrew jac jackson akson that wool Is so important to our comfort and safety both in in peace and war that we should by all means produce as nearly as may bo be all wo we consume of it cannot not avoid another conclusion to wit that to protection alone is due duo the credit of preserving wool growing as one of the groat industries of our deop people a for so surely as the lily withers in the winters blast would american sheep husbandry have practically disappeared without protection american farmers could not afford to sell their v wools at the prices received by the australian or the argentine wool grower grow er in the last ten years that they have been a able ble to receive recen e from five live to twelve cents a pound more than the outside worlds market price has been and is now due to our protective tariff and to nothing else |