560 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



was conceded by the wool-growers that this business could not flourish unless the 

 manufacturers were fully established and sustained; that capitalists would not 

 invest adequate sums in buildings and materials without good prospects of profit and 

 permanency in the business ; that without permanency the needful skill and experi- 

 ence in the operatives could not be maintained ; that, taking into view the price of 

 labor in Europe and the price of wool here, the manufacture of woolens could not 

 be established here in competition, unless some favor on public ground could be 

 accorded to the manufacturer, and both parties insisted that the importance of the 

 industry in every point of view, besides its magnitude, made claim for favorable 

 legislation valid. It was shown by ample proof that wool could not be grown here 

 unless the manufacturers of wool could be permanently established; and that the 

 consumption of Avoolens could never reach the adequate figure of $10 per head of 

 the increasing population, unless wool-growing and the manufacture of wool both 

 take their place among the established and successful industries of the country. 



The manufacturers claimed that, until similar wools shall be supplied at home, a 

 considerable proportion of the fine but inferior and very cheap wools of South 

 Africa and other countries Avould be required to give variety, special qualities, and 

 cheapness to certain descriptions of their woolen goods; but did not resist the claim 

 of the wool-growers to have such a duty imposed on these wools as would encourage 

 their growth, and in time supply their place, at least in part, by home-grown wool. 



The manufacturers, on their part, claimed as these cheap wools entered English ports 

 free of duty, and as the cost of labor entering into the production of woolen goods 

 in Europe was less than half the rates paid in this country, that such duties should 

 be asked of our Government as would place them in fair competition with foregu 

 manufacturers in our own market. 



The lesson learned by the wool-grower was that his market for wool was at home, 

 and that in securing a duty upon his wool he must make some compensation to the 

 manufacturer. The aim of the framers of the tariff* of 1867 was, " while protecting 

 the wool-grower, to place the manufacturer in the same position as if his raw mate- 

 rials were free of duty. For this end a careful calculation was made of the sum 

 which would be paid by the manufacturers for the duties on the wool, drugs, dye- 

 stuffs, and other materials for each pound or square yard of fabric made by him, and 

 a specific duty per pound or square yard was placed upon corresponding foreign 

 fabrics. The specific duty on the foreign fabric was intended to exactly neutralize 

 the duty imposed on the raw material. To this specific duty an ad valorem duty 

 was added for revenue and the protection of the manufacturers. By the theory of 

 the tariff, the only protection which the manufacturer received is this ad valorem 

 du,t x y. And it was intended that his protection should be equal to the full amount 

 of fhe ad valorem duty. But the protective effect of the ad valorem duty is partially 

 modified by the duties on other materials used in manufacturing processes, and by 

 local taxes from which our foreign rivals are exempt, as well as by undervaluation 

 of imported goods. 



The wool was classified into three kinds clothing, combing, and car- 

 pet and other similar wools. Clothing wool costing less than 32 cents 

 per pound was charged with a duty of 10 cents per pound and 1 per 

 cent ad valorem; if valued over 32 cents per pound, the duty was 12 

 cents and 10 per cent ad valorem. The same rates were applied to 

 combing wools, hair of the alpaca, goat, or other like animals. On car- 

 pet wools and other similar wools, valued at 12 cents or less per pound, 

 the duty was fixed at 3 cents a pound, and 6 cents if the value was 

 over 12 cents a pound. Sheepskins and Angora goatskins, raw or 

 unmanufactured, imported with the wool on ? washed or unwashed, 30 

 per cent ad yalorein. 



