The farmer and the agriculturist, who manufacture nothing, but who pay
the increased price which the tariff imposes upon every agricultural
implement, upon all he wears, and upon all he uses and owns, except
the increase of his flocks and herds and such things as his husbandry
produces from the soil, is invited to aid in maintaining the present
situation; and he is told that a high duty on imported wool is necessary
for the benefit of those who have sheep to shear, in order that the
price of their wool may be increased. They, of course, are not reminded
that the farmer who has no sheep is by this scheme obliged, in his
purchases of clothing and woolen goods, to pay a tribute to his
fellow-farmer as well as to the manufacturer and merchant, nor is any
mention made of the fact that the sheep owners themselves and their
households must wear clothing and use other articles manufactured from
the wool they sell at tariff prices, and thus as consumers must return
their share of this increased price to the tradesman.
I think it may be fairly assumed that a large proportion of the sheep
owned by the farmers throughout the country are found in small flocks,
numbering from twenty-five to fifty. The duty on the grade of imported
wool which these sheep yield is 10 cents each pound if of the value of
30 cents or less and 12 cents if of the value of more than 30 cents. If
the liberal estimate of 6 pounds be allowed for each fleece, the duty
thereon would be 60 or 72 cents; and this may be taken as the utmost
enhancement of its price to the farmer by reason of this duty.
Pages:
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523