The Wool Interest

The census of 1810 reported twentylriur w ooien factoriés In this country, Duit spun yarn and 9,528,360 yards of voolen cloth wovenin fiunilies, valued ;i $4,418,000. In 1850 therewere 1,820 yoolen establishment that empioyed i 5,000 persons, and annuiüly produced tonjdH üi" viuious tcxtures valued at 143,000,600. In 1860 tliewoolen establishments had increased to 2,020, mploying 40,000 males and females, and pYoducing goods to the value oï 67,800,000 annualiy. Owing to the great demand of woolen goods to supply the arm y with blankets, clothing, etc, in the ltejtJellion, the woolen manufacies in the United States increased nearly one-half in tenyears, and the censi1of 1870 counted 97,000 persons as ei. ployed in the woolen mannfactories, wlio annualiy produced goods to the value of .n7.ooo,ooo. With the increase of population the demand for woolen fabiics continúes about the same, aad there are at tlie present time about tlie same number of milis doing about the same aniount of business as in 1S72 -Just before the Qnancial patiic rommenced. Jíutwithall toe natural facilities for the raieing ot' sheep and the manufacture of woolen {joods the demand for wool and woolen goods in tbis country is far ahead of the suppiy. In the past forty-sLx years, or since 1888, the (Jaitod States liave imported wool, either manufsuJtured or umiianuiacturecl, to the value of $1,210,000,000. For the past four years this country has impórted "wbol and woolen goods, to the value (in the aggregate) of $170,000,000, while the export is but a trina In 1875 the total duties paid on wool and woolen textures amounted to $80,014,130, and, with tlio exception of four years prior to 1848, was a largor revenue than ever produced in any one year in this country, or within $9,000,000 of what was expended in the eight years of Washington' Administration. Commenting on the above from the Troy Times, the Drover's Journal 8&J&: From this cxliibit it Beems that we havenever had but d&JMd perxons, at one time, engaged in tlie manufacture of woolen goods. "We ought this day to have 200,000 persons, men, women, boys and girls engagfij in thisinclustry. The genius of our country men has nivady greatly lightened the onorouslnbov, once neeessary to perfora ÜSbkB work ; and alittle more healthy competition in tlie ptoductjon of these goods, vvould not only greatly stimulate manufacturera to turn Uieni out more rapidly, but insure a constant imurovement in all woolen goods. The best interests of the entire nation cali for a rapld inerease of good sheep, and a speedy multiplication of our wool erop. Millions are drained out of this country every year tor wool and woolen goods. For half a century the people of tliis great agrieultural country, inexhaustible in its natural resources, liave paidother nations more than 825,000,000, annually, for wool and woolen goods. Western grain and in'ovision producers have paid inillions for freight and charges on lood sent to Europe, and on woolen goods brought hitner, au of wiiic'i miglit uave ueen savcd by manufacturing these goods at home. The advantages of such industries in our midst are so obvious tliat the facts need only to bestated to be appiehended and ajiproved. During the, early yearsof the Hepublic, the inerease of sheep, and the aggregation of the woolen interests of the nation, tliough gradual, were continuous; but for the last decade only a slight progress has been made. The people secm tobe content to pay into the Treasury of the l'nited States more than $;;0,OOÓ,000 annually, as duties on foreign woolens!