EAST LAS VEGAS, N. MEX., July 7, 1896. Minutes of meeting of New Mexico Wool Growers' Association, held in the city hall of East Las Vegas, N. Mex., on the afternoon of July 7, 1896.

The adjourned morning session of the convention was called to order at 4 o'clock p. m., by Chairman Perea.

The minutes of the morning session were read by the secretary, and, on motion, were adopted.

The report of the committee on constitution and by-laws was read to the convention, but, on motion, which was adopted, it was agreed to postpone action on this report until the Hon. T. B. Catron had delivered his address.

Mr. Catron was recognized by the chair, and proceeded to entertain the members of the convention by an interesting and instructive discourse. He portrayed New Mexico's natural advantages as a sheep raising and woolgrowing country; called attention to the fact of the great wealth it brought to the Territory and the benefits derived from this industry. He also depicted the evils and losses that had resulted to the sheep and woolen business by the withdrawal of the tariff on wool and woolen goods, and urged that earnest and united action be taken by all interested in this industry to have a law enacted during the next session of Congress that would give ample protection to Americans against foreign wools, shoddies, and manufactured goods. Unless a duty on manufactured goods compensatory with that on wool was given the woolen manufacturers, a tariff on wool alone would be of no benefit to the sheep men, as the manufacturers would be unable to use high-priced wool if cheap foreign goods were permitted free entry into the country. He also urged that a specific duty be placed on wool, as a tariff on an ad valorem basis opened the door to fraud and perjury at the hands of foreign exporters and domestic importers.

Mr. Catron's address was listened to with close attention by the members of the convention, and upon its conclusion Mr. Myer Friedman moved that a vote of thanks be accorded Mr. Catron for his able and interesting speech, which was unanimously adopted.

The convention then proceeded to consider the report of the committee on constitution and by-laws, and, with the exception of an alteration in article 8 of the constitution, the report of this committee was adopted by the convention. Article 8 of the constitution was changed to read as follows:

The annual meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be selected at the previous annual meeting, provided that if no time or place is selected the meeting shall be held in the city of Las Vegas at such time as may be fixed by the executive committee.

A motion to adjourn until 10 o'clock of the 8th was entertained and adopted.

GEO. ARNOT, Secretary.

EAST LAS VEGAS, N. MEX., July 8, 1896. Minutes of the meeting of the New Mexico Wool Growers' Association, held in the city hall of East Las Vegas, N. Mex., on the morning of July 8, 1896.

The adjourned session of the association was called to order at 10.35 a. m., by Chairman Pedro Perea.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read by Secretary Arnot and were approved by the convention.

By unanimous consent the report of the committee on constitution and by-laws was again taken up, and a slight change was made in article 4 of the constitution, to the effect that all persons interested in sheep husbandry and the wool industry were eligible to membership in the association. With this change the constitution and by-laws were adopted in full.

The committee on resolutions tendered their report, which was read and adopted. The resolutions are attached to and form a part of these minutes.

In addition to the report of this committee the following resolutions were presented to the convention and adopted by same, viz: By Mr. Louis Ilfeld:

Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that the executive committee adopt and enforce such measures as will protect the members of the association from thieves.

By Mr. L. A. Hughes:

Resolved, That the New Mexico Wool Growers' Association hereby indorses the constitution and rules of the National Wool Growers' Association, and that our secretary be instructed to communicate our desire to become a member of and auxiliary to the same.

By Mr. T. B. CATRON:

Resolved, That this association recommend to the sheep raisers of this Territory to hold on to their sheep and increase the number of the same, with the view that the industry may be fostered and increased, and not be allowed to diminish or be destroyed. This, under the belief that relief by legislation will be secured which will appreciate all the wool and sheep interests.

Letters from F. D. Wight, of Trinidad; W. L. Crockett, of Puerto de Luna, and Mr. Baca, of Baca, N. Mex., were read, and a vote of thanks was tendered these gentlemen for their interest in the movement.

The committee on permanent organization submitted their report, as follows, viz: For president, M. W. Browne, of San Miguel County; for first vice president, Pedro Perea, of Bernalillo County; for secretary and treasurer, Geo. Arnot, of San Miguel County; for the executive committee, M. W. Browne, ex officio; Eutimio Montoya, Socorro County; Solomon Luno, Valencia County; M. S. Otero, Bernalillo County; J. G. Clancey, Guadalupe County.

It was moved and seconded that the report be adopted, which was done.

A resolution was also adopted to the effect that the next meeting of the association be held at Albuquerque, N. Mex., convening on the second day of the Territorial fair, exact date to be announced by the executive committee, when it is known at what time the fair will be held.

It was also moved and carried that the constitution, by-laws, and proceedings be printed in book form, and that 1,000 copies in English and 2,000 copies in Spanish be taken for distribution among members and others interested in the association.

The secretary was also instructed to secure as complete a list as possible of all the sheep and wool men in the Territory, said information to be obtained from county assessors, or from such other sources as might furnish same.

Vice-presidents for the various counties of the Territory were then elected as follows, viz: Bernalillo, Wm. McIntosh; Chavez, W. S. Prager; Colfax, Jerome Troy; Dona Ana, C. H. Aimijo; Eddy (to be supplied); Grant, L. Burdick; Guadalupe, Charles Sumner; Lincoln, Martin Chavez; Mora, Serapio Romero; Rio Arriba, T. D. Burns; San Juan, Salome Jaques; San Miguel, Charles Ilfeld; Santa Fe, Juan Ortiz;

Sierra, Jose Jesus Garcia; Socorro, Luciano Chavez; Taos, Albert Muller; Union, Francisco Gallegos y Baca; Valencia, Victor Sais.

Mr. L. A. Hughes offered a motion, which was carried, to the effect that the convention tender the mayor and citizens of Las Vegas its hearty thanks for hospitality and courtesies extended to the members of the convention.

On motion Hon. T. B. Catron was elected an honorary member of the association.

An invitation was extended by the Ludemann Wool Company, the John Robbins Wool Scouring Company, and the Las Vegas Wool Pulling Company to the members of the convention desiring a visit to and inspection of their plants. The invitation was accepted and it was arranged that carriages would call at the city hall for members at 3 p. m. Mr. Louis Ilfeld moved the adjournment of the convention until next meeting in Albuquerque, which carried, and the chairman declared the convention adjourned. GEORGE ARNOT, Secretary.

1. RESOLUTIONS.

Whereas the wool and sheep interests of the Territory of New Mexico yield to the woolgrower and the people of this Territory, under favorable conditions, a greater amount of income and profit than any other industry, we, the woolgrowers of New Mexico, and those interested in sheep and wool traffic, in order to protect that industry, have organized the New Mexico Wool Growers' Association, and call attention to the great necessity existing for protective legislation in behalf of sheep husbandry in this Territory as well as the entire United States. This is rendered necessary from the fact that in foreign countries cheap labor and inexhaustible free pasturage exist, so that sheep can be raised and wool produced at about one-half the cost of the production in this country; that experience has shown that whenever a tariff duty has been imposed by Congress on imported wool, woolens, and sheep, the price of the wool and of the sheep have correspondingly increased, and the wool producer and sheep raiser have received the benefit thereof.

We call attention to the fact that the duty imposed upon wool and sheep by the act of 1890 advanced the price of wool in this Territory to about 18 cents per pound and sheep to $3 per head. Also, under the act the number of sheep increased during the three years of its existence 30 per cent, and the woolen product 18 per cent, at which time the wool product had reached the enormous sum of 364,000,000 pounds, and the number of sheep had increased to nearly 50,000,000, having an average value of $2.66 each. That by the repeal of all duty on wool and the reduction of the duty on sheep to 20 per cent ad valorem, from 75 cents per head, the value of wool had depreciated to about 6 cents per pound; the actual difference between no duty and the duty imposed under the act of 1890, while the price of sheep has declined throughout the entire Union nearly 50 per cent, and in this Territory fully 60 per cent, so that sheep to-day in the Territory of New Mexico, under the present tariff act, command only about $1 per head, or loss in both wool and in sheep of about two-thirds of their former value.

At the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1894, there were in this Territory at least 3,000,000 head of sheep, yielding an annual product of about 16,000,000 pounds, valued at $3,000,000. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, it is estimated that the income from wool did not

exceed half a million dollars, thus showing a net loss to the woolgrower of $2,500,000 on wool alone, while the depreciation of $2 per head on the 3,000,000 of sheep has entailed upon the sheep raisers of this Territory a loss of about $6,000,000, or a total loss to this industry, arising from the present tariff enactment, for the year ending June 30, 1896, of $8,500,000, with the certainty of annual loss of $2,500,000 additional while the present tariff law shall remain in force.

Whereas it is believed that these results have been brought about by the operation of the present tariff laws of the Government, whereby our wools and woolen manufacturers have been brought into competition with cheap foreign products, chiefly among which is shoddy, manufactured from cast-off and worn-out clothing and rags, frequently infected with contagious disease, each pound of which takes the place of 3 pounds of healthy, unwashed wool, of which shoddy for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, under a duty of 30 cents per pound, there was imported only 104,885 pounds, while during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, under a duty of 15 per cent ad valorem, 14,779,559 pounds, or an increase of 140 per cent, which shoddy took the place of over 4,000,000 pounds of unwashed wools.

Whereas the act of 1890, while it to a great extent rendered protection to the wool and sheep industries, was nevertheless defective in many particulars, and to such an extent that great frauds could be perpetrated under it by means of undervaluations, skirtings, sortings, and admixtures, to reduce values, importing scoured wools as washed and washed wools as unwashed and better classes thereof, as lower classes, which defects should not be repeated in future legislation; Therefore,

Be it resolved by the New Mexico Wool Growers' Association, That the depressed condition of our wool and sheep industries in this Territory, and in the whole United States, demand the enactment of such tariff legislation by Congress as will furnish ample protection to those industries against all foreign competitors and restore them to their former state of prosperity.

To that end, we demand a flat specific duty of 10 cents per pound on all imported unwashed wools, and double that amount on washed wools, and treble that amount on scoured wools, and that such provision be incorporated in a law as will prohibit the advantage taken under former laws by means of skirting, sorting, admixtures, to reduce value, importing scoured as washed wools, and washed wools as unwashed wools, and better classes as lower classes.

That we object to each and every enactment which imposes an ad valorem duty, and insist that every duty shall be specific, and that every duty on shoddy shall be prohibitory, and we demand further that a duty of not less than 75 cents per head be placed upon all sheep imported from foreign countries.

Resolved further, That it is the belief of this association and the woolgrowers of New Mexico that by the enactment of such laws not only will be regained in New Mexico and throughout the United States the prosperous condition enjoyed by our sheep and wool industries during the years ending June, 1893 and 1894, but that within a period of five years under such legislation the United States will be able to supply all the wool consumed by the people of this country.

Resolved further, While we demand protection for the sheep and wool industries of this country, we insist that the same can only be fully brought about by an adequate compensatory duty placed by legislation upon all woolen fabrics imported from foreign countries.

That we believe the manufacturer and the producer must both be protected, so as to secure the full benefits sought to be derived.

Resolved, That this association will insist upon the most rigid enforcement of all sanitary regulation against scab and all other diseases. We recommend that the sanitary board be requested to devote more attention to the sheep interest in connection with the excellent services that they are rendering to the cattle industry.

Resolved, That this association request the Secretary of the Interior, under proper regulations to be established by him to permit the use of the Pecos Reservation and all other reservations in this Territory by the sheep owners for the purpose of watering and grazing their sheep thereon during seasons of severe drought, as being a use which can do no harm but will contribute to the preservation of timber and the prevention of forest fires.

MAX NORDHAUS, Chairman.
SOL LUNA,

LEVI HUGHES,
PEDRO CASTILLO,

JUAN MA. BLEA,

Members of Committee on Resolutions.

[From the Santa Fe Daily New Mexican, December 2, 1896.]

3. NEW MEXICO AND WOOL-AN ENTERTAINING TALK WITH HON. GEORGE H. WALLACE ON A LIVE SUBJECT—OUR TERRITORY'S ADVANTAGES-A CALL FOR DELEGATES.

Hon. George H. Wallace, of Missouri, formerly United States consul to Melbourne, Australia, under the Harrison Administration, and who is now a resident of Santa Fe, to day received from Judge William Lawrence, of Bellefontaine, Ohio, president of the National Wool Growers' Association, a formal letter, urging him to be present at the next meeting of this organization, which Judge Lawrence has called to take place at the Ebbitt House, Washington, D. C., on December 15. Woolgrowers generally are invited to attend this meeting and aid in the work of guaranteeing to the producer of wool fair play in any tariff schedule that may come up for consideration at the approaching short session or at the next session of Congress.

THE WOOL MANUFACTURERS ALWAYS BETTER PROTECTED THAN

WOOLGROWERS.

Mr. Wallace suggests that the eastern manufacturer, who now has and has always had the best of the bargain as regards tariff legislation, will be well organized when tariff revision begins, and, as the friend of the producer, he thinks no time should be lost among western woolgrowers to meet this organization by organization among themselves, to the end that justice should be done to all parties concerned. Mr. Wallace expects to be present himself, and he hopes that New Mexico, through its Wool Growers' Association, will see to it that a full delegation is in attendance from this Territory, "for," said he to a New Mexican representative to day, "I verily believe, after a residence here of more than a year, and a careful study of this Territory's woolgrowing industry, that the conditions, climatic, and otherwise, are such in New Mexico as to constitute it the woolgrowing country of the world, not excepting Australia. Your gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, and coal mining interests are all right and will, when developed, yield handsome