AMERICAN TARIFF ON WOOL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1188, 25 July 1911, Page 8

AMERICAN TARIFF ON WOOL.

THE REDUCTIONS PROPOSED. The San Francisco correspondent' of the Christ-church "Press" sends some interesting information about an American tariff on wool. "If," he says, "the newschedule of wool duties as proposed in the 'House of representatives lust week by tho leaders of the .Democratic Pnrty becomrs law, New Zealand sheep breeders will find the American market easier of access than it has been at any time the last seventeen years.- "While there is much difference of opinion as to whether the new duties are on a protective basis or on a merely revenue basis, they undoubtedly contemplate a marked reduction as compared with existing duties. The rates on raw wool-arc fixed nt 20, per cent ad valorem, by tlio Bill. The present duties are not on au ad valorem basis, but calculated on that basis for tho, yoar...lillo they averaged 11.31 per cent. The reduction in the raw wool duties is therefore more than 51) per cent. As to manufactures of wool, it is asserted by the -sponsors for- the -Bill that the average ad valorem rate on the estimated imports for I!! 12 would be 42.55 per cent., as compared with 90.10' per cent, on the imports for 1910 under the existing duties." Tlio correspondent point's out that it is by no moans certain that Congress will adopt the proposed reductions. Ho explains tho political difficulties, and then says:—"The" wool-growers of the United States are especially concerned at the proposal to cut the raw wool duties in half. S. W. H'Clurc, secretary of the National Wool _ Growers' Association, has been in Washington investigating the possibility of the reduction, and he writes to tlio Oregon Wool-growers' Association:—'l have gone over the situation in Washington very carefully, and feci safe in assuring oil)' wool-growers that there will be no legislation affecting the tariff passed at the present session of Congress. The Bill as introduced by the Democrats is looked upon as a joke, for it represents no -theory of political economics, ns it effects neither Proc-trade revenue, übr protection. The Bill -should uot affect the wool market, for it will never become law. Please advise your wool-growers not to sacrifice their clip, for there is every reason to believe better prices will bereceived latter in the season.'"

Mr. William Jennings Bryan refers to Hie 20 per cent duty as "favouritism to a few sheep misers at the expense of all ■who wear woollen clothing." The republicans call the measure a "cold-Wooded" proposal, and add: "If it could become a law it would slaughter sheep as in 1891, and close the mills much more universally."