AMERICAN WOOL DUTY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 516, 9 November 1912, Page 4

AMERICAN WOOL DUTY.

It ia quite possible that New Zealand and Australia will bo considerably affected by the result of the American Presidential election. The Republican policy, as represented by Mr Taft prevented any breaking down of the tariff which inflicts such a heavy duty on wool, and renders it impossible for any but the finest and highest-priced wool to find its way into the United States. Notwithstanding that American flocks are steadily decreasing, and the wool production in consequence becoming more restricted each year, all attempts to lighten the tariff load have proved abortive. The new President will go to the White House pledged to work for trie lowering of the tariff wall that the Republicans have built. "We must break down that dam against which all the tides of prosperity have banked up, that groat dam that runs round all our coasts and which we call the protective tariff," ha said recently. "I would prefer to call it the restrictive tariff the tariff thai hems us in, the tariff that chokes us, the tariff that smothers us. The legitimate business enterprises of this country have nothing to fear provided they will stand on their own bottom, but they have every tiling to fear if I all they have under them is the prop of a tax which everybody is obliged to pay." It will thus bo recognised that the great election has to some extent at least been fought out on the basis of tariff reform, and when we come to consider the possible effect upon the price of Australasia's staple product it cat) readily be imagined that the price of colonial wool may be greatly enhanced within tho next few seasons. That such a result will be to the benefit of the American people is all the more reason why Now Zealand producers should rejoice over the result of the presidential contest.