The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, DEC. 24, 1881.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6498, 24 December 1881, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. SATURDAY, DEC. 24, 1881.

That the wool tariff of the United States should bo regarded by tbo inhabitants ol tbo great Australasian wool-producing Colonics with anmized abhorrence, is natural enough. It is also most natural that the representations made to the United States on the subject of abatement by these interested parties should have all failed to convince the general American mind. Hope, nevertheless, hoe always been high in the Australasian breast. The prize is too tempting to the Australasian woolgrower and all who depend upon him, ever to be allowed to get out of hopeful view. A new market for wool has been the dream of all Australian enthusiasts from the days of the first serious depression suffered by the Colonial wool market, to the present time when Mr. Synnot, that Quixote of commerce, is perpetually organising crusades against the spirit of Conservatism, which has kept possession of the tenacious Chinese nation for thirty centuries. The American Union is a new market of considerable magnitude. If it were thrown open the price of Colonial wool would probably remain fixed for many years at an advance of from thirty to fifty per cent on present prices. To throw that market open only requires some successful expenditure of words bestowed in the right ears at the proper moment The problem is apparently simple. No wonder that its solution seems always hopeful to an enterprising people. This hope, Indeed, has always been a strong feature of every one of our relations with our American cousins. Whenever a Pacific mail subsidy is granted, the American wool tariff, wo are told, has received a blow from which it will never recover. When a few buyers from the States come over (they do not come often) to pick np a few bales of Colonial wool, a revolution, many people persuade themselves, is at hand, the effect ol which will be to destroy the American wool tariff. But agitation does not gyrate solely round mail subsidies and wool buyers. It is always ready to be excited. An agitation has lately been excited, which may be described as the most general, the best organised, and the most powerful which the history ol Australasian hostility to the American wool tariff has ever known. Began in America by an American Steamship, Company—the Pacific Mail Company—it has quickly extended over most of the Colonies. New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia have taken the matter up, officially, and New Zealand is doing so both officially and through the various Chambers of Commerce. Auckland began with a resolution in favour of general combination, and a circular. Dunedin, Timaru, and Wellington have followed, endorsing the view that the American Government must bo approached by deputation on the subject of the wool tariff. Sir Henry Parkes, the Premier of Now South Wales, who is taking a holiday, goes to America to spend a portion of it as the Australian representative in urging upon the American authorities the necessity in the American, as well as the Colonial interest, of getting Congress to reduce the American wool tariff. In Dunedin the Chamber of Commence while approving of Sir Henry Parkes—of whom the New Zealand Government has also approved—as the general representative, expressed itself as also in favour of sending a deputation from Now Zealand to co-operate with Sir Henry. All members of any deputation of this kind are offered free passages by the Pacific Mail Company. The only Colony that has not joined the movement is Victoria j the rest are making a most praiseworthy effort to push forward a great and growing interest, lor which every credit is due to them.

We fear much that though «U this energy deserves success, it will fail to command it. The States Tariff Oon* vention has only just, we learnt a few days ago by the cable, decided in favour of tho continuance by the American Union of a strictly Protective policy. Mr Gladstone dentes that the United States eon he fairly reckoned amongst Protectionists, because they are in reality a collection of freo-trading-States. Bat this view is only comforting to those American citizens who, being apostles of Free Trade like also to enjoy tho blessings of Protection. Tho colonists of Australasia are not American citizens. Neither is any joint proposal from any number of Australasian Governments likely to be a proposal for commercial entry of Australasian Colonies into the American Union on tho some commercial terms as enjoyed by its existing members, viz., absolute Free Trade one with the other. The only thing which Australasian deputations have to offer is argument, and it is the argument of two sets of men who are interested, the one in selling a great staple which they produce in annually increasing quantities, tho other in finding cargoes to swell the profits of a shipping trade which is already firmly established,, for a time, upon Government subsidies. It is said, sad said freely, that in Congress the pass-

fog of Bills is not a question of argument, or of public opinion, bat merely of lobbying with accompaniment® of a not pleasant character. Any contingency arising oat of each an alleged state of things wo mast, of coarse, refuse to discuss. Wo bate drawn attention to the main circumstances of th® case In order to present the oversattguioe from entertaining wild hopes from the agitation now organising a raid upon the American Treasury. At the same time wo must hear in mind that nothing Is over gained in this world without agitation. To fail for want of effort is disgraceful, but to fail after every possible effort baa been made Is comptiblo with the highest honour.