The Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1892.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11689, 22 November 1892, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1892.

The main issue in the late American Presidential election was not kept in tha background or clouded over in the speeches of paity representatives. The Democrats plainly stated tfiat they fought the battla asrainst the prohibitive protection of the ■RepubHcan.B,.Tvhic 1 i found its extremest expression in the McKinley tariff. How outspoken were the leaders of the Democratic party will be guaged by tho following remarks of General Stevenson, tho vice-President elect, who a few weeks ago expressed himself as follows, : — " The Democratic House of Representatives of the present Congress bas passed the Free Wool and Cheap Clothing Bill, by which wool is admitted free of duty and a large reduction sought to be effected in the tariff upon woollen goods of all descriptions. It has also removed the tariff upon binding twine. But for the hostility of a Republican Senate these measures, so just, so beneficial, to the people, would now be upon our statute books. Our present tariff laws need careful revision. Their glaring inconsistencies should be corrected. It is to the interest of manufacturer and consumer alike that in the main raw material bo admitted free of duty. Working the raw material into the finished prodiut will give employment to our skilled workmen. The reduction of tariff taxes to the minimum upon the necessaries of life is important to all of our people , it would prove of inestimable value to the millions who earn their bread by daily toil." Now that tho Democrats are understood to have a majority in the Senate, and that the President and vice-President are both strongly in favour of tariff revision, in the direction especially of admitting raw material into the States free of duty, we may expect that the reforms of which General Stevenson speaks so warmly in his manifesto will become law as speedily as may bo considered to be safe. As the C> ristclmrcb Press obsorvos :— "No one expects that there will be an immediate reversal of the policy of protection. But even tbe Republican President' admits that the country has demanded a material reduction in duties. The form it will probably take in the first instance will be, as Mr Clfcveland stated in his manifesto, the freer admission of raw materials than now exists ; and remembering the efforts ror.ently made, wo may bo sure that wool will receive tho first consideration. It appears to bo the general opinion that Mr Cleveland's eloolion means the total abolition of tho wool duties, with the retention of n protective impost on wool in a manufacture! state." How great is tha interest tho people of these colonies have in the tariff poluy of the Democrats is thus pointed out by our Christchurch contemporary ;— " We arn exportersof the raw material which will now in all probably te admitted duty free, or at anvrato at a much lower rate of duty. Australasia every year produces over £20 000,000 worth of wool for which a market has to lo found in tbe old world and America. Tho duty of fivepenco per lb lately levied on wool imported into America ha? of course largely limited the demand. It has, as wo have said, en-cou.-agod tho local production of _an inferior artielo, and has at the same time raised tho price to the American consumer. This in turn has limited consumption and so tended to lower the price of the wool produced outside of America." With tho total abolition, or even largo remission, of the American wool duty in prospect, our New Zealand sheop famers may reasonably look forward to au unlimited demand and greatly improvod prices of their clips in tho not distant future. A. veuk of ovangelistic ssrvicos having been decided upon by the Baptist Church the first of the series was held last night, commencing at 8 o'clock. Prior to tho service beginning the choir took up a position at the corner cf the street and 3ang two of Sankey's well-known hymns, after which a general invitation was given to all passers-by to attend the meetings, which will be held every night this week, except; Saturday. On Thursday cf next wc-ok, Uio 1-st December, a Clmrcb fcocial will bo hold, when tbe service of song, " John Plougli«3.y-i," will bo repeated, the connective readings being somewhat curtailed, but all the musical items being rendered. At an intorval In tho service of song tea, coffee, and solid rehesUjjietits will be served.