The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-09-06
TURNS FROM PROTECTION
Australia II sick of High iarirs New
south Wales Has Voted for src"r ira"s
Than Now txsts sn ANY country.

,, contains an Interesting editorial on
Free, Trade in Australia" ~ says "a
part:
.~,uden,s 81 political Development y
have always found abundant material
In the history Of the Australian colo
nie,. Nowhere ha~ there been greater Y
abundance ofexperimcntal legislation.
nor a better opportunity 70 compare 4
is results The colonies afford q sum
Gent basis Of comparison in TIE sub 4
stantial homogencity of their popuia-
ton and in the common origin OF their
institutions and their law.
The neigh boring colonies OF Victoria
and New south Wales have especially
furnished material for economic par
allclS. and the contest between pro-
teetfonists and free traders have no.
where been more spirited or more con-
tinu0us. Tn To recent date New
south Wales stood upon the whole for
free trade. Victoria for protection. AZ
present Victoria J. reducing protective
duties In "A drastic manner While the
situation in New south Wales has be-
come interesting in the highest degree
lowing 10 combination of circum-
stances which il Is not necessary 10
particularize. the cause Of protection
has of late years made considerable
nrOrrre>s in that colony tut TINS
nrosrress was Of an artificial nature.
ana its chief result appears TO nave
been to cause such a reaction In favor
Of free trade as promises toextend that
principle farther than it is carried in
any country in the world. The budget
off red by Mr. q. ii. Reed. the premier
and treasurer OF New South Wales,
proposed TO abolish at once the pro-
| tective dutie i'm posed by the late gov
! eminent of Sir George Dibbs. and to
abolish gradually. but within six years
all other customs duties except those
on stimulants and narcotics This in
yolved an immediate loss OF revenue
amounting to g5JO.0oO " ich was to be
made good BY reducing expenditures
by $500 600. by Land tax Of penny
in the pound. estimated TO produce
e4Oo. 900, and an income taxof sixpence
in the pound which was to bring flos.-
900. The bills enbodying this scheme
were carried triumphantly through
the legisla tive assembly; but the upper
house tire " out the land and income
tax bv an overwhelming majority
Upon the issue thus raised Mr. keid
has appealed to the country, and II Is
encouraging to hear that Mr.. Reid has
inst defeat ted Sir Henry Parkes in Sgd
new. and there l. good reason to be-
lieve that he will resume office with
an overw helming majority behind
him.
1.-The opposition to Mr.. Reds policy
comes from several sources. just a
we found il in this country. the sugar
industry causes the most trou BILE. Inc
production of sugar has hitherto beer
protected by a high import duty. ane
the producer have enjoyed very grea
profits They are united under tn
leadership of a great refining company
, and their infuen appears to be near
ly as formidable as that encounters
by our revenue reformers in last year
strugrle in the senate. There is oppc
, sition. too. on the part OF the extrem
) advocates Of land taxation. who thinl
that Mr.. Reds scheme does not 60 Ia
enough. as well as on the part OF tn
land owners Who think it goes too TAI
4 In fact. the tax is a very moderate one
I. amounting 10 as much as $40 only i
0 the case of about 1000 estates, and
: the land owners were en1ghtene
' enough. they would consider that IN
. value Of their property would increas
under free trade as it did in England
Opposition has also appeared fro
/ another quarter. The federation
has for
= time engaged the attention of q nur
: Der OF ambitious politicians. amor
: whom are TO he found some leadir
II protectionists like Sir George Dibt
hut il seems to be understood, and
y in fact, openly declared that II fr
" trade is to pre- vail in New South Vale
it will put an end to the federati'
schemes. 1t is very frankly admit
in Victoria, there Mr.. Reds budg
l., has been studied with as much inters
as in New south Wales that IL its pl
.s posals are adopted sydney will becol
10 one of the great ports OF the Britt
i, empire. II will be the great cent
~ market of Australia, and will draw
a. itself the com merce of the ports tn
Oh are hampered with protective duti
10 1t is true that the manufactures
=, Victoria would obtain free admiss'
NJ into New south Wales, but only
~ competition with the free trade pri
~. Of the manu- features Of the wor
~ Under the baneful influences OF 81
n. increased commerce as free trade
ia cause, IL appears to be felt that
~. cause al protection mn>t dcci
4, throughout Australia IN, ot
~, colonies will We c ,rnpellcd " thE
down their customs barriers IN
!, they wish To see Themselves distant
49, and when con fronted with the al
ma native of protection or prosperity, v
80 however rcluc family, choose the lat
~ This may delay the federation OF
~ Australian colonies. but IL will has
their admission to the federation
the world"
rms object Lesson for Farmers.
'ars FARMERS have tariff object les