Lancashire and Australia Lancashire's protest against the heavy increased duties
imposed by the Australian Government on certain classes of cotton yarns and piece goods was abundantly justified, and has not been treated in the manner which was to be expected from a Dominion and a signatory of the Ottawa agreement. The attempts to give point to the protest by an organized boycott of Australian products is mistaken policy, though intelligible. But Lancashire has every reason to be indignant. Its representatives have pointed out in the proper way that the new taxes are in effect prohibitive and violate the Ottawa agreements. The Australian Government. instead of delaying the application of the duties till the Lancashire case had been heard and considered, has refused to take any immediate steps. The reason is that it is engaged in an election and is bent on securing the votes of the high Protectionist interests. But stable trading relations with Britain cannot be maintained if they are to be at any moment at the mercy of Australian domestic party politics. British policy has been based on the favourable treatment of Australian primary products in the British market, but that is absolutely inconsistent with the exclusion of British manufactured goods from Australia. The Dominion cannot have it both ways.
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