The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-04 00:00:00

THE ABOLITION OF FOREIGN DUTIES.

Sir Stafford Northcote replying to a communication from
Mr. W. Abraham, miners' representative, Rhondda Valley,
writes :

"There can be no doubt it is most desirable to get
rid of, or to reduce as much as possible, the duties
laid by foreign countries upon articles of British
production, and it. is quite right for those inter-
ested in any special branch of industry to use all their
efforts to bring such reduction to pass. But how is
this to be done? There are two ways to choose between '
—either we must trust to persuasion and endeavour
to prove to foreign Governments that it is for their
real interest to follow the lead of England in adopting
free imports, or we must try the force of hostile and
retaliatory duties of our own. It seems to me that we
cannot very well adopt both these courses at once. If
we preach to foreigners that it is for the advantage of
every country to reduce or abolish protective duties,
we must show w& believe in our own preaching, and I
think we should very much diminish its effects by
coupling it with measures on our own part precisely
analogous to those which we are telling our neigh-
bours are unwise and injurious: If, en the other
hand, we are convinced a protective policy is a true
one, let us adopt it with our eyes open, and with
the assurance that we are taking it up as a
permanent system, and that it must be applied to
all branches of industry. I do not believe you.
can friliten other countries out of their protec-
tive duties. You must either persuade them out of
them or make up your minds to fight them, either, as
now, with free import, or, as of old, and as some still
wish, with hostile tariffs. lam not very competent
to advise, but I think there is still something to be
doe by negotiation, and I think you would do wel,l
to keep the matter under the attention of Govern-
ment. But do not take such an attitude as to give
foreigners the impression tnat they have got the best
of the bargain now, and that you are trying to turn
the scale against them. That is the way to make them
cling to their policy. And remember one thing more,
that if England gives up free trade the effect will be
that free trade will be knocked on the head, probably
for a generation."

Mr. Bright wNites as follows to Mr. Abraham, the miners'
representative in the Rhondda Valley :

- -
"I do not see what your friends can do to promote
the abolition of foreign import duties on British pro-
ductions. What can foreign workmen do to remove
any duties we impose on foreign products, say on wine
or tobacco, or tea, or.coffee ? We. can only keep our
own tariff as free as we can, and live in the hope that
foreign nations will in time find it their interest
to reduce their tariff. I fear one nation can
do little for another in matters of this kind.
The military system and exaation of Euro•
pean Governments demand high taxes to sustain
them, and high taxation is most easily raised by cus-
toms duties, and by the customs duties protection is
offered to and conferred upon manufacturers, who are
therefore rendered more patient nnder high taxation.
In America the high tariff comes from the great
Civil War. When this debt Is greatly reduced, and
their taxation becomes much less, they will make the
tariff more moderate, and will by degrees approach
Free Trade. We can best contend against the pro-
tection tariffs of foreign countries by adhering faith-
fully to Free Trade principles in our own tariff."

On the above subject the Marquis of Sali bury has also
written : •
" There can be no doubt that serious injury is inflicted
on the trade of the country by the heavy duties which
so many foreign countries levy upon the products of
English industry. • If these duties could be removed a,
great stimulus would be given both to mines and manu-
factures. You would certainly do wisely to urge on the
Government the expediency of pressing the reduction or
abolition of these duties upon foreign Governments
whenever an opportunity presents itself of doing so. The
chances of success, however, are not very great, unless
some considerable change khould take place in the
commercial principles by which foreign Governments
are guided. They are unwilling to make redurttions
in duty unless we are able to offer corresponding re-
ductions, trid this in the present state of the tariff
we have scarcely an opp ortunity of doing."