New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-09-02
On another page will be found translation We

have made from the correspondence of a German
weekly paper published in this city, presenting an
account of the cost aud operations Of Prussian Rail
roads, with some correlatve matter regarding the
improvements of the moral and material condition
of the Pfussian people. We present this more as
az evidence of the growth of Prussia under the
generous Influences Of the ZOllverein and the con.
sequent value of her Protective Policy against the
rayages of British Free Trade, than as an expose
simply of Prussian progress; though in either light
it is deserving of consideration. Exemplary heed
should be given to such statements by those who
have assumed the responsibility of legislators, and
above all by that greater power-pubicists, ecOno-
mists-whc, though they do not "talk on their
legs" ard are unknown to the mob, are verltsby
the law. makers, being the sources whence states
men derive for good or for evil their ideas Of policy.
Certain it is that Prussia, like the whole of Ger.
many subject to the Zollverein, or German Indus
trial League-offers a crushing commentary on the
falaces of that perniciou, system of British Free
Trade which has cloeged the wheels of our liberal
progress, which keeps the South in the poverties of
political spasm, and the North aud South divided
and reciprocslIy hostile. With every natural rea-
son for prospecting morally, materially and polti-
caly our system wants vitality and force, because
the South and her Northern dupes have made sue
eessful war upon every measure which goes to
raise the wages of the laborng man by an alcom-
prehsnsive system Of Protection to Native In
dusty.
The history of Prussia and her present Protec-
tionst coadjutors may most prOftaby be considered
in exempfcation of the political salvation con-
tanned in Protective system. She was the chef
sufferer by the Thirty Years War. Her mAinstay
Of manufactures-that Of cloths in the Mark Of
Brandelburg-w then nearly destroyed; aud the
manufacturers having generally emgrated to SaIony,
English Free Trade as early a, that time over
slaughtd Prussian industry. But the revocation of
the Edct of Nantes, and the persecution Of the Pro-
testants in the Pa!atinate and in the Bishopric of
Salzburg, e1ed hosts Of skilfu artisans and cult
vators. From France it is estimated that quarter
or one-ffth of her choicest worknen were driven
out This was happy fact for Prussia, for her
Elector opened wide the gate, of national hospitality
The Great Frederic thought that superlative china
ware could be made at POtsdam as well as
elsew here, and generaized this principle of indus
try in its application to the nations veal. OF
course, at that time there were ERRORS 10 his po
litcsl economy; but the basis was right, and the
foundation Of the greatness of Prussia was then
laid. Germany otherwise was under Free Trade,
and had been so for centuries-in other words
foreign n ar ufactured articles could be introduced
into Germany without recprocation on the part of
the foreigners. The Continental system, by the eX
clusion of English goods, gave grand impulse to
German industry; but at the Peace the competition
Of England with Germany commenced. The old
Prusslan tariff mean while, had been altered by the
heorizing bureaucracy, and poisoned with tae falla
les of British Free Trade. But general ruin accru
DC among the manufacturers Of the Lower Rhine
uder these Influences, and the people there de-
iriDc TO be resDnexed TO France, the Prussi.n
bureaucracy could not be needless Of such suffering
Besides, the English statesmen did not then hesi-
tate 10 declare their desire to e1terminate the
utactures of other nations. Mr. Brougham, After
ward Lord Brougham, so spoke in 1915 Of the
manufactures of the United States, urged, as he
said, into premature life by the American war Of
Isl2: and Mr.. Hume desired "tha; the manuac.
"ture, of the Continent should be strauged in the
"crade." More brutal selhshness cannot be cited,
but III ever has been and is the policy of tae
British Free. Traders. Prassis, under this press
ure. revised her tariff in 1873. According to List,
this Tariff was much more moderate in its duties
"tlan those of England and France as it should
"ha,e teen for the object was not 70 pass by do
"srees fem the prohibi,ive to the protective sys-
Item. but from what is called Free Trade to Pro-
LECTION Another eminent merit Of that tariff
considered ne q whole was that the duties were
" chiefly ,reci6c, accordisg to the weight, and no
lad rolo,tn." No union at that time existed be-
tseen the German States, each bavipg its local
Custom House. Bot IN 1919 frpssia arranged