The Hawaiian gazette., 1870-03-09
Free Trade VS.. Protection in France

The ten years commercial convention between
England and France of which the late Mr. Golden
and NJ. Michel Chevaer were the chief negotatsrs,
approaches its term Of completion. After 1870 the
treaty becomes terminable by years notice from
either side and powerful agitation is at present GO
ing forward in France, by party for its renewal,
and by another for its abrogation. The northern
provinces Of Flanders, Alsace and Normandy, repre-
sented by their industrial centres Of Lille and Rouen
embody the PrOtectionist side Of the descussion
while Bordeaux, Lyons, Marseilles, and to some ex
tent Paris speak on behalf Of the Free Trade Party in
the Southern and Central Departments The Com
mission to which the Government has delegated the
task Of examining the question, suspected by the dis
contented manufacturers 20 be mere device for in
definitely postponment action upon it, and they
at present demanding thaitbe inquiry shall be OF par
liamentary not Of an administrative origin. Keep
ing clear of the mass Of contradictory figures which
the heat of discussion has evoked, we may present
brief resume of the both sides in so far 1t
is borne out by official and unehalicnged reports.
The complaints Of the Protectionists relate chiefly
TO four or FIVE branches Of national industry, and
their position will be best understood by selecting
of these for examination. The fbres Of fax and
hemp are well-known products Of France. and at a
very carly period of her history their manufacture
tered largey into the domestic empoyments Of the peo
pie and laid the foundation Of hattaste whehhas made
their consumption Of linen goods more extensive than
that of any other nation in Europe The patronage
Of the First Empire stimulated Frenchman named
Grard to originate invention for applying machin
cry to the spinning of these fbres. With the fall Of
Napoleon the Development of the new industry was
arrested. The invention taken up in England
and readily perfected Linen products rigidy
protected that foreign competition was excluded,
while the export Of the newly adapted machines was
forbidden under very heavy penalties The French
manufacturer was unable to abtain from succeeding
Governments anything but very partial protection.
50 that the growth of the trade SLOW and difficult
When the treaty Of 1860 came into operation its pros
perity was but partially secured, and the adverse
effect Of foreign competition was quickly felt
During the frat year the imports Of linen yarns from
England had increased fourfod, and during the Sc
cond was nearly six times the am"unt it had been
previously while in 1857 the f-rr.n competitor sue
ceeded in introducing 600 kil Tammes, against
the IL 600 with which he had started in 1880. For
reasons such As these, he-representatves Of this
branch Of trade demand that more protective ten
dency should be given to existing tariffs having
gard the respective Of the two countries
and to the future Of branch Of commerce which is
lone of the farest flowers Of the industrial Of
France" -l.t-H -t-lt H ~
The Free Traders, on the other hand. assert that
the alleged losses to French commerce have been Of
local and partial character, while the gain to the
whole eonntry has been enormous The population
engaged in the four or i've trades who complain, Is
stated to be only One-sixth Of the entire nation Ly
comes forward with statistics to show that her ex