New-York tribune., 1873-07-26
FREE TRADE ISSUES.
WOULD FREE TRADE PRoTECTi

SIR: 1t is very natural that the people oi the
United States, before adopting the pohcy OF rroe
Trade should wish TO be well satisfied OF the ehectS
which would follow the abandonment of Protection
End Protectionists pretty wei agreed as to the con-
SEQUENCES viz: destruction Of profits in many
branches Of the manufacturing trades, excessive I'M
portations, and financial conyulsions. Nor can L
| think these apprehensions altogether irrational. "A
view it. the patient has for n long time been feed
ing on pOisons and il is but natural to suppose that
a sudden change of diet 10 antidotes might produce
some commotion in his stomach. On the other hand'
there exists among the Free Traders great diver
sty Of views to what would be the result of sub
stitutng in this country the present tariff OF Great
Britain for that now in force. name the tarh or
Great Britain because it Is admitted 70 be the closest
approach to a Free Trade tariff that Is possible for
nations blessed with great national debts aud ex-
pensive Governments.
Mr. David A. Wells seems 10 be Of the opinion that
the adoption of a Free Trade policy would enable
the United States to manufacture so cheaply tor
themselves that they would no longer afford pront-
able market for British manufactures. quote from
his latest speech at the Golden Club dinner:
L can conceive of no higher proof Of tho purify
and disnterestedness OF motives on the part oi te
economists of Great Britain, in Advocating inc un-
restricted extension of the principles OF rec Iradey
than the fact that the Of their policy would
at once so far diminish the cost Of production and
| transportation in the United States As to deprive
Great Britain Of her present largest and most proAt-
able market"
Mr.. William NJ. Grosvenor is Of the same opinion,
having as | am informed, written an elaborate work
to prove that Protection does not Protect the in
! ference being that Free Trade would protect The
opinions Of Messrs. Wells and Grosyenor are not
those of the parties most deeply interested in the
question. The English manufacturer in the
abolition Of protective duties great extension Of
| the market for his products. The NewYoTk importer
sees in such change an increase In the mpOrtatiOns
| of manufactured goods. The American manufac-
turer sees in it long and desperate struggle not,
perhaps for the existence Of manufacturing in Amer
| ica but for his own existence as a manufacturer.
These are the three classes having direct pecuni-
ary interest in the matter at Issue, and we see that
their decision is unanimous against MessIs. Wells
! and GrosvenOr
The tables of the Trade and Navigation Of the Do.
minion of Canada may be prohtably consulted for
light on this question. The revenue tariff OF Canada
falls between the Free Trade tariff of Great
Britain and the Protective tariff of the United
States, much more nearly approaching the former
! than the latter. Canada may be considered, geo
graphically little inaccessible 10 the British
manufacturer than the United States, the st. Law
renee River being dangerous to navigate, and abb
solutely closed in the Winter months. The popula-
| ton of Canada is about Onc-tenth part OF
! the population of that portion Of the United
! States lying east Of the Mississippi aud Mis-
! souri, Rivers. We have to inquire
whether the liberal tariff Of Canada has been more
favorable to the growth of manufactures than the
restrictive tariff Of the United States. The fact viii
appear from the exports and imports Of the Domin-
ion of manufactured goods as compared with those
| of the United States.
Asto the exports The total value Of the exports
| of manufactured goods, of the produce oi the Do.
minion for the year ended June 30, 1872, Is s,3s95,
out of total of S6iOOO,43j. This is less than the
proportion Of manufactures exported by the United
States The chief manufactured article exported IS
! sugar boxes, value $j60,1lS; the next sewing ma
chimes value S227,GG4 the next spiriuous liquors,
value S20O3O9 No other single class OF manufac-
tured articles is exported to the value of 100000.
Those falling between 100000 and 100000 are ex-
! tract of hemlock bark, gypsum and lime iron and
hardware, leather and wood As far as exports are
concerned the comparison is obviously in favor OK
| the United States.
As to the imports. The total value of the imports
for the year 1912 $lO7 7O9,ll6 Including only
articles entered for consumption, being more than
onesixth the corresponding quantity for the United
States. The aggregate of the duties collected was
Sl30fj i94 or less than 12 per cent, against 30 pei
cent collected by the United States in the same year.
The value of cotton manufactures Of all kinds ims
/
cent duty. The same proportion per capita would
have given the United States east Of the Mississippi
and Missouri Rivers, over SlO0OOOOOO, whereas the
actual importation was SS5,SO7,47, being less than
six per cent of the total imports, while the Canadian
proportion is about 10 per cent The Canadian I'm
ports of wOOlcns and worsteds paying ID per cent
duty and including carpets and shawls, were Sl2,-
450252; those of the United States, Sj2fC54n the
Canadian proportion being II per cent Of the total i'm
ports and that Of the United States less than nine.
The Canadian imports Of iron and steel, and
manufactures Of iron and steel paying an average
duty Of less than 10 per cent to the value Of
S1396OSJ1 those of the United States, S55j4J,lSS.
Had the United States imported iron Ia the same
proportion per capita Canada, they would have
taken to the value of Slj0,O000J0. The consumption
of iron per capita is undoubtedly greater ia the
United States than in Canada.
In regard to the natural facilities of Canada for
the development of manufactures l am thoroughly
informed. For working up cotton and wool l cannot
imagine why she is not as favorably situated as
Maine and New Hampshire, especially for making
cloth for the home market. Neither should | say
that she was at a disadvantage as regards iron.
There are several large blast furnaces in this State
along Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Can
ada borders on the iron region of Lake Superior is
well supplied with wood for the manufacture of
charcoal can obtain bituminous coal from Cleveland
as cheap the New-Iork furnaces can get antsra-
cite and can obtain ore from the same source.
1t appears that the more liberal tariff OF Canada,
while powerless, as that of the United States TO
build up an export trade in manufactures in 4 new
country where labor is dear equally fails to protect
the Canadian manufacturer from the competition of
his English rival The inference seems clear enough
that immediate reduction Of the United States