The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23

ment are this year OF uncommon interest;
and they are so because Secretary Evarts,
with an appreciation of the country's wants
for which he deserves gratitude, has set our
diplomatists to the useful task Of telling
their chief what can be done to build up
our foreign trade.
The documents which accompany the
recent special message to Congress on the
South American trade are very instructive
and deserve the careful study Of our law
makers rs we'll as of merchants and manu-
facturers who can influence members of
Congress. A Washington despatch in
another column gives some extracts from
these reports which will lead many readers
to wonder that the President, in send
| ing them in to Congress, did not more
pointedly show their real Importance, and
make some distinct and particular recon-
mendations, based upon the suggestions
they contain There is no doubt that our
foreign trade is increasing but it is also
true that it needs to be very largely in
creased before it will be commensurate with
the wants OF the country and equal to that
| disposal in foreign markets of our surplus
manufactures on which our real prosperity
| will depend. But to attain these proper
| tions we need not exactly legislation, in
the sense Of new laws, but the repeal or
modification of a good many injurious re-
strictive laws, which not merely cumher
| the statute books, but, far worse, check and
limit all attempts to re-establish American
commerce on the scale which once made
this branch of our industry the pride and
glory of every American. 1t is surpris-
ing to US that Mr.. Evarts. having the
intelligent apprehension Of his country's
wants which has led him to secure mass
Of very important information from con-
sular and diplomatic agents concerning the
trade Of the world, has contented himself
with hinging it at the heads of Congress,
without such State paper Of recommends
tons as must, had he prepared it, have
! taken rank as one Of the most important
public documents of the time, and could
not have failed to be fruitful of good re-
suits.
The commercial intercourse of the world
is undergoing at this time profound, and
to US extremely interesting and important,
change. European nations, not excepting
England, oppressed by vast national debts
and with more or less disorder in their
finances and their industries, needing in
creased revenues and unable to increase
their local taxation, are preparing to increase
largely their duties on imports One Of
our most intelligent diplomatists, Mr.. Kas-
son, Minister at Vienna, wrote to the State
Department on this subject year ago.
''As far as my observation extends the Eu-
ropean governments (continentaD are very
generally reviewing all their commercial
relations and interests in the sense Of self
protection"
In q subsequent despatch March of the
present year, he adds -
In former communication advised you that this
not the tendency OF Austria alone. Other CONT
mental nations are drifting in the direction.
Many European commercial treaties expiring. In
deed it seemsto that all Europe is entering upon
| what may be styled of national selhshness
both in its political and commercial relations Every
government in its political relations with others, and
especially in connection with the Eastern question,
fills the air with the assevcraton. not formerly of
maintaining old treaties the balance Of power"
but Of the resolution to protect its interests.
Whether in England. Austria. Italy. France or Ger
int There re y s IN
lister the Continent whose declarations have fallen
under my observation. who does not take this ground
when speaking OF new commercial treaties, OF
adjustments Of tariffs.
He cites some examples for which we have
not space 1t is sufficient for our purposes
now to call attention to this-one of the
most important changes which can happen,
affecting the worlds commerce and our own.
Europe is returning to the policy of s.pro-
lection to home industry" which means the
exclusion of foreign competition. High
tariffs in each State are to shut out foreign
manufactures. Evidently this means also,
that our own will be shut out. The ques-
ton which American statesmen have to con-
slider is, How will this affect our industries,
and what is open for us to do to protect our
selves against loss or, rather, to increase
our profits? Surely no more important or
more interesting problem could be pro-
posed for our public men if they were ca
pable of solving it, or even Of giving it the
sustained and earnest attention which it
deserves. We can at this time consider only
one or two of its most evident elements.
In the first place, however high the GUS
toms duties in European States may be,
these must perforce continue to be our Gus
toners for great many of our natural prod
ucts Cotton, grain Of different kinds,
beef and pork, petroleum, cheese, &c,
they must buy Of us if they lay higher
duties on these this will be only at the loss
Of their own people.
Our manufactures they may successfully
exclude, and probably will. Wherever we
are found to compete with them they will
make that competition difficult, If not i'm
possible. What, then, remains to US?
We are very fortunate-if only we use
our opportunities. South of US we
have Mexico. Central and South America,
multitude Of States, with large and in