Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-15

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ENGLAND Won't Give up the Ship.
There aIe signs OF reaction from the gen.
eral feeling OF encouragement in England on
account of the great depression In trade
and the bad crops; or rather there are in
dications of a disposition to encourage more
hopeful view OF the situation. Thus the cur
rent number of the Westminster Reriem has an
elaborate article upon free-trade and foreign
competition, designed to show that old England
Is not going to the dogs after all; and that she
has tided over much worse difficulties. A con-
siderable portion Of this article Is devoted to
the REPUTATION OF the argument just now
brought forward in that country, that
the depression In business Is due to free-trade,
and that the remedy Is return to protective
tariff or tariff OF reciprocity. This demand for
defensive tariff is specially made against the
United ST ates, because this country used to
buy good deal from England, but now levies
such heavy duties that the English manufac-
tuners are now practically shut out OF our mar
kets. To make matters worse, the Americans
are absolutely sending goods to England to
compete on their own ground. The reciproci-
tarians say 1t would surely be but fair to levy a
NNey OA WAdt OHC ADiCilColS oCilu tuClc. III ID
pointed out, however, that the United States
send very few manufactured goods, the exports
being mainly food and raw material The
only way In which they could effectually touch
America would be by putting duty either on
corn or cotton, but to do this would be perfect
madness. They must have cheap food and
cheap cotton in order to maintain their manu-
featuring facilities. The review proceeds to
argue that there Is no real occasion to dread
foreign competition that In the past this gaunt
old specter has been continually brought out to
brighten the ttmid, and 1T was perpetually being
asserted that In this or that particular trade
England's days OF prosperity were numbered
Twenty years ago 1t was the machinery trade
that was In danger. Schneider supplied some
locomotives for English railroads. but declined to
duplicate the orders at the price. Then it was
the ship building trade that was forsaking
them. Ship yards on the Thames were
closed; but the fact was iron ships were sup
planting wooden ones, and ship builders on the
Clyde and the Tyne near the coal and iron
fields, were able to outstrip their rivals but the
trade had not left the country. Belgian coal
was once advertised In London, but none ever
come. The arrival of ship load OF American
bar iron at Liverpool had been noticed by every
newspaper In the country, but no second lot
ever arrived. Now the cry Is against Belgian
iron, French wollens, and American calico and
hardware. These scare crows would speedily
disappear In turn. So OF the assertion
that the Americans are beating them In
the cotton trade, not only in neutral
markets but In England, at the very
doors of their factories. The facts were
that last year the value of their import OF cot
ton yarn and cotton goods from all parts ar vhe
world was SIC, 1000, 600, while thelr~H6ports were
$4,000 1000. During the last two years they had
exported more cotton goe0s than they had ever
zone In ar preE.aas two years, while the value
Gene cotton goods exported by the United
States never, until last year, reached the
amount OF 1869. That the Americans have no
chance with them In the open markets Of the
world In the cotton trade was evident from the
fact that, In spite Of their heavy protective
duties, they import more manufactured cotton
goods than they export.
Again it Is claimed that the reason why some
articles Of American manufacture have been
sold lately to some extent In England, Is be-
cause the American manufacturers have been
obliged to sell at any sacrifice, and sent their
goods to England as the wealthiest country In
the world, where money can always be got for
goods If the vendor will let them go cheap
enough. Then again, 1t Is the common,
cheap kind Of articles that are imported
there,-t common piece goods In the cotton
trade, and the cheap clocks and watches in
those wares.
Still the review admits that the British man
ufacturer must apply more honesty to some Of
his work; "the manufacture of heavily-sized
cotton goods, cast-iIon scissors, and goods of
that character must be discountenanced" 1t
says. Also, they must encourage Inventions:
''the Americans are an ingenious and an 1nven.
tive people, but they have no monopoly of
ability" The nation must be sober and honest,
Is the lesson read, and 1t is declared that the
Drinking customs OF England are the greatest
rock ahead, not only morally and socially, but
commercially. The expenditure Of nearly
$s5o,000,GoO year On intoxicating liquors
consumes the savings of the people
and leaves them unable to cope with a time of
depression. These drinking customs not only
waste health and time, but deteriorate strength,
dexter1ty and judgment, and the review says If
they mean to maintain their position before
the world they must "turn their backs upon the
liquor trade" A reform of the land laws,
snow only question OF time,'' is pointed out
In conclusion as one OF the additional needs for
return OF prosperity to England.