New-York tribune., 1879-03-01
BISMARCK AID IRON.


English moralists have much to say about
the decline of BismMck's prestige in the
Fitbcrland. Ever since he startled friend
and foe by submitting to the Federal Council
his ProtcctIouist memorandum on the GUS
toms policy, the lImentltious Of his critics.
who Iook at the economic conditions of the
wolld through their Free Trade spcciaclcs,
have been especially luguhriouS The stale
Joke that he understands every country III
Emopc except Germany, Ia, been revived and
his political downfall has been predicted with
jlI-couccalcd satisfaction. 1t cannot be denied
thai the tendencies of his rcpre5slye measures
acain,t Socialism, and especially his recent
bill restricting the privileges of debate in
Parliament, are exceedingly dangerous. but
the transition in his views concerning the
tariff and internal taxation should cause
neither surprise nor alarm. He has been all
things to all men on nearly every question of
domestic legislation, and has used one pOliti-
cal faction against another whenever it
.eIycd hls purpose. To borrow one of his
rovoritc proverbs he believes that any stick
i GOOD enough to beat dog with.
When one cxpedicnt fails he tries another,
and when hp is compelled to face about and
advocate the very policy which he has been
dcuoancing he never loses his sclf-pos,eSsion.
II is prepOstcrouS to suppose that the man of
blood and iron is now gong to the wall
merely because ho has reversed his notions
about pig-iTon.
The conversion of the German Chancellor
from Free Trade to Protection may be at
tIibutcd in large measure to the deficit in the
InDcrlal budget. which has been increasing
from wear to year. He has proposed one scheme
Of domestic policy after another without swell
ing the revenues or alfOrding any lasting relief
to the afflicted Fdthcrand. \ radical change
in the monetary system has not restored
prosperity. The proposition FOR the pur-
chase of the railroads came to nothing,
and the tobacco monopoly has recently been
condemned by one of his own commissions.
The French miliardS have been like water
noured npon the sand; they have gone 10
waste; the nation has not grown rich the
working classes are dlscontcnted and restless.
Bismarck Is an lmpulsiye statesman, who can
NOT wait long for results lie brdcvcs IN ear
rving on government at high pressure.
and i ready to reverse the engines at
a moment, notice. He soon loses faith
in a policy which docs not worG well. Ger
many has not prospcrcd under Free Trade
and. accordingly, hc Is now advocating the
adoption of thorough Protection policy. He
estimates that the revenues of the Empire
can be increased by about $17,5O0,O0O, if
the tariff and taxation laws are revised. He
NAV find it difficult to convince a majority Of
the Parliament that he Is n2ht, but it does
not follow that he is wrong, either in his
fact, or in ms theory.
1t can be proved, for example. by the ag-
grcgate accounts of thirty-twO of the largest
companies, that the business of ronmahIn,
ha, brcomca source of rumous loss In Germany
where no dutic, whatever are levied on i'm
port, of pig or wrought iron. The English
Free Trader will reply that the iron trade IN
Germany Is suffering from the same cause as
that of Great BIitan-uamcly, Oycrproduction :;
and that no tllii duties, however high will
protect this industry from tins necessary evil.
The Protcctjonlst will remark that Germany
il not England and the Free Trader will re-
ioin that if 1t is not 1t ought to be. This
last answer. however, Is not 50 conclusive but
that American PrOtcctionists viii be glad to
have Bismarck succeed IN carrying out his
new policy. What Germany has needed above