The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-05-31
ENGLAND AND TARIFFS.

New York World by its London correspond
ent, it would appear that England is becom-
ing alarmed at the new French. tariff and
threatens retaliatory measures: "When Rich-
ard Golden was appointed Plenipotentiary TO
negotiate a treaty of with France
in 1850, it was prophesied by English states
men, and particularly by those who had
fought with Golden and Bright in the strus-
gle against the Corn Laws, thai the free-trade
millennium was at hand. Twenty years have
passed and France not only remains uncon-
verted, but ~cleaves TO her idols with a stub
bornness that almost makes Manchester de-
spair. The proposed alterations in the
French tariff have created something like
CONSERVATION in the commercial and manu-
featuring centres. The new system, if put
into operation, will have the effect of shut
ting out many If the most important descrip-
tons Of English goods; and the trouble is
| that England conceded France so much in
the Golden treaty that she has nothing left
for use as a lever to compel the republic to
treat her manufactures with some degree OF
consideration. just now times are terribly
dull in the northern towns. Americans who
have travelled through Yorkshire and Lam
cashile will remember that the Lancashire
and Yorkshire ant. AtIdland railroads tra9-
erse a perfect hive of industry, but the hum
for some time past has been "minously faint.
At Leeds the wOolen trade is suffering severe
ly, and Bradford is even in a worse plight.
lle iron trade is also affected, the Belgian
and German FORCES being formidable COM
p~etito-s; and at Nottingham, Birmingham,
Coventry and other places further south the
staguatinn is very marked. You can we'll
understand, therefore, that the new French
duties are regarded with alarm, more espec.
tally as English exports to The United States
show a steady falling off in consequence Of
your plofibitory tariff. 1t has become clear
to politicians of both parties, the extreme
doctrinaireS Of course excepted, that unless
something is done and done quickly English
trade viii he seriously if not permanently
injured. The advocates Of a retaliatoHy pol
icy of "reciprocity Of tariffs" as 1t has been
aptly defined, are making great headway
among the manufacturers and artisans, and
know Us a matter of fact that Influential poll
ticians who not many years ago would have
scofed at tie idea of returning to the system
of protection are now talking of clap
ping ii duly Of twenty five per cent.
on French wires and Of fifty per cent. on
French silks. The correspondence between
Lord Granville and NJ. Chailemel-LaCnur,
I Ern,oJ 4 ~, iurenS,, 1,a,., r,lotsuo ~, tln pp,,,
merclal treaty, is published. NJ. Chailemel-
Lacour uniforms the Foreign Secretary, that
he thinks unnecessary excitement prevailed
in England in regard to tie changes in the
French tariff. France, he says, intends to
abolish ad valolem duties, but she desires
and inteuQS to replace them by the direct
equivalent amount in specific duties. Lord
Granville replies that it VIII afford much sat-
~isfacLion to England to learn that France
does not contemplate a departure from the
status quo. NJ. Challemel-Lacour's assur-
ance, however, depends entirely on the ne-o-
~tiations IF a gcw treaty, which is doubtful.
Under tlr ,.neral tariff not modified by
Treaty lie status quo wiz certainly not be
maiutaiNrl.
The Liberal chiefs, consctpuously Mr..
Bright, have 10 patience with the retaIiat0ry
programme, which they say, and with good
reason, would be q practical surrender to The
Proteclionists. Bet this heroic attitud3 does
not cOInmeUd itself to The mechanic who is
ont Of wnrk, or 10 Ills employer, who sees lis
aunuAl ontput continually decreasing, and
you may rest assured Chat il The French Gov,
ernment persists in its present designs there
will be all cutlery for Ieprisa!s such as nc
government eau Withstand &.d live. l. IS
no,rrtnus that the Engl!sh silk and sugar
trades iIAYe been ruined by France, and it is
aston s4ing how W Il the grievances Of the
Cuv"It"y 81 ll,Wc&yer ana the Clyde reiine1
is uIGersgooI by he working classes. One.
Sid8 free trade seems to be doomed. A
stanIa"l argument at workingmen's clubs
and Institutes is that England can 10 more
contend against rivals who are excluding
her goods than she could hope to thrash then
by dislaGdna% her army and navy. An active
aglt4,io}. on titis question may be looked tol
turing the SUMMER