The Portland daily press., 1881-05-11
The Tariff.
English Testimony to the Value of Our
Protective Policy.
Chicago Western Maautacturer.)

Chicago Western ManuiacturerJ
The following extract from business circu-
lar issued by Liverpool business house will
show that our English cousins have a correct
appreciation Of the benef is which this country
has derived from its protective policy. The
Liverpool circular says:
Then this country (England) has suffered
very severely of late years from the increased
stringency Of foreign tariffs. There has been
growing tendency in most countrie to pro-
tect their own industries, and in every such
case we are the chief sufferers for we live, as
already said, by exchanging our manufactures
for the necessaries of life. The United States
was at one time large customer for our IRON
ware and textile fabrics, but the hostile tariff
she has enforced since the civil war has nearly
driven US out OF her markets, and has built up
vast system OF manufactures, which COM
pletely supply her own wants and leave some-
thing to space for competition with us in for
egn markets. The free traders OF this country
console themselves by thinking that she is the
chief sufferer, bat, whether this be so or not
(Which is very doubtfuD, the fact remains that
her markets are almost lost to US, and we on
the other hand, are constantly more dependent
upon her for food and raw material. For this
we have no means of paying, except by money
or bonds, or indirectly by our credits with Chi
ma, Brazil and other countries, from which
America imports tea, coffee, sugar etc. Our
colonies all follow in the wake of the United
States, aud do :heir best to stimulate their own
manufactures by closing their markets against
US.
The countries of Europe, ON the other hand
aided by our best machinery and skilled labor,
which we have largely supplied. are becoming
more and more independent of as, and in those
cases where We can still undersell them are
raising their tariffs or threatening to do so, and
the last stroke in that direction Is exhibited by
Prince Bismarck's letter to the enlightened
German nation, wherein he boldly advocates
returning 10 protection; and We are given to
believe that legislation in that sense is pretty
sure to take place. The existence Of our trade
is therefore restricted to India and China and
such weak, semi-civilized countries as are in
some degree under our control, and no doubt
in these "open markets we can still hold our
ground; but unluckily, terrible famines have
wasted the resources OF both India and China of
late years, and we are still feeling their effects.
Here, then, are some of the reasons why
British manufacturers would have us discard
our system Of protection. Not that we do not
need protection, nor that protection does not
protect, but that it is hostile to the interests Of
British manufacturers, and that through its
influence we have builJ up a 'vast system Of
manufactures" which completely supplies our
own wants and leaves something to spare TO
competition with British manufacturers in for
eign countries. These are evidently strong
reasons why our English neighbors should de-.
sire the repeal of our protective tariff, but
are they not equally as strong reasons why the
people of this country should still desire to
keep it in force?
That protection is still necessary we have the
authority of another English writer, who, in
his own country, is considered the best author
ity on such subjects. This writer. in series
of articles OH "rhe Resources of Foreign Coun-
tries," recently published. speaking of this
country and its resources, says:
There is no use in denying the plain fact
that the states UNITED States) have succeeded,
by their high tariff policy in diverting a con-
siderable part Of the industrial energies OF the
community from the pursuits natural to and
most profitable in, q new country, to the high
ly artificial and, for Americans mostly very ex-
pensive industries of long settled and civilized
nations Were the sheltering tariff swept
away it is very questionable II any save few
special manufactures of certain kinds OF tools,
machinery and railway cars, and fancy goods,
and q few of the cruder manufactures, could
maintain their ground.
Thus we have the opinion from two differ
ent and distinct sources that our immense and
valuable manufacturing industries have been
stimulated and fostered to their present devel-
opment by our protective policy.