The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-20
FAIR TRADERS.

A League under the above name has been
formed in England and at a recent election
in North Durham scored a second triumph IN
electing a representative to Parliament. rms
development of strength has directed the at
tention of American economists to a closer
scrutiny of their principles or platform and
elected considerable discussion thereon.
From a circular which the promoters OF the
League have lately issued it appears they are
convinced of the practical failure of the So
called free trade Of the United Kingdom,
which consists of the free admission of for
eign manufactures and food pro 'ucts, not
withstanding the exclusion Of British manu-
features from foreign States, through the OPP
Grafton of heavy and, in some instances, pro-
hibitive tariffs. They hold that this refusal
Of foreign nations to receive British manu-
~fact,res in exchange for British purchases is
working injuriously to the welfare and pros
perity of the nation and endangering the
steady employment, fair wages and future
well-being of their laborlng classes. There
fore they have formed the League to promote,
by every means at their command, an extern
sion of trade with all countries and especial.
ly with the colonies and dependencies OF
Great Britain upon the principle o. reason
ably free interchange, and to agitate for
such fiscal readjustments as shall prevent the
products of foreign States, which refuse to
deal with Great Britain in fair trade, from
unduly competing with the products of home
labor.
Their platform enunciates several princi-
| pies among which are that there be no re-
newal of commercial treaties unless ter1nina-
BILE at a years. notice, so that no entangle-
men's of this kind may stand in the way OF
the country adopting such a fiscal policy as
its interests and the action of foreign nations
may render needful. Also that all raw ma
terials for home industries shall be imported
free of duty, in order that the country may
successfully compete in the sale of its manu-
features. and that adequate import duties be
levied upon the manufactures of foreign
states that refuse to receive British goods in
fair exchange. This import duty to be re
moved in the case OF any nation az teeing to
take British manufactures free of duty.
Furthermore, a very moderate duty to be i'm.
posed upon all foreign food products. the
same to be admitted free from all English
pared TO take home manufactures in reasona-
bly, fee Interchange.
While there may be no danger that the
discussion of the Far Traders policy in Eng
and may result in All immediate curtaiiment
of the expectation of American manufactures
and bread>tuffs to England the fact must
force itself upon the thinking mind that the
time is not far distant when the United
States must revise her tariff avs or be sluy
out from the enjoyment of her present lucra
tive trade with that nation. The present hard
times for British farmers and an embarrassed
and hating trade for the British merchants
are already arousing them to "a realizing sense
Of the disadvantages under which they labor
and a continuance of those disadvantages viii
unite them in a demand, which their Parlia
ment cannot resist, that a revision of their
free trade policy must be made. The eX.
treme prohioitionists of our own country are
already somewhat exercised over the fair
trade movement. They have occasion for I'm
easiness. In the years 1879 and so this coun
try exported nearly 1874 100000 worth Of
mercI audise, tighty-three per cent. of which
was in agricultural products. OF the whole
amount of the latter England has taken abou
$2OO,0OO,0 900 worth. In view Of this fact al
indiscrimlnating tariff IN favor of British col
onial grain growers would make a sad havO
Of American trade and finance. And shOult
a like discriminating tariff be imposed upol
American manufacturers the result would ~
such as to excite the gravest apprehension
concerning the result. The tar fl question i
likely to become very prominent i'll America
politics, and in its thorough discussion all,
understanding by the masses a revulsion c
popular sentiment in regard to it is Imminent
!, Hence the advocates Of a high protectiv
tai i'll are becoming alarmed and are walcl
. ing with more than ordinary interest the TAI
trade movement aToss the Atlantic.
2