The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-10
FREE TRADE ENGLAND.
THE RUIN THE SYSTEM IS WORKING
Among the wool.n aarut.etur.rs tthlt countrJ.
The Beauties Of Oar Tight rarin and the
Wisdom OF Its Framsn-Ihs PI.x aad
Linen Trade Nearly Frustrated.

Wisdom OF Its RrSmtrE-lhs FAX aAa
Linen Trade Nearly Frustrated.
WASHINGTON, D. O., September s.-U. s
: Consul Dockery, at Leeds, writes to th'
} Department OF State as follows: From
what l have been able to learn believe
the tariff will prove disastrous to the chic
industry Of my district-the woolen trade
, During the agitation which preceded the
enactment Of this tariff law it was antiei'
pated here that a more liberal schedule d
duties would be adopted, and the hope oi
manufacturers were accordingly only raised
for the moment, as 1t were, for they now
find themselves face to face with little or
no demand for their wares and the com-
plants in consequence increase daily. It
was for q little while thought that light
woolen goods OF a low class would benefit
materially by the new arrangement, but
on q strict analysis even this expectation
is evidently not to be realized. And it is
a matter OF congratulati0n, not only to the
trainers OF the tariff, who displayed so
much wisdom, but also 10 American artisans
and the American people generally, that
there should be left no loop-hole through
which any class oi wooden goods can enter
fraudulently. am led thus to speak, be.
cause have bad complaints preferred
against the change in the tariff which
Taakes woolens liable to an ad valorem
duty and also varying specific duty per
pound weight according to the value per
yard, there is here objection 10 any and
every sort Of duty levied by any other
nation than Great Britain. From my
knowledge Of the trade here, its exigencies
and straits, 1t is well that 60 much fore
thought was displayed. Indeed, the grati-
tude Of every laborer, artisan, and capital
ist connected in any manner With the
woolen industry OF the United States, as
also OF the nation at large, on account OF
the protection to revenue, is due 10 those
who had the wisdom to frame the tariff on
woolens. Thus far there is considerable
falling off in the export OF woolens from
this consular district to the United States.
THE wooLEN TRADE.
The wooden trade Of the district is in a
very depressed condition. 1t has been so
for long while. There is no money to be
made in It now, nor has any been made Tor
the past ten years. Iamtold nearly every
day by respectable men as to the condi-
tion oi the woolen trade. was told this
day as to the serious state OF affairs at
Dewsbury, where the mills used to run
hall their time to supply the American de-
mand alone, subsequently for the coni-
mental trade, but are now reduced to un.
profitable competition with others IN tue
home trade, with the lowest scale ot living
wages, and consequently work people leay.
ing in large numbers for America and Gam
ada, loss OF money to owners, warehouses
uplet, and property decreasing in value at
an alarming rate. Some capitalists have
also recently gone from there to the United
States to start in the manufacture OF
woolen goods. The tariff OF first one
been raised has produced this
unwholsome effect upon theI
woolen trade which formerly had hold
in Germany, Austria, Spain, France, and
Italy, whereas now there Is very poor
trade with thaSe countries. Still the ship |
pers manage to keep going on, losing
money ior long while, and Of course
much OF the money lost is not their own.
Only few days ago a cloth firm in Leeds
suspended, and have now heard that
they attribute their suspension 10 the
Italian tariff, which occurred about eight
wears ago. In fact % cents on the dollar |
Is reckoned pretty fair dividend now to
creditors, unless they should be able 10
wind upths estate without the aid of q
solicitor. s4
BECOMING BELLIfEREST.
Under this awful stagnacy there exists
a tendency to become belligerent, for, with|I
all the social and other attractions, the
one great ideal Of every Eaglishnan is
trade.
This belligerent interest is marshaled by
those otherwise not very pulssant bodies,
the Chambers OF Commerce, whose not IA
nous achievements so much as their ex.
travagant copceis are enough to alarm all
the ciannish trades from engineer to tan:
ner, thereby causing such action as to dis
turb distant nations. Egypt has been sub-
iected, after q most fearful though painless
struggle, beginning with second Traial-
gar and ending With smother Waterloo, to
the dominion Of Manchester.
Now, apparently, New Guinea, In order,
OF course, that grievances should be re-
dressed, injuries removed, abuses correct
ed, and free trade established, Is to be an
nexed to England, and Manchester ia to
have the frst turn st supplying the abe
rigines OF that big country with girdle
ciotha. The commercial progress OF the
United States In Mexico az well as the
Frehch expedition to Toneutn and the
bombardment OF mud fort in Madagascar,
Ia al the same time viewed with great con.
cern by the commercial chambers in Eng
land.
THE FLAX. AND LINEN TRADE.
The fax and linen trade Of this district
will also be adversely affected by the new
tariff. A large Leeds manufacturer Of
linen yarns tsld me few days ago that he
had made his last shipment to the United
States, because the iramera ot the new
tariff. in affecting 10 lower the duty, had |
really increased 1t, at least 30 far as. his |
wares were concerned, 10 such an extent |
as TO stop further shipmens. The usual
price Of the yarns shipped by said firm Is |
sixpence per pound, and the duty in the |
old tariff was 33t per cent, whereas in the |
new tariff It is 40 per cent ad valorem. |
Therefore the increase in the duty amounts |
al the foregoing valuation to cent per
pound, and when it is known that this sddi-
tionaI cent stops expoFtati0n, 1t will be
seen what email margin has hitherto |
been available for profit In this trade. I
am told that should makers be enabled |
through any cause to turn out linen yarn
Al say sd. per pound, they would then |
again ship their goods to the United
States.
gEARSo on FREE TRADE.
This seems % me to have some
bearing upon free trade, which was de.
batable subject nearly forty years ago, but
it ia needless to pursue 1t further than TO
...n,l, chat tho nnlv nnDaPank unv IN