Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-10
PROTECTION VS.. FREE TRADE.
The Experiment In Turkey-Prcsident
Hamlin,s Views.

| lTluuue.l
remarked that till 1888 the policy of
Turkey, so far as it had any financial policy
was protective, and there were many indus
tries moderately prosperous. Had Mr.. Shear
man known anything about Turkish affairs,
he would have seen that the above phraseol.
ogy was chosen to avoid the necessity of ex.
planning condition Of things extremely uu-
like anything we are acquainted with. And
then does he not make himself slightly ride
ulous in saying positively that "the Turkish
tariff had remained unchanged, with regard
to British goods, for more than the last 400
years"
The readers OF the Tribune may be inter
esicd to know something of the character of
Turkish commerce, not "more than 400 years
old, but during the seventeenth and eight
zenith centuries. The Greek Empire fell in
1453, and for the remainder of the fifteenth
and during the sixteenth century there was
very little of English commerce with Turkey.
The ''capitulations' so often referred to in
Turkish history were at first privileges grant
ed to foreigners, and also to any one immi-
grating TO Constantinople. The design of
"Mehmct the Conqueror," in granting these
privileges was to build up his newly acquired
magnificent, but desolated capital. In time
foreigners began 10 claim these privileges
they were enlarged, added to, subtracted
from, and modified, and they have been a
centre of diplomacy between the Porte and
foreign nations, especially since the begin
ming of the seventeenth century. During the
early part of this century Sir John Aver, Sir
Thomas Rowe and Sir Peter Wyche were
English ambassadors 1t is evident from
their correspondence that nothing like reg
ular commercial treaty, as now under
stood, existed or could exist. Piracy was SO
common, and the taking of prisoners for
ransom that 1t was the chief subject of COM
plant. The Grand Admiral OF the Turkish
fleet was accused of pirating two English
vessels the only indemnity obtained was
the release of the aailors. Every merchant
vessel was armed like privateer, and it was
sometimes difficult after an engagement to
decide which was merchant and which was
pirate, or whether both parties we're not
about half and half.
The capituations or treaties were often
renewed aud modified but the Turkish sys-
TEN was such that it was of little consc-
quencc what per cent was authorized by
treaty. The Turks could easily change n 3
per cent to 80. The ways of doing this
were exceedingly vexatious and numerous.
First, by putting an enormous valuation
upon the goods; second, by unreasonable
charges for wharf dues, or for lighterage, for
portcragc, for opening, examining, closing,
guarding third, when taken from the Gus
| tom house for sale. pcr cent more on the
same valuation. with another cloud of
charges. Onbeins removed into the interior
| they were taxed anew at the confines of
every department or county. 1t was thus
impossible to get foreign goods into the in
terror. A port like Smyrna might be filled
with foreign goods, but they could not be
transported into the interior nor to other
pu ra r. T tnJ 5luu a ,i ao was
tury for Certain Turkish prodncts AZ dried
fruits, Silks mohair and .coloring and tanning
substances, etc., etc. But these all mad to pay
Dnr;rg oi tho ddimh,1son,i ,ho
no no,nnan,,r ~ onnnni, W ALL
Turk;sb co,nr,a,oa TO- oo,;na IN canosr,
and under ,bn drec,;on If sI;ifn, and awe
r;nnoaJ oi,;.'ss rs ;a,oianaiIo on;Is ~
so,no,vhot ,,,;,;an,aI snI ',o, ,Sa T,,,r;st
desnu,ism was nnbr,kcn IN Ills nrescnt ccn.
,nrp 7, ,va s' No rr,, vn,s, ''' liz, sor oil
tha co,s,,,S If n no., ,nJ al, tho tnros,rn nor
chants ,o bo arrop,ad on c J Of s,snanI;nr
or son,e o,her ;rro,nior;,v wa" anS hn,niI,, Snnd
IN onn occas;nn 10 sanr torc,,n ,ohas adors
,vore cont ,o tho Sava, rnyors ond iii ,ho
n,or1hnn,s ". ,.rr .n ,rd r,oI, =, r,av sonn0
naoh In,nno,,n,n,s ,,,rne,,ors az r ,ra NJ; u;,;
ers inns ,"d ,ho;r a,r,rs IL ,hosa aud al,
or ,,nvs tno nni;cn ~ ,ho anvornn,e " was
s,ronSlv w oa.ins, t6e inGux of for
e;am 'snods and J',;G,, roode-s oan coo ,rhv
I e. 90 nf ,ha Grnrlish roI;ou mo-, nf no
Tnrsish tariff pOe'' NV nav
|
Free Trade In Turkey.
In 1926. in consequence of the Greek rev.
o,,,i,, 49,, a. a,,,.'.-.,I ,.,,,,,o. - .,o 90,
oiu''on anu 'he clauscu coiui'ioh Vi 'hc en-
pire, the Smyrna Company was dissolved.
The Sultan Mahmoud leaned more and more
I,o ErrIiob and Er.roh s,n,o-, ord ,,o
w '.ppO' ""N Wv
administration OF government was III many
respects reformed. 1t was, however, the
introduction of steam navigation and III,
great increase of ENGLISH manufacture
that led to the removal of ali these re.
-. siriclions and the establishment of free trade
English goods Instead of waiting month nj
: the mouth of the Dardauclles could be pour
! ed directly into Constantinople. Goods of
small bulk and of large yaIue could AWAY,
: he denended unon almost 10 n dav il,
steam. The Pore was comne,led nv III,
mower and Influence of ENGLAND IN abolish
y the dn,ies for transnor,ation into The interior
Ad yalorem duties were changed on man,
6 kind of goods to snccifc the administrative
of The cnstoms mt nnder restrictions and ir
cases of irrppnaritv ambassadoriaI inter
ference was nromnt and no,ent
4 Tho peu svstan, ,,aJraII,, f,uch, Ito mo-
; into prncicsI efiicicncv aiibourb the TurI
had great mower of inertia AGAINST il Ir
. lhe course If n few vcars Mancbcs,er anC
2 other industries begon 10 manufacture ex.
. presslv for the Tnrkisb market and th,
j goods often at priccs r,linoysly low. bcpan tC
2 invade moi the seanorts alone Int ,be in
q terror markets The misery and distress
. Thai have followed are known IN The world
/ for the native industries disanpeared lust as
: they did in India. and similar noyertv AND
distress with occasional famines have FOL
Q lowed The Turkish Government could n,
i ]HN "'hS,. N'"A. 50