The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-06
FREE TRADE FANATICS
rAE GLORY oF ENGLAND DEPARTED
And the sesptsr Of Her Manufacturers Passed
AwAy-A Asaty Chapter on the Ruln Worked
In the Proud Realm BY q Stubborn Ad'
hsraaee to the Free Trade System.


From Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. G., January 5.--The
strongest argument for protective tariff
comes to-day from an Englishman, and
the American freetrader may learn volumes
by reading Joseph Hatton's statement OF
England's present condition in his new
book entitled "To.day. in America" II
Frank Hurd and Mike Hartee and the
thousand and one other satellites Of the
Golden Club in America would look
closely into the condition OF England to.
day they would cease holding it up as an
example Of the results Of their pet hobby.
Dir. Hatton's book is not political docu-
ment, but merely the comparison of a fair
minded Englishman OF England and
America. He praises the virtues and con.
demns the faults OF both countries, and
among other questions discusses the effect
that free trade Is having on England and
protection on the United States. He says
that thousands OF Engiishmen Of the think
ing class feel that free trade is running the
country, but they don't dare to look the
situation in the eye and ask for protection.
IPEHcr OF FREE TRADE ON BIRMINGHAM.
Birmingham is one Of the leading man
uiacturing towns OF England, and Mr..
Hatton paid visit to it to find what these
people thought about this subject He
found that this city, which used to ship
millions OF dollars worth OF her manufact-
ures to America, nov imports similar
goods from the United States. That the
hardware exports are steadily falling of.
and that the amount in 1872 was nearly
Sl0O,OO0,000 more than that OF 1877. That
America bought only 24,402 tons OF steel
In 1877 against A 900 tons in 1872, and that
the export Of railroad iron in 1876 bad fall
en- to less than one-half what it was four
years before. He shows by interviews
with leading manufacturers, some Of whom
are free traders, that there is a falling oil
Of millions ofdollars in nearly every arti-
Gle Of English make exported; that the
workshops Of England are In non-paying
condition and that inevitable ruin seems
to be staring England as manufacturing
country, in the face. The many statistics
he cites are too voluminous for q newspaper
article, but his figures show that his state
ments are well founded.
ESGLGND's DECLINE.
Ex-Governor Noyes told the writer he
heard the Prince of Wales once say that
England had reached her zenith, and that
America was the country OF the future.
Premier Gladstone thinks America is to
supersede England as the business nation
OF the world, and Joseph Hatton seems to
be OF the same opinion. He says: May
II not he that the present falling back Of
English trades, the universal distress, the
hopeless prospects in the future, the failing
banks, the dishonest tlnanciers, the grow
ing wealth Of lawyers, the increase Of the
consumption OF luxuries, the profigacy OF
our cities, the conspiracies Of labor in the
interests OF idleness, the loading Of our cot
tons, the inferiority OF our once splendid
cutlery and hardware, the division in our
councils and the selfish partisanship Of a
statesman are all details OF the general
aspect OF a realm that issutiering Its rice to
decay aud its works to degenerate. What
ever Englands future may be she Is at this
moment passing through supreme crisis,
or rather she is in the midst Of great nat
ional troubles. We shall not promote q
beneficial change in our prospects by re-,
iusing TO inquire impartially into the ar
guments and opinions Of those who claim
that modification OF our present practice
Of free trade is one OF the essentials to an
extension OF the profitable commerce with,
the worth. Some OF the soundest heads in
the world are in favor OF duty on certain
i. q .to ha nNtt 10 a n,
increasing demand for an inquiry into the
present operation OF foreign tariffs, and the
prospects of continued free trade ut home
In the face Of rising protective duties
abroad. The English free trader Of to-day
who refuses to discuss the question reminds
the American OF the dying gambler who,
having ruined himself BY following GER
tain method OF play, exclaimed with his
last breath, "The system is right, neverthe-
lessw
GUESS TuEM's OUR HOGS.
In answer to the Golden clubs inter-
ference in American matters Mr.. Hatton
tells the following:
boy" said q New York traveller to a
Yankee stripping who was summing himself
on U country Iencet tue mugs he eettlns
into your potatoes"
"Well, 1 guess them's our hogs" replied
the boy grinning.
"But see, they'll spoil your whole crop Of
potatoes"
"Wel guess they are our taters too, re-
torted the youngster without stirring
~ am glad" continues Mr.. H., "to.see
that America does not allow the Golden
club to indulge It's penchant for warning
and cautioning the universe without a re-
ply. The story Of the boy and the hogs is
quite answer enough.
l have heard many Americans criticise
the imprudence OF the Golden Club, but
Mr.. Hatton's opinion is worse than that.
He says: "The English proposition to
America is tritle one sided and childish,
"you farm and we will manufacture. You
send US corn and beef, and we will send
YOU clothing, knives and forks" America
has laudable ambition to be something
more than mere tiller OF the sol, and one
Of these days II their cousins in the old
country are not careful they will find that
Free Trade has reduced the people TO be
mere digges and delivers In the bowels Of
the earth, for England is emptying her iron
mines into the lap OF Belgium and France
(not to mention America and other coun-
tries), and receiving her own raw material
manufactured into iron goods OF all kinds,
which In her own markets under sell her
own manufactures. II Is fact that hun.
lreds OF Englishmen earn their livelihood
by getting iron ore and smelling 1t into
bars for continental workmen TO manufac-