The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-07-19
JOHNBRIGHToN FREETRADE.

gentleman interested in the Nottingham
lace trade recently wrote to Mr.. Bright,
pointing out the injury likely to be done to
that important industry by measure now
before the German Parliment, increasing the
duties on lace goods to such an extent as
practically to close the German market to
British producers, whilst, at the same time,
Nottingham manufacturers are exporting
some of their machinery to Germany, where
it can be worked cheaper, and whence the
goods come back to iniure the home markets
for Nottingham produce. The writer ex-
pressed doubts as to the value of the free
trade system under which such results were
possible, and limited that the right hon. gem
tleman should suggest a remedy, or use his
influence with the Government for the bene-
fit of the lace trade. Mr.. Bright replied as
follows:-
"One Ash, Rochdale, June 10, 1884.
"Dear Sir, Il cannot give you any deci-
ded answer to your letter, for | have no
definite statement of fact before me. Free
trade intends that you should buy where
you like to buy, and sell where you can sell;
and that this should pe and is the right of
every workman and trader III understand
your letter, your idea is that your present
customers in this country should not be
allowed to exercise their right: they must
buy such goods as are made in Noting
ham from the manufacturers and workmen,
and indeed because these offer their goods
at somewhat lower prices cannot see the
justice or reasonableness of this. The right
to buy freely is as sacred right as that to
sell freely, and the customer may justly
complain if he is shut out from a cheap
market and forced only to purchase in dear
one. We exportmore manufactured goods than
any other country in the world. We have a
greater interest in freedom to buy and sell
than any other country, and should strong
ly object to any measure intended to tax Il
people with the view Of sustaining any spec
ial industry among them If this were done for
one, why not others, and for all? And if for
some, or all, we should give the greatest
encouragement to foreign nations TO continue
to make more strict and injurious their ex-
elusive policy. 1 know little of the condi-
tions of your trade. 1t may suffer under
depression which has visited many trades of
late, and must wait for the revival, which
will doubtless come. The most depressed
trades in England for several years past are
those connected it'll coal and iron, and yet
coal and iron are not imported into this
country in any quantities to affect prices.
The depression comes from causes which
Governments and the Parliments cannot
reach. As to your own case, surely with
as good machinery, and as much skill, and as
much industry as the Germans,yo can meet
them in your own foreign market. If you
wish to compel me and others to give
higher price than the article is worth in the
worlds market, what is it but something
like rate in aid" that you are asking, and
that all your countrymen should subscribe
to supply the special industry of your town?
We do not ask it for the cotton industry of
Lancashire, although we have our depression
and difficulties.
1 hope we shall see better days for all our
industries. All countries have suffered, and
the protected countries, I believe, have
suffered more than England, whose trade is
free.
"JoHN BRIGHT.n