Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-02-07

teciion rs national ucnchi especially TO the
laDo,ing population, though prominent, was
only incidental. ln the Iron Age" Of New
/ York, Of December 4th., find an address by
I the Earl of Dunraven, one Uf the strongest ad
yoc1teS Of the fair trade theory" in England, at
arrcent meeting in Sheffield, so much in har.
mony with the sentiments and statements Of
[ that article, hat will thank You to give it a
| place in your columns Under existing con.
ditions, | believe in judicious protection, es.
pecially in The United States, for the benefit
OF the government the producer and the Ia.
borcr especially the latter and | think that
the national prosperity is bound up in the
property Of the classes of which it Is composed,
and that, as a taI the average advance in
: prices of the neccssares Of life bear no proper
tions to the increased wages paid to the Ia.
borcr. or wage Garner, as a result OF the pro.
gather about him more of the comforts and luvu
/ ies Of life. In short I believe that the pros.
/ perity mentioned by the Earl Of Dunravcn, rs
existing in the United States, is largely the &c.
suit Of the tariff, and not in spite Of il, and,
though may not be able to explain why,
that the average advance in the prices Of liic's
necessarics does not absorb the whole OF the
advance in wages, in order to sustain life in
the same manner.
The following is the extract from the Earl's
address
II is to my mind utterly
absurd to pretend that protection has not been
benefit to the United States. There have
always been import duties in the United
States and the whole revenue of the country
has been raised in that way, except in time Of
war. There is no income tax, and nothing in
the shape of what we call assessed taxes
in the states. But it may truthfully be said
that high duties for purely protec,ionis, reasons
came into operation in 1861 The tariff was
framed in 1862 by Senator Morrill,, and was
superseded by the new tariff, which came into
operation last year. But as general rule the
new tariff is in no respect more favorable to
US than was the Morrill, tariff. AS regards
some of the Sheffield industries, it is harder
upon them. Thus, while the old duty upon
razors was IS per cent. al Daio,tm, the new
now 50 per cent? On knives the duty is the
same as the old, viz, IS per cent. al paio,eDi
on table cutlery, and so per cent on other
knives. Most surely this tariff, the hghcs,
the world has ever seen, ought, according ia
the Golden Club economists, to have most
seriously crippled the United States. Now.
let US look at the facts. In I3 years they paid
of national debt to the amount Of SssS, 900.
ooo--i. G., EIII. 500, ,ooo-raised at the custom
houses. The annual production oi the coal
mines has increased from 1900, ,ooo tons in
1860 to o6, ,ooo tons year in 1854. Iron
has increased from 100000 tons Of ore a
year in 1861 to 5000, 600 tons a year in 1884
The metal industries Of various kinds en-.
ployeds5, ,ooohandsin 1860, and SOC, ,oooin ISS4.
In the wooden industries 90, 900 hands were
employed in 1860, and 100000 in 1854, while
the value of the yearly products Of their mills
has risen from $780, 900, 900 in 1860 to Ss7o,
ooo, 600 in 1884 Speaking the cotton industry,
Judge Porter, member Of the United States
Tariff Commission, says in a pamphlet pub.
lished in Boston Hast August Need | say
that we have practically robbed England OF
$1,000 900 of customers, increased the num-
Der employed in our mills by 100000 and in
| the last two decades doubled the value Of the
products. Imports of cotton goods have
steadily declined from al, 1000, 600 yards in
1860 to 100000 yards in 1881; while ex-
ports reached 10000. 600 yards Many
ssadss. q. cotton goods are now cheaper in the
United States than IN England. TraGta t;si1s ttasii1s
enable the Americans TO foster their own manu-
be reached They paid more for these goods
for time, in order that permanent benefit
might be conferred upon them as a nation.
The number OF farms has doubled since 1860
and the production of cereals has increased
over 100 per cent. 1t is obvious, therefore
that the farmer has not been entirely ruined b,
high tariffs.
with such figures as these before me, it i,
impossible for me to believe that protection
hiss been detrimental to the United States
Our opponents are impossible to argue witt
on these matters. They assert that all the grea
prosperity of England, enjoyed up to abou
1874, is due entirely to free trade. They ig
more the facts OF the utilization Of steam ans
the vast discoveries Of gold. believe tha
our prosperity is mainly due to these causes
admi, that our prosperity was greatly in.
creased by the abolition OF the corn laws arc
the reduction Of impor, duties. Tha, onl'
shows that certain system answered wei
under certain circumstances but when tur,
to the United States and quote such figures a
have mentioned to you, then am told b,
those theorists that these facts prove nothing
and only show that the United States hav'
made great progress in spite Of protection, an,
that they would have made much more progres
withou, ii. 1t is impossible to discuss the sub
ject with men who argue in such fashion a
this. I believe, as l have said, in the princi
Piles Of free trade, but believe that ,hes
principles can only be carried out under Ger
tain circumstances, and these Circumstance
are that they should obtain over a large area
You can see the good working OF free trad
exemplihed in the United States. There tn
sovereign states have ABSOLUTE free trade on
with another, and with the most beneficial
results. But then the uailed States arc sell
supporting, and the country produces an,
manufactures, practically speaking, everythin,
that mankind requires
Vey respectfully yours.
S. n. CASTLE.
Honolulu, January az, 1855.