The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-28
Valuable and Studious Compilation
or the Earnings OF Laboring Men
In European Countries.
They Are Higher With Free Trade
Than Under Protection.
The Cry That High Wages for
American Workmen
Are Obtained Only Through the Main
tenance of High Tariff Is Using
the Public Sentiment for
Political Ends.
Valuable and Studious Compilatio

In the study of home public economies.
says the Washington correspondent Of the
Philadelphia 7mos, theories based upon
stimulated and artificial conditions rs
they exist in the United States are accept
ed as the result OF fixed laws for the regu.
lation through natural causes Of the rela-
tons of industry, trade, prices and wages.
The manipulation OF publ, sentiment for
political ends has figured largely in the
economic policy OF the government OF the
United States. Orators and publicists
have assumed, either ignonnty or dis
honestly, that free trade, as doctrine of
governmental regulation and revenue,
means necessarily low wages for the work
ingman. This is another of those iallacics
which have crept into popular crcdence
and have been accepted MS truths when
they were nothing more than the articles
Of public leaders for their own purposes.
The nations Of Europe Illustrate the prog
ress and settled conditions OF trade and
industry regulated by natural economic
laws. Since those nations discarded the
ancient ieudal institutions industries have
moved forward with rapid pace until they
have reached stage of activity aud de-
velopment far in advance OF surrounding
political institutions or methods Of gov
ernmcnt.
EUROPEAN POLITICS.
OF the nations OF Europe England and
! the Netherlands alone are governed in
matters OF revenue, trade and industry. rs
far rs may be, by parliamentary statutes
or royal DEGREES Of ordinances by what is
accepted under the general aud somewhat
vague designation Of free trade. The
economic policies Of the other countries
vary from free trade TO maximum protcc-
ton. Belgium represents u revenue policy
having moderate tariff on few articles,
and Russia, Germany and France an
almost prohibitory system supcrinduccd
10y reasons of national policy, rs a matter
OF political interest aud protection against
each other. The tariff policies Of Russia
rs against Germany and Germany as
against France are almost absolute.
TO illustrate that as IN International
policy and rs an incentive toindusirial de-
yelopmcnt, which is preliminary TO the
subject OF the rates OF wages, free trade Is
the policy Of progress, IL II only necessary
TO compare the relations OF population aud
area 10 commercial activity ia the repre-
sentative nations in this respect In Tree
trade Great Britain lthe United kingdoml
during the latest attainablu year, with a
population OF 100000 aud an area OF
but 10000 square miles. the imports in
1886 were Sl,OjO0OO,0OO and exports
81, S0,OO0,O0O.
In Russia proper, nation Of practically
prohbitory duties, with $1,000, 900 inhab-
itanis and about 100000 square miles Of
territory, the imports In 1885 were but
S30j, 900. 600 and exports $500, 100000.
The Netherlands, free tmdc country.
with but I, 800 900 inhabitants and but H.
600 square miles, In 1886 had imports
Si25, 100000 aud exports sjl0,0OO,OJO,
while the whole empire Of Germany, n
protective country, with i7,OO0,OO0 pco-
pie and 20s,O square miles OF area. had
imports s712, OOO,O 900 and exporis7l0, JO0,-
600
Belgium, with but slight restrictions on
trade, rs far ~ custom duties are con-
cefncd, with q population Il 100000 and
an area Of but II 800 square miles, had in
1885 imports S2si, OOO,OOO aud exports
S26S, 0OO, 900, Ms against France, pro.
teclcd country, with 37,OO0OO0 people
and 20l. 600 square miles Of territory. with
Athl'iAa NfNffN'NtNNff NAlalF aNfNfNNAfNNNs
TRADE CONDITIONS
The relations Of population aud area 10
imports and exports, which represent the
purchasing and selling 90 trade activity Of
the countries named through the channels
Of commerce, can be- seen byn comparison
Of these figures. But the aggregate by
comparison In the race for manufacturing
aud commercial ascondency the force of
these conditions IL even more evident
The free trade or revenue tariff c0un-
tries Of the United Kingdom Of Great
Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium,
with m aggregate population oi 100000
inhabitants aud but lfi, 800 square nilcs
area, represented -, GJg.OOD.UJ) value Of
imports and s2,Oj7, OOO. OOl value ~ ex.
ports, as against the lGl,OOO,OOO population
and i,il2, 600 square miles Oi territorial
area and bot ~ ,1s2, 10000 imports aud
81, $50. 900, 600 exports IN thc high protect.
i've tariff empires Of Russia and Germany
aud republic Of France.
The Same relation Of advantage M
between the two opposite economic poll
cics runs through the eniirc lsi VI nation.
aliics Of Europe.
The excess Ia the value Of imports In a
large degree represents the fec raw
materials brought In for the employment
Of labor In working into various forms ~
manufacture for export aud home con.
sumption nj advanced values.
The claim most persistonty put forward
by party Danipulaiou and the one which
is used 90 best advantage among the
people Is that protection ~ a policy Of
legislative regulation Of trade necessarily
leads 10 higher wages. Tho operations of
economic laws in the countries Of Europe
where incidental aud abnormal conditions
no longer exist, show that the reverse Is
the fact.
BRITISH FRrE TiiADg.
The United Kingdom Of England, Ire.
land, Scotland aud Wales, the most thor
ougly free trade county In the world, is
the recognized champion Of that doctrine.
It's customs tariff on products and manu-
features Of other countries Is purely for
revenue and limited 20 certain chemicals,
clocks and watches, fruits, jcwclry, malt
liquors, soap, spirits aud tobacco.
The tariff Of Import dutos in the Neither.
lands IL practically nolinal and h on
sweet biscuits, candies, canned fish, fruits,
manufactures Of iron. per cent. malt
liquors, oils, provisions, soap, to,occo,
vegetables In brine and canned, soap,