The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-28
FREE TRADE IN HOLLAND.
DepIorable Results of the Adoption OF En-
lands Pet Policy.


lands Pet Policy.
Interview with Chauncey NJ. Depew.
ssFour years ago, when was abroad, went to
Holland. When I went there / found
there was more content and happiness in Hol-
land than in any country in Europe. There was
absolutely no pauperlsn. When was In Hoi-
land last summer found great deal of COM
plant sragnation In labor, Socialist riots labor
troubles-things which had never been known
in the country before l met one Of the most
eminent business men in Holland. and he said
to me that the man ufactures of Holland were
staguant that business Holland was no longer
remunerative and there was great deal of
poverty and distress among the mechanics and
laboring classes. said to him: How do you
account for this ehangeT He said: Because
Holland adopted few ysars ago free-trade. and
the law has ruined u.s.
We'll. for instance, raise in Holland
very superior breed Of cattle. England is FREQ
trade nomiDally, but when she found that our
cattle coming from our farms were destroying
her cattle industry, when she found that we
could send better cattle at cheaper prices than
she could raise them. she was free trade, and.
of course. could not tax them, but her board OF
trade issued an ordinance that all Holland cat
tie had pleuro pneumonia, and have not per-
united head of cattle To enter England Cor
four years. That is the free trade way England
has of protecting her industries when they are
pinched.
g. Well said, why, such being ths case,
does not Holland return to protectlonF de SAID:
Because our manufacturers and business men
not governments. Our government 10 a
non-producing class, aud they are all theorists.
and they are carrying out their theories and
running the agricuturists and manufacturers.
and general business aud labor of the country.
ssNow do NOT know better argument for
protection than that OF course when l speak
of free trade and protection In this way, speak
in public sense and not from the point OF view
OF business as a railroad man have no DOUBT,
if the tariff was repealed. that for 8 few years.
until our steel ilnls had been wiped out.
we could undoubtedly buy steel rails a. % per
cent less than we pay for them to-day. but after
our steel rail had been wiped cut. then
three or four concerns which control the steel
market of the world would make us pay what
ever they saw fit and would have relief.
They were charging 1925 ton for Bessemer
rails We put on n tariff sufficient to enable
our people to compete with them, and in ths
competition among themselves they put the
price of steel rails down to $50 ton and then
the English maker imported thepss paying the
tariff showing that he could produce them at
$50 ton. Now, there were no conditions that
made the production any more expensive to him
when he was sending it here and charging $l25
ton than when be was charging 800 ton. In
other words, protection. by develoning the in
dustry here. and then competition among tho
manufacturers here has given Us an enor-
rnously cheaper prodrcf than If we were en-
tlrely dependent nDon foreign producers"