Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-06
ENGLAND GETTING READY To ABAN.
Don FREE TRADE.

John L. Heaton, the brilliant London
correspondent of the indianapolis Journal,
devotes two columns of his last letter to
recitation of proofs that "fair trade" and
protection ideas are gaining ground very
rapidly in free trade England
This is of exceeding significance and
has Il world of meaning that should be
felt in this campaign. Let voters recall
the fact that the protective principle was
born with the American Government; that
1T was advised and supported by Washing
ton, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Jack
SOD, Monroe, Franklin, and Lincoln. Let
them remember that in every instance
where we have departed from it, American
industries have suffered and financial dis
tress ensued; that our present prosperity,
our industrial progress, our era of con-
structlon, the settlement of the country
and the advance in arts, sciences and me-
chanics have been achieved under the
operation of the protective system; above
all, let it be kept in view that England
herself, the foremost representative of the
free trade idea, was able to establish free
trade only after centuries of the most
rigid exaction of protective duties and
imposts.
Now, if English thought is turning
backward toward the original English idea
and looking to radical notifications of the
free trade policy, the fact is of the highest
Importance for our consideration Mr.
Heaton asserts this to be fact He de-
clares that competition from abroad has
become the bane of the English workman,
and he having realized that truth is now
looking to restrictive means as remedy.
The Fair Trade League" is a legitimate
result of this seeking, and it to-day en-
braces some of the best thought and fore
most men of Great Britain in its ranks.
The Sheffield Telegraph is practically
the first paper of England outside of Lon
don, and it is the champion of the new
idea which has for its objects the use of an
import tax as weapon to force British
trade abroad; to tax luxuries and to re-
move taxation from necessities. The
scheme does not come to the level of the
American protective system, but for Eng
Eshmen is very long advance step. The
forcing Of trade abroad by an import tax
is simply system of retaliation for dis
examinations against England
The free trade system has been found to
operate harshly in this way; machines for
various manufactures are built in England
and sent to France and Germany. Eng
lish operatives are sent over to teach the
foreigners how to work them. Presently
the English worker finds these foreign
operatives sending in their products at
rate that cuts under the English manu-
facturer, and, as aresult. English wages, the
highest in Europe, have in all such cases
downward tendency. The manufactures
of India especially tend to lower the
English wage standard, as India Is the
lowest wage-paying country of the earth,
if we except China.
While the fair traders insist that they
DO not want protection, 1t is perfectly
clear that the inevitable drift of their
plan is IN that direction. They propose,
says Sir w. c. Leng, one of their leaders.
to put duty upon American wheat, not
to keep it out, for where else can it go9
We have you at our mercy He adds:
the political economists talk nonsense when
SS oieS say the consumer always pays the tariff |
sometimes ne does, sometimes the producer ard |
soiheLlmes tney share it. Our plan as TO wheat |
wooiu raise the price slightly, but then the Brit
ISL farmer could make both ends meet and the |
brilsn workman could well afford to pay more |
iof hls bread, because he would have a better
nome market reserved tor him, and certainly
ne worse, probably better foreign market |
than now.
+. Brandram Jones, leading 'fair |
trader,n exclaims:
What we want, and all that we want. is |
slight import tax levied upon articles which |
come into most ruinous competit;on with Rrit.
Ism products. When we see our country sinking |
year by year deeper into ruin and misery We. |
think it about time to take the obvious means |
OF checking the descent and putting Great Brit !
am on lis feet again.
W. Maudsley, General Secretary of the
Amalgamated Association of Cotton-spin
ners the largest trade union in the world,
declares that the strong drift of labor SEN
timent in England is toward semi-pro-
tective system. Among the ''fair traders
is listed by Mr.. Heaton, Lord Salisbury
and most of the conservative statesmen
Howard Vincent Cunliffe Lister, Earl
Dunrayen, Lord Bateman, Percy Wind
ham, Lord Penzance, Sir Edward Sullivan
and score of other foremost men, the
London Ners, Liverpool Courier, Yorkshire
Post Manchester Guardian and agricultu