Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-08-31

LIZ trade, we may STATE tnat the tOtal
image of the vessels that discharged
bd reloaded cargoes in 1878 at the vari-
is ports of the United Kingdom was
900, 900 tons, of which 80, 297 900 were
titish and 12,603, 900 were foreign.
hese 12,903, 900 tons of foreign shipping
ERE distributed as follows:
brwegian 2,il4,OUO TONS
frman 2,2tO,UUO
yeulsn ........ I,Io3,Vuu
Rnisn l,O0c ,uuO
lited States OF Am%eiica........ yss,OOO "
Iilian J>i,O OU
| other countries. .......... :, 729,0O0 "
1908, 900 d"
THUS we have taken stock, as it were,
the material condition of the people
England at the two periods referred
viz, 1910 under protection. and 1873
der free trade. The progress that the
ton has made in wealth and prosperity
ring those thirty-eight years seems al
bst incredible, and II is tempted to
nix that the picture that has been traced
that progress is the work of a heated
agination. But, no! The statements
ede rest on the solid foundation of at
ted facts and the unimpeachable testi-
bny of official records. Their truth
V be tested by every one who chooses
inquire.
1t is in no boastful spirit that we
We put forth these statements as to the
bgress of u country. We were. by
? very nature of our work, compelled
inquire into the effect of the free-trade
stem on our national condition, and we
Ne only portrayed the sober truth as
closed by statistical evidence. That
result of the investigation should eX-
pit, in so striking Il manner, the success
/ has attended the adoption of COM
rcial freedom in England is. it must
allowed, an interesting and suggestive
i. We have accordingly written in a
rit of thankfulness for having adj
iced thus far, and of hopefulness that
shall advance farther. We know but
well how UNNECESSARILY distant We
all other nations are from politica
l social perfection. As long as igno'
ice, poverty, p%reventible disease. and
me detile the face of the land, so Ions
he work of the statesman incomplete,
And that woIk, Judging from the past
! take the direction, less of good law:
be passed, than of bad laws to be alb
rated. Governments have hitherto
IN chiefly occupied in doing mischie
in partially undoing it. Nearly al
beneficial, comprehensive and popu
measures enacted by our parliament
|e been repeats of previous enact
nts. Our Legislative dealings in re
Id to Catholic emancipation, the Re
m bill, the test and corporation acts
corn laws, the restrictive import du
the navigation laws, etc.-measure
primary importance which have re
ulded the destines of the country
re all of them repeats of pre-eXistini
IS.
There are three prevailing error
ich we think that the perusal of thes
res will effectually dispel. /. I'll
ion that we adopted free trade unde
pressure of necessity, and not frol
tberate conviction. 2. The MOTTO
t ours is not a thorough free-trad
fl. 3. The notion that the prosper
g Earlo, I hoc c,fNaraI n Ian1fna ~,
the influence of the free-trade sy;
J.. In regard to the latter. even thos
%, not denying our prosperity, den
connection with free-trade, must az
that if u change of policy did NJ
Sc, it certainly did not prevent, OF
i'd advance in the path of improve
ut. They may question whether OF
ward progress has been the result, br
V must at least allow that it has bee
concomitant of free trade.
Our task is done. We have describe
position from which the free-traC
yement started, as also the position
ich it has borne us, and we have ma
ed the chief Incidents by which Il
nsition from the to the other h;
n marked. We have at the same tin
leavored to do Justice to the me
ough whose instrumentality the II
phi of free-trade has been achieved an
whom a debt of gratitude is owin
only by Englishmen, but by Il
rid at large. For that the world
ge will, sooner or later, participate
material prosperity which UNI
Icted commercial freedom confers,
certain as it is that the deductions
ence cannot long be ignored, and tina
he end, truth must universally pr
l."
JOSEPH BATTELL.