New-York tribune., 1889-12-31

ITSELF
With these fundamental points Of difference between
the two countries. assume that varied financial and
industrial systems wrought by the experience OF ecli
would be the natural and logical result. Hence ] DO
propositions. He defends free trade in Great Britain
lie assas protection IN the United states. The first
proposition neither deny nor affirm.
During this long period uSl2 TO 1s6ll free trade
tariffs we're thrice followed by industrial sagnaton,
by financial embarrassment. by distress among all
classes dependent for subsistence upon their own
labor. Thrice these burdens removed by the
tective tariff promptly led TO industrial activity, to
financial ease, 10 prosperity among the people. AND
this happy condition lasted in each case, with no
din mutton of it, benefcent influence. until i!egt-
Innate political combinations having their origin
era Of free trade perfectly Impartial man Gn
sweryed by the excitement which this question en-
genders N popular discussion, might safely pc sshga %
OF both systems. did not establish the wisdom OF pro-
lection in the United states II the inductiye method
Of reasoning may be trusted, we certainly have
logical basis Of conclusion in the facts here detailed
EACH COUNTRY MUST ACT INTELLIGENTLY FOR
ITSELF
And by what other mode Of reasoning can VIC
safely proceed in this field OF controversy The
great method of Bacon by rigid and pure OBJ
servation. aided by experiment and frgctiled by In
duction' Let us investigate from effects to causes
and not from causes to effects" surely IL is by
long series experiments and by that test only that
any country establish an industrial system that
will best aid in developing Its hidden wealth ana
establishing Its permanent prosperity, Ana each
country must acI intelgently for itself. Questions
of trade more be regulated by an exact science
than crops be produced with accurate forecast
The unknown quantities are so many that PIo2em
answer in advance. But Mr.. Gladstone, with an
apparent confidence in results unshakcn a. thogh
he were dealing with the science OF numbes' PTIp,
ceeds 10 demonstrate the advantage Of free trade c
is positively certain in advance of the answer Whch
experiment will give and the inference Is that notns
* TO be gained by awaiting the experiment; pr
Gladstone may argue for Great Britain he Will but
for the United states we must insist on being sioeH
bv facts. and not nv theories we must insist on to
herring TO the teachings OF experiments which & naVe
been carried forward by careful generalization I" well
Mr. Gladstone boldly contends that keeping capital
at home by protection is dear production, anu "a =
deluslon from ton to bottom take direct issue
with him on that proposition. Between lsaV az, sn Wy ~
present time considerably than 100000 mics % ol
railroad have been built in the United states me
steel rail and other metal connected thereWu m l H.
so vast sum OF money that j. c9nid S iiS' in The
total cost could not have been less tan SooVooUIi. i
We had large interest to pay ABROAD Oh on '' % NJ
debt. and for nine years after 1870 goa va - aS a
premium in the United states. During Iho.c and
nearly 10000 miles Of railway were con'trnceu t st
to import English rail and pay for 1t wtA gon 9ouE
al a large premium would have been impo'sbie. -
very large proportion OF the railway en'erprs. ~ gn
Of necessity have been abandoned the eApor. VI h
10 pay for the rails had been lnc
condition precedent to their construction. yut INC
Stimulus to bgsineSs Tens Of thousands of were
paid good wages. and great investments ana ga , c,
richments followed the line Of the new Iotu alu
opened 10 the American people large fields ior e'c'
prise not Heretofore accessible. s..o
with the labor of the thousands of men engaged III
manufacturing rail II il had been judged practtauIc
given his answer in advance Of the question, for h,
tells us that in America produce more clo'h ana
more iron az high prices instead di moc erSa 1 t
the West and the cotton growers Of the south VII o.,
that Mr. Gladstone holds out to them eeei sns
prospect. They should produce more cereal, AM an.
more cotton at low prces7! Mr. Gladstone secs t.at
the protective system steadily tenSS To- Keep & un nam, 1e
0~"e Of cereals and cotton, and he ask, thaI man ~
Tres Of " cloth and iron be abandoned 80 that We
raise "more cereals and more cotton at low
prices Mr. Glad stone evidently consider, the pres
cnt prices Of cereals and cotton as high prices
THE WESTERN FARMERS INSTINCT WISER THAN
MR.. GLADsroNE's PHILOSOPHY.
Protectonlsts owe many thanks to Mr.. Gladstone
for his outspoken mode Of dealing with this question
Of free trade He gives Us his conclusions without
qualification aud without disguise. The American
Free Trader Is not so sincere He IS ever presenting
ialf-truths and holding back the other half. thus
creating false impressions and leading TO fal;e con,
clusiOns. But Mr. GlaG-tO is entirely frank lie
tells the lahorers protected articles that tley
would be better engaged raising more cereals ana
more cotton az low prices Where does Mr.. Glad.
stone suggest market for the additional grain and
cotton 10 be raised by American mechanics bccomlh-
farmers and Increasing the production Of those great
staples The foreign market Is filled with com
pprice II Wheat 1nduy lowered TO the Western
farmer. The farmer needs still larger home con
sumption of his grain. while Mr. Gladstone thinks he
needs stiIl arger home ProdnctGn1 G1.ds,oI Ts
argument is that all mechanical and manu-.
featuring enterprises in America producing articles o
higher price than the same produced in Europe should
lie abandoned and the aborers so engaged should De
turned TO the PRODUCTION Of more cereals and more
is wiser than Mr. Gladsone's philosophy. The farmer
knows that the larger the home market the better are
his prices fall
Mr. GIad,tone's pregnant suggestion really exhibits
the thought that lies deep in the British mind That t
mechanic and the manufacturing processes should
he left TO Great britain and the production Of raw ma
idea Of the last century. when the establishment oi
manufac lures this side Of the ocean was REGARDED
with great jealousy by British statesmen ana Brltlsh
merchants.
ADVANCED WAGES IN ENGLAND DUE TO HIGHER
WAGES IL THE UNITED STATES.
Mr. Gladstone makes another contention. IN which
from the American point OF view, he leaves out Of
sight a controlling factor. and hence refer, effect
10 the wrong causc. Regarding the advance Of wages
in England. he says: Wages which have been
partially and relatively higher under protection have
become both generally and absolutely higher, and
greatly higher. under free trade ! do not doubt
the fact. but venture 10 suggest that such advance
to another and a p1lpahlc causc-namey, the higher
tcn7nted Kritish MECHANICS 10 emigrate and which
would have tempted many more II the inducement
Of an advance In wages at home had not been inter
nosed Especially have wages been high and tempt
inc i'm the United Sates since 1861 when the country
became firmly protective by tie enactment Of The
Morrill, tariff. 1t VIII he found think that III
advance Of wages in England corresponds precisely
In time though not in degree, with the advance IN
tAa United States. and the advance In both was
directly due 20 the firm establishment Of protection
in this country national policy. But II must
not be forgotten that American wages stIl from
20 per 10 100 per cent higher than british wages.
If a policy Of free trade shoud be adopted In the
United states the reduction Of wages which would
follow here would promptly lead 10 reduction ~
England The operatives Of Manchester Leeds. and
sheffield recognize this fact clearly do the pro
priefOrs who pay the advanced wages. and mOro
clearly than do certain political economists who think
tine world Of commerce and manufactures can be-
unerrnely directed by theory evolved in closet
without sufficient data, and applied to an inexaCt
science
Mr.. GLADsToNE's DIRECT PROTECTION TO
BRITISH STEAMERS
Mr. Gladstone. however commits himself 10 tho
principle that "all protection j. morally bad II
this has been his belief since he became an
advocate Of free trade, his conscience have re