New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-16
PROTECTION IN EUROPE.

Free trade papers, the Mugwumps 60 greater
eyfeut even than the honestly Democratic organs,
are all wrong in explaining away the gigantic ana
undeniabe progress made by protection ideas
in every country in Europe The Times for
instance published, last week, two long editorials
relative 10 the protective policy finally triumphant
in France and Italy, and it concluded as follows :
An American reader bring from the per,Isal OF
ouch thorough examination of the cOmmeiral sllua-
lion Of Europe only a heightened conviction Oh the
immense folly Of our own present fiscal policy tVefy
suggestion drawn from study OF the condition OF
thing. abroad fits IN precisely with the best mleeieeS
10 be deduced from oar own needs ana pOs'lDllties
and pojntS out the present the golden opportunity
of American Industry. The markets Of the world are
oIrs 4. We Will but have them. As the uhprotectsu
Hmercan farmer has taken the first place in the
agrcufuIal markets Of the world could the Ameri
can manufacturer slrpaSs his rivals in me race ior
supremacy. il only the s1acHes OF VICIOUS "k's'"-
ton could be stricken from his limbs
There is only one trouble with this dogmailc
lapenage-it rests upon groundeSs assertions and
cunninglv manipulated statistics. through which
an effort is made TO show that protection has IN
iurrd European trade, especially that OF France
and Italy
I'm the first place. The Times" which seems 20
he satisfied with merely republishing the facts
and figures given by Mr. Robert Donald IN The
Universal Review" ignores the fact that protec-
ton has not full sway in France just now, ana
cannot have it until the year 1892, when she
will get rid of the last of the commercinl
treaties which she concluded under the guidance
Of that fatal trio Napoleon III, Golden and Michel
Cheyalier. 1t is incorrect therefore, TO say
II WAS I'm 1ss2 that the high tariff was established
although many Of the duties were lower al me ne
ginning than they at present. But Wllle Tue
foreign trade Francethe imports and exports taEch
togethcr-was oO0I IN leol' II d g uae t ~.
the special trade" including only French goods
exported and foreign goods imported for consumption
IA France
The economic system Of the third Empire be-
gan 10 crumble down from the day the Napoleonlc
prestige was buried al Sedan. NJ ThierN was not
free trader. and protection regulations. though
an a moderate scale were introduced much before
1852. On the other hand between that date and
1858 reciprocal treaties still in existence prevented
the establishment Of Il high tariff and cOnse-
ouently the protection policy, not being fully
established, could not produce its full results
This. added 20 the sudden development of German
industry, the political insecurity and commercial
prudence caused in France by the overthrow
Of President Grevy, and later by the BoulangSt
movement explains the slight decrease III the
French foreign trade from 1888? 10 1888.
This gap will be filled up soon as France has
fully reverted 10 protection. Free trade, which
with few exceptions has existed In France for the
last tNyenty-eight years has resulted in decrease
in rate Of growth of the foreign business OF the
country During this frcc-trade period, from
1850 10 1883, the foreign trade Of France
amounted to 7,262,5OO,OOO francs, of which
lob 00O,OOO francs were imports and 500
000 900 francs exports. This was an increase
OF 3.OS9,J0O, 600 francs or about ll0,OOOOOO
francs for each year. Compare with these figures
the ten years Of protection, between $50 and
1860. The foreign trade Of France amounted
in $50 10 only ,Sj9,0OO,0 900 francs. In 1860,
without the socalled help Of commercial treaties,
it amounted 10 AHA, 900, 600 francs that is an
increase Of - 100000 francs, or about DBL
800 coo francs for each year, just twice rs much
as under a free-tTde policy. Agln in 1880
French exports amounted TO ,0Gs, 100000 francs;
in 500 after ten years Of protection they reached
2.277 100000 francs, an increase of III 100000
francs each year. double the increase OF 1883,
after twenty-eght years of free-trade policy.
Such figures do not need any comment II
they are ignored on tids side of the Atlantic, Or
carefully kept out of sight, they are familiar TO
European economists, and have exercised
decisive influence in bringing about the protection
ist reaction which is now extending all over