The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-11-20

The free traders tell us not to be afraid
OF the bugbear of excessive importa-
tion;' exports, say they. will keep pace
with imports, and for every dollars worth
of goods imported there will be another
dollars worth exported, and so the balance
of trade. say they. if not absolutely in
our favor, will. at least not be against us.
1t is a pretty theory But, as matter
Of fact, England will not buy wheat from
us simply because We buy cotton goods
from her. She will sell us all that she
can and take the money for it, and buy
what she needs where she can buy it mos
cheaply. And she will take the money
that she gets from us and use it, or part
OF it, in improving the methods of tran
sportation from the interior to the sea-
board of her East Indian possessions,
and as soon as she is able to bring the
wheat of India TO the seaport OF Kurra-
chez as cheaply as American wheat can
be brought to the port of New York. she
will either cease from buying OR wheat
OF all or demand that it be sold Mt the
same price as the wheat raised in India,
whore wages are 81 per month, without
board. In this blissful state the farmers
who now listen TO the fellows who pirate
so glibly about Liverpool fixing the price
Of American wheat" would comprehend
what it was to have Kurrachee Tx its
price.
But it may be said that this also is
theory. II il much more than that. 1t is
a decided probability of the event of free
trade. But let us look at some certain
and known results of free trade upon ex-
ports and imports. England has had free
trade for about forty years, and is show
ing WEAKNESS OF her possession of it.
Now, English imports for three years
stand thus for the first nine months of
each year:
1887. f220 0O),0 90
1885. Observation-Disclosures. 230OO.000
1851. zOzOOO,Vu
There being net increase in the value
of imports to the extent of e42, 900, 900
between 1887 and 1889. The exports were
1873 li4OO,OoO
S20)O,0oo
There being a net increase of only el9,-
600, 600 in exports, against G42, OOO, 900 in
imports.
The whole free trade theory of reciproc-
ity in commerce is false. 1t is not the
nations from whom England buys the
most that are her best customers. The
United States buys more from South and
Central America than England does, but
England sells most to them. Other in
StdHCeS might De HultlpIleu dlinOst lu-
definitely. The facility of transportation
cuts n prime figure in sales. We thy more
coffee and other goods from SIuth and
Central America than England aoes, be-
cause our people-our wage earning peo-
ple--are better off than the English, and
therefore demand and use more coffee,
and the American republics and the en-
pire of Brazil are the nearest buving
places. But when it comes TO selling
goods TO these countries they have the
choice between us and Europe, and the
subsidized vessels of Europe convey goods
more cbeaply and more frequently I han
our unsubsidzed. and struggling liens Of
steamships can. To-day where England
flourishes, which is on the ocean, she
fourishes because she has kept up her
ancient policy of protection; where she
languishes, which is in her home market,
she languishes because she has adopted
free trade. To-day where the United
States fourishes, which is in the home
market, she fourishes because she has
adopted q protective policy; where she
languishes, which is on the ocean, it is
because she has abandoned a protective
policy Chicago Inter Ocean.