Little Falls transcript., 1889-10-04
FROM THE HAGUE.

H.. FROM THE HAGUE.
The following letter from Samuel
r. Thayer, minister to the Neither
lands, to the United States Depart
ment of state, has a genera! interest
to the public, as we'll as personal
one to his friends in this locality:
/ have the honor to inclose herewith
a copy of an editorial article cut
from the Dagblad van Zuidholland
ems Gravenhage, with translation
Of the same, on the subject of Gree
trade" I ,lo not transmit it because
of its conspicuous ability as discus
sion Of that subject, but it has
decided significance from the fact
that the free-trade policy has been
pursued by this country for great
many years, so that its effect upon
commerce and industy here are fairly
before the world.
The Dagblad is the oldest paper
publishee at The Hague, and is recog
nized throught the country rs one OF
the most influential organs of the
Conservative party; hence its utter
ances upon the subject aforesaid are
not without weight. For a long time
the Liberals were the dominant party,
but a year or two ago the defeat Of a
measure proposed by the Liberal
ministry making necessary the pro-
royuing Of the States-General, a new
return Of members to the second
chamber (the branch chosen directly
by the people) showed majority for
the Conservatives. In Difference to
this fact, of course, a Conservative
ministry had to be appointed, who
are still in power. But the 6rst cham
Der, chosen by the Estates" or legisla
lures Of the several (eleven) provinces
(as is our Senote by the legislatures of
the several States) was and is, for the
greater part, Liberal. The second
chamber alone has the right to origi.
nate legislation, but no bill can be-
come law without the concurrence OF
the first chamber; hence, while Con-
servative measures may not always
be certain Of adoption, yet important
concessions must be made Oh both
sides to carry any bill through. And,
therefore, q return to protection in
this country, advocated by this Con-
servative journal, would seem by no
means hopeless, at least in modified
form.
The editorial in question, as you
will preceive, takes for its text, so t.
speak, citation from the Kolnische
Zeitung, paper published at Cologne,
Germany, and very frequently quoted
in dispatches to the Associated Press
of the United States. This is intend
ed to exhibit the state of feeling in
Germany ON the tariff question, and
shows that even those in favor Of free
trade advocate their principles very
feebly just now, because Of the salts
factory results flowing from the pro-
tective system. At the close the
editorial claims that the same expert
euce obtains in France, Belgium, and
Italy, and that Sweden, long a free
trade stronghold, has returned to pro-
lection.
SAMUEL R. THAyER,
Minister.
UNITED STATES LEGATION,
The Hague, June 18, 1889.
Enclosure in Minister Thayer's report]
A LESSON FROM GERMANY.
(From the Dagblad van zuidholland en- s
Gravenhage.)
1t is we'll known how many unfavor-
able representations are ventured up
on by our free-traders whenever there
appears to be the remotest likelihood
ola revision of the tariff being made
which shall to any degree meet the
just requirements Of industry. The
difficulties are declared to be so great,
the unhappy consequences are depict
ed in such somber colors, that the
conclusion always announced is, "We
can not think ofdoing so for mo-
ment."
This exaggeration has always
seemed to us like confession OF
weakness on the part of free-traders.
If they were so firmly convinced of the
hapless results Of the introduction of
u moderate protective system, they
would not oppose trial of it; the
"deluaed people" would very soon let
themselves be heard from, and the
misled nation would demand return
to the blessed days of non-protection.
The free-traders, however, shrink from
a modest experiment in tariff reform.
even one which, while within the
bounds Of constitutional finance
would at least give some satisfaction
to just demands. In their own minds
they are not quite so sure Of the full:
tillmcnt Of their dark representations
as they would like the people to be
Indeed, it would not be the first time
that the calculations of the worshippers
Of theory were put to shame by ex.
perience.
= * *
In view of the controversy in the
field Of political economy which is
rife in our land, we consider the fol-
lowing extract from the Kolnische
zeitung to be Of special interest: :
"There is a department of legis.
lation which formerly was wont to
elicit much vehement parliamentary