The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-01-22
BLAINE ON PROTECTION
HIS REPLY TO THE RT. HON. MIR
GLADSTONE.

ofEngiand That No Apology Is Necessary
rom Him for His "Intericrenc e"-Whiie
Meeting All of the English statesmen's
Arguments, MIR. Blaine Conn limcnts Him
for Being More Frank than the American
Free-Trader.
Mr.. Gladstone apologies for his apparent
tnterference with our affairs. He may be as
sured that apology IL superiuous. Americans
OF all CLASSES hold him i'm honor free traders
will rejoice in so eminent an advocate, and pro-
tectionists, always the representatives OF lib
crafty ana progress VIII De glad 10 learn MS
opinions upon question of such transcendent
Importance to the past. the present, and tho
future OF the Republic.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature In the
argument OF Mr.. Gladstone, as indeed OF every
English free -trader except John Stuart Mill Is
the universaiity OF application which he de-
rnands for his theory. In urging its adoption
he makes no distinction between countries he
takes no account OF geographical position
whether IA nation DO in the eastern or the
western hemisphere, whether IL be north or
south OF the equator; he pays no heed 20 eli
mate or product, or degree OF advancement;
none TO opography-whether the country be as
level as the delta OF the Nile or t. mountainous
the republic of Bolivia none 70 pursuits
and employments, whether IN the agricul-
tural. manufacturing or commercial Held
none TO the wealth or poverty OF
people none TO population, whether
it be crowded or sparse; none to
area whether IL be as limited German
principality extended as continental
empire. Free trade he believes advantageous
for England; therefore, without the allowance
of any modifying condition. great or small, the
English economist declares IL To be advan-
tageous for the United States, for Brazil, for
Australia-in short, for all countries with
which England establish trade relations.
1t would be difficult, il not impossible for Mr..
Gladstone TO find any principle OF administra-
tion or any measure OF finance so exactly fitted
Co the varying needs OF all countries as he as
suInes the policy of free trade 10 be. Surely IL
is not unfair to maintain that, deducing his re-
suits from observation and experience in his
appreciate the financial workings of other
countries geographically remote and OF vastly
The American protectionist let u not be dis
courteous TO urge, ia broader in his views than
the English free-trader. No intelligent protec-
ZIONIST in the United States pretends that every
country would alike r. aiize advantages from the
adoption OF the protective system. Human
government Ia not machine, and even ma
chimes cannot be so perfectly adjusted as to
work wi h equal effectiveness ut oil times aud
under all conditions. Great Britain and the
United States certainly resemble one another in
more ways than either can be said to resemble
any other nation in the world; yet when we
compare the two on the question at issue the
differences are so marked that we almost lose
sight OF the regemblance. Ono is an insular
monarchy with Class government; the other II
continental republic will popular government.
One has II large population 10 the square mile;
the other small population TO the square
mile One was old in n rich and complex civil
cation before the establishment OF the other
was even foreseen. One had become the wealth.
est nation OF the world while the othec was yet
IN the toiis and doubts of frontier life ana
primitive civiliza ion. One had extensive mnn-
ufactures for almost every field of human
need, with the civilized world for its market,
while the population of the other was still
forced 20 divide its energies between the hard
calling OF the sea and the still harder calling OF
q rude and scantily remunerative agriculture.
The physicaa differences between the two
countries are far more striking than the politi-
cal and social differences. They are, indeed,
almost incalculable. Great Britain is nm island
less than ninety thousand square miles in ex
tent. 1t lies in the far north. It's southern
most point is nelrly thirty degrees of latitude
above the tropics. It's northenmost point ia
but nine degrees below the arctic circle. With
in its area tbs exchange of natural products is
necessarily limited. It's life depends upon its
connection with other countries. It's pros
perity rests upon its commerce with the world.
On the other hand single State OF the Union
IS nearly three times as large as Great Britain.
Several other States are each quite equal to it
in area. The whole Union is well-nigh forty
times rs large. Alaska excepted, the northern
most point OF the Union Is sixty miles south OF
the sOuthernmost Joint OF Great Britain and
the southernmost point of the Union is but lit
tie more than 100 miles from the tropics. Its
natural products are more varied, more
merous and OF more valuable character than
those OF all Europe. To quote one OF Mr.. Glad
stones phrases, We constitute mot so much
country in ourselves, as a world" He tells us
that we carry on the business OF domestic OK
changes scale such mankind has never
seen" Our foreign commerce, large in itself il
only as one 10 twenty five compared to our in
ternal trade. And yet Mr.. Gladstone thinks
the northern ocean should be adopted the
policy of country which even 10 his own
vision is IA world within itself"
With these fundamental points OF difference
between the two countries, assume that varied
financial aud industrial systems wrought by
the experience of each, would be the natural
and logical result Hence / do not Join issue
with Mr. Gladstone on both of his propositions.
He defends free trade in Great Britain He as
sails pro .ection in the United States The first
proposition / neither deny nor affirm. Were
60 sumo that protection is in all countries and
under all circumstances the wisest policy, /
should be guilty OF an error similar to that
which think Mr.. Gladstone commits. 1t might
be difficult to prove that free trade is not the
wisest financial policy for Great Britain. so far
from guarding herself against material inn
ported from other countries, her industrial sys-
tenn would wither and die IL foreign products
were withheld for even brief period. she is in
an especial degree dependent upon the products
of other nations. Moreover, she does not feel
bound TO pay heed 10 the rate OF wages which
her lnbor may receive. That. like the fabrics
which her labor creates, must take its chance in
the markets of the world.
On many points and in many respects it was
far different with Great Britain r. hundred years
ago She did not then feel assured that she
could bear the competition OF Continental ma
tions. She therefore aggressivoly, even
cruelty, protective. She manufactured for her
self and for her network of colonies reaching
around the globe. Into those colonies other
nation could carry anything. There no
scale of duty upon which other nations could
enter colonial port. What the colonies needed
outside Of British products could be furnis he'd
TO them only in British ships. This was not
protection 1t was prohibition, absolute and
remorseless, and IL was continued even TO the
day when Mr. Gladstone entered upon his long
and splendid career in Parliament. 1t was not
broken. though in some respects IL was relaxed
until in the fullness of time British energy had
carried the wealth and the skill OF the kingdom
to the point where no competition could be
feared
During the last thirty years OF her protective
system and especially during the twenty years
from 1926 TO ls46, Great Britain Increased her
material wealth beyond all precedent in the
ment of steam power gave TO every British
workman the arms of Briareus, and the inven-
tive power Of her mechaniciaus increased the
amount. the variety, aud the value OF her
fabrics beyond all anticipation. Every year OF
that period witnessed the addition of millions
upon millions sterling TO the reserve capital OF
the Kingdom every year witnessed a great adj
adition TO the effective machinery whose aggre-
gate power was already the wonder OF the world
The onward march OF her manufacturing indus
tries, the steady and rapid development Of her
mercantile marine absorbed the matchless en-
terprise and energy OF the kingdom. Finally
with n vast capital accumulated. with low
rate OF interest established, aud with manu-
featuring power uncqualod, the British mer-
chants were rehdy 10 underbid all rivals in seek
ing for the trade OF the work
AT that moment Great Britain had reason TO
feel supremely content. she found under her
own flag, on the shores Of every ocean, host Of
consumers whom no man might number. She
had Canada, Australia. and India with open
more than all these combined. shs found the
Init 1 Mt nd alx-lo NO