Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-03-07
PROTECTION.

HoI. w. E Gladstone calls in
"The North american Recielo,"
"Duel between Free Trade aud
Protection"
He the champion of Free Trade
Hon. Jas. G. Blaine, of Protection.
Giants for ght this Duel. The
two most fanous Statesmen of the
EugIlsh speaking race were tue
principals.
Projections champion Won. 1t
IS enough to say bis cause was
best, and grandIy did he handle and
defend it.
The principles OF a protective
tariff are steadily gaining ground
among the laboring classes of all
foreign countries. Nor Is this gain
confined to the wage earners. Man
ufacturers and agriculturists are
fast changing their views and call
ing for defensive legislation. The
reStlessness among the wOrkingmen
of England particularly is growing
daily. OF great significance is the
recent action of the chamber of
commerce of Manchester, hereto
fore the hot bed of free trade and
Cobdenism, in unanimously recon-
mending the imposition of duties
on foreign products, in cases where
these products compete with
native industry, equal to the fiscal
burden borne by native producers.
The Fair Trade league has become
a most influential organization. 1t
is daily adding converts to its
rauk. The wOrkingman's Assocla-
ton for the defense of British In
dustrles is a most potent ally in Its
endeavors to lift the burdens from
the down trodden laborers OF the
United Kingdom.
Ia France the protective policy
not only has a strong hold, es'
pecially among the agricnlturists,
but Is steadily gaining in strength.
There is more likelihood of greater
duties being imposed than that any
will be reduced or taken of.
farming to Germany, the low
wages OF whose wOrkingmen are
held up continually as all argu
ment against the power of Protec-.
ton to secure and maintain high
wages, We see a most emphatic re-
futation of the charge just qu>ted.
: German tariffs have aimed to be
protective since 1880. The Gus
toms Verein Is really the sire to
, existing German unity and empire.
But there was not until recently
t any skilled attempt to make the
rate of duty prOportionate to the
quantity of labor involved in the
o product, as in the United States
In 1880 this question was agitated
and on May IL, Bismarck, in a
c speech before the German reich
| stag, SAID because it is my de
liberate judgment that the prosper
ity of America is malhly due TO its
system OF protective laws, | urge
that Germany has now reached
that point where it is necessary tC
l initiate the tariff of the United
States"
Germany adopted his views and
advanced its tariff. What 10 the
result The increase in wages
has been almost continuous since
:. the increase of its protective feat
, ures. Manufactures have sprung
up on every hand, and Germany
has passed from an importing tc
an exporting nation. Of course,
: one effect beng to greatly increase
the number OF employ ed, the per
capita rate of wages does not show
the same increase a. this country
though in comparison with Eng
land it is most marked. Moreover
Germany Is now reaping the bene
l 6t on a home market; aud as the
r German W Orkingman has econom
zeal tastes in dress and Lying, and
as he c.n buy cheaper than his
English brother, he is doubly bene
flied by the existing protective
legislation. Recent government
statistics show that the Iron and
Steel association of Germany rep
resents $50 firms, with capital O
S262, 100000, and employs 235,OOt
u men. Ten gears ago they were rep
It resented by 800 firms, employing
:, but Isl, 900 persons. TIL ir monthly
q wages have increased 80 per cent.
and this rule of increase will apply
TO all Germany.
Going north to Sweden we agall
d see protection IN the aScendancy
/. and with the usual result. Unit
ten gears ago Sweden prospereC
: under a protective tariff. Th
doctrinaires succeeded IN hayinI
" their theories adopted. For Gle
,. cade both agriculture and manu-
featuring suffered, bat 10 a recen
election the chief issue was the tai
If, and the result was an over
whelmIng victory for Protection
The editor of The New York StleI
l.. men recently said: "FOr the frs
q time in number OF years Swede
a seems to have awakened from til
q absurdity of her position, aud ha
e come to think that she should be
70 come manufacturer for herself
10 and not mere prOducer and col
ID sumner Of goods from others. l
e lleye Sweden is entering now on a
s. era OF prosperity. Protection hs
IS built the country up, and viii
A Sweden has neither the extent ne
J. the variety of the United State
1t yet the stimulus which protection
F. mnst give IN the Grain growing, mi