New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-30
GLADSTONE ON THE TARIFF
rur VENERABLE STATESMAN TRIES TO
CHEER HIS COUNTRYMEN.


RE AS HARMFUL AS THEY THINK-AN
ARGUMENT FOR FREE TRADE.
yoraon Oct 2e.-Mr. Gladstone arrived at Dun
A.. .o-day and was presented with the freedom OF
,h. ci,v. In accepting the honor, Mr.. Iiaas'"he
"a. an address, III which he referred to the ooa'
..src. Of the city, which, it was said, was t,,ss
.rsd BY the adoption Of the new Tariff Dill "
,he American, Congress. He wouio NV
howeyer. he said, bring a railing accusa1o"
.r,inst the people of the Unl1ed oS~S'
Protection, although it might infiict incidehou oo
I,,era, blows on other countries, did far grea'ef
mischief to the people of the country "ni0n
adopted such policy, and whose people pull
dered and defrauded o.
Mr.. Gladstone said that he was noU s'iis !"
treat tlem to the commonplace OF nee ua"e'
Tbere werc people who believed that the injurious
.T-n.. of n,ot-ction were chiefly felt in the coun
t,i.s dealing with the protected country. That
Vas n Fundamental mistake. There might be
saaI of disturbance, and even Generalization, in
trade bat it was not true at any time that the
trade of any country earth could interfere
seriously with the prosperity Of Great Britain
Surprising there were twenty great markets In the
world and in one a stringent protecuve measure
like the Mckinley law was passed. In that case
doubtless the first effect would be to injure Great
Britain and to restrict dealings, but larger and
wider effect would be to raise the standard Of
prices under protection. This meant diminished
power of expectation. Therefore, while the Brit
ish were damnifed in this one market. they were
benefited in the rest. Every country giving greater
stringency Of protection within its borders, though
damaging Britain within its own market gave
the British frecr and broader field in other mar
kets II was net possible for Great Britain to
receive vital or profound injury from any of
these operations abroad
France and Germany, said the speaker threat
elel retaliation. England should not be led into
such sucidal folly. lCheers.) There was still
capital and plenty of resources in this great cOun
try to hold and keep its place in the markets of
the world. A favorite idea OF many people in
England zoiverein Of the whole British
Empire including the colonies and dependencies,
AGAINST all foreign countries. He doubted much
whether the whole Empire would consent. There
were host of objections to it. 1t would be
hard upon countries pursuing free and open trade
with England to punish them Lecause some par
tcular country had adopted restricted system
O; commerce. Furtler, although imperial zoll-
vcrein would TO some cX'Pnt enlarge commerce
with the colonies, it would inialliblv contract
CONNIE c. with the rest of the world. The amount
of imperial commerce fls7 900 0O0 yearly,
taking in imports and exportc Of all Fnus, whereas
the foreign commerce announced to fJ5 l,OO0,00O
1t would be most ingloriots policy 10 clog
British energy and enterprise il market of S5j4,-
100000 yearly In order to enlLrse action
with market Of one-thlid that amount.
The operation Of the Mckinley tariff might not
disturb trade so much some expected. America
must get paid for her exports TO England and must
take payment either in British manufactures or in
foreign colonial goods through English markets.
One effect of the Mckinley tariff would be to
direct the attapfinp Of the 2ethsn -hz~ssA.osuUa
toward the production Of hner classes Of goods,
because these bore the least intolerable pro-
tcctive rate. The result would be to elevate |
and improve the taste Of British manufacturers to
spur them on and stimulate their ingenuity.
tCheersJ The probable tendency produced by the
tariff among the Americans would be toward the
of coarser goods thus degrading their
productions whilst the English improved theirs.
Although America had gone on tightening her pro-
tecive system she had not lessened English trade.
In proof of this statement. Mr.. Gladstone quoted
statistics.
Continuing, Mr.. Gladstone said that in spite
of protection. commerce between America and
Great Britain had rapidly and greatly increased.
The experience of the past ought to dispel alarms
that the Mckinney law Wouiu cHect materiai III
jury. The harm to English commerce would be
fractional compared with that done to the peO |
pie of the protected country. lhe word protec- |
lion was missioner; it ought to be oppression !.
1t was a dclusion and fraud. America was the |
country that could best afford to try this strange
and astoi ishing experiment. Her natural wealth,
soil, minerals. and immense territory made her |
l. world III herself. With the vast amount OF
free trade within herself. nothing could inter
feTp The possession of these enormous advant- |
ages helped to disguise the truth from
American reasonen; but the adoption OF
tie Mckinley law would involve fear
people ought to he made strong and happy |
Chcers) lie advised that the British should not |
rom plain much Of injury IN themselves; first |
because il impolitic. and neAt, because II |
would be mainly untrue. tCheeis) Substantial |
Injury could not Le done to them, though .occa-
,ional injury might here and there result Amer |
lea should be left to argde out the question Of
protection and find for herself the evils the tariff
would accomplish. In conclusion Mr Gladstone
said:
III we have faith in the economic and moral
truths Of free trade, let have faitll in their
vindication west Of the Atlantic wei, east |
Pc" pe SO acute as the Americans will find the way
\, results best for themselves sooner and more |
afyectualy IL respectfully left TO themselves es
lecialiy 6y the people OF England, who ought ~
,how that as much as they value Americas com, |
nerce they value her friendship and regard stu
more Cheers. |
PEACE RESTORED IN SWITZERLAND
Berne Oct. CO. Quiet has been restored at Fribourg