West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-10-09
TIE MCKINLEY BILL SERVES
ENGLISH INTEREST.

Mckinley Protective Tariff Bill as
against the interest Of English man
ufacturers. But good many En-
glishmen looking at the matter not
from the point of selfish interest,
but from that of general CONNER
cial interest Of the Nation are more
than satisfied to have us continue
and reinforce our barriers to gen
eral commerce.
The -Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamber
lin at the Afrsual dinner OF the Cob
den club IN 1881, said:
"For myself, speaking only as an
Englishman, / look forward with
anxiety, not unmixea with alarm,
to the time when our merchants and
manufacturers will have to face the
free and unrestricted competition
of the great republic Of the west,
and when the enterprise of its citi-
zens and the unparalleled resources
OF its soil will no longer be shackled
and handicapped by the artificial
restrictions which have heretofore
impeded the full development Of
It's external commerce.
Looking at the question in the
same broad, thorough way, quite
unlike that of an English shop
keeper, or anAme1ican Republican
politician, Mr.. Chamberlain said
last week in New York:
AS an Englishman, l am glad to
see the United States adopt the Nc
kinley or any other bill That will
serve to maintain the bulwarl, of
protection that has been erected
around this country. The tariffs
which the United States has exact
ed for years have served to increase
England's trade and enrich her
merchants. | have repeatedly said
in public at home what now say
to you, that England would suffer
great loss if the protective system
should be abolished in the United
States. We have built up an enor-
nous trade with the countries of
South America, with Australia, and
other countries which we could not
hold if free trade wero adopted here.
You have enormous resources in
raw materials, in workmanship and
in machinery against which En-
gland would cut IL sorry figure if
both countries were placed on equal
footing lin the race for commercial!
supremacy. / will not say that En-
gland would be totally vanquishcd.
but she would be greatly injured in
the competition. In a few years
the United States would rule the
commercial world beyond the
shadow of o doubt. Those people
in England who have expressed
themselves in opposition to-. the
measure evidently have not studied
the question us they should. They
need to examine Americas re-
sources.
As an EngIishman, therefore, |
hope your policy of protection will
be kept up indefinitely. The
higher the tariffs the better will /
be satisfied, for l cannot imagine .
severer blow to my country than
the United States could deal by de-
claring for free trade.
Very similar sentiments were ox-
pressed In 1892 by Mir. William
Rathbone, member of Parliament !:
Lord Brassey, an extensive traveller
and close observer Of industrial af-
fairs Mr.. Daniel Pidgcon, a ma.
chinist and manufacturer Mr..
James Thornly, who came to this
country to study our cotton manu-
features rs the agent of the Man
chester manufactures Prof. Cairnes
the political economist, and to 90
over on TO the Continent, the Leip-
sic Monthly for Textile Industry.
two years ago.
The Birmingham, England. Post.
OF July 30, 1888, said Of the Mills
bill: "Tbe main object Of the
| measure is IN
lessen the cost Of the production of
American manufacturers. and OF
course every step in that direction
will make the United States q more
dangerous com petitor Of England. 3"
Mr.. Daniel Adamson, president Of
the British Iron and Steel Institute
said
an fact. owing to the short
slghtedncss Of foreigners imposing
high tarIifs, we are now carving
20 per cent Of the whole ocean traf-
tic Of the world. and il this were
continued, in three OF four years
We should have from 05 20 90 per
cent 81 tho shipping under the
British flag" The Birmingham
Gazettc q couple Of years ago re-
marked that American competition
would never be- formidable until
the Republic adopts free imports or