The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-23
HIGH TARIFF IN FRANCE.

Inc passage or the MCKINNEY Dill
evoked from the protected countries Of
Europe popular clamor in favor of retail
iating measures. The propagation of
the feeling was, as might readily be ex-
pected, largely the work of selfish man
ufacturing interests, and, in France at
least, the people seem to have fallen
only too readily into the pit that was
digged for them. The sentiment finds
its most recent embodiment in the tariff
bill laid before the chambers by the
French ministers. 1t is noteworthy
fact that the closest scrutiny of the Of
fetal memorandum attached by the gov
eminent fails to reveal anything in the
nature OF a reasonable justification for
reversion to high tariff principles. OF
course, the manufacturers are quoted.
The citizens of the United States have
sized up the manufacturers and their
Unsuitable greed and gave them their an
swer month ago. 1t is only matter
Of time and little bitter experience,
and the people Of the French republic
will deliver blow as crushing. Much
is made of the fact that other protected
countries have recently raised the level
Of their tariffs, but not word is
breathed Of the reception the American
people found it necessary in self defense
to tender to the proposals of Mr.. Nc
Kinley. Beyond the demand of the
manufacturers and the initiative taken
hx, 0fhar taI vi no 4,
government has not word to say in ia
vor of its protectionist measure. It's
members would seem to be in need of
instruction from some Of our republican
stump orators. They ought to learn to
swallow facts and declare that pro-
hibitory tariff means high wages and in
creased national prosperity. The state
ment is devoid of truth, of course, but
IN the words OF a great Montana orator
the high tariff advocate must be pre-
pared to make his facts as he goes
along.
Certainly, it cannot be laid to the
charge Of the French ministry that it
has entirely shut it's eyes to the progress
of passing events in the United States.
They have calmly appropriated Mr..
Blaines patent reciprocity scheme and
forgotten to thank him for it. Their
scheme proposes two tariffs. The maxi
mum one is for general enforcement,
and the other is to be applied to the
products OF those countries which grant
reciprocal advantages to France. In
this way all the drawbacks and incon-
veniences Of commercial treaties are got
rid of, while the advantages are still to
be reaped. Whether the idea will COM
mend itself to protectionists of the Pom
yer-Quertoo. what's French for McKin-
ley-type, who are far more anxious to
exclude foreign competition from French
markets than to obtain admission for
French goods to foreign markets, is,
however, matter of grave doubt. 1t is
true that the governments proposes that
even the minimum tariff rates shall be
high enough to enable home industries
to compete with foreign opposition
without being at disadvantage" But
their scheme for revision of the tariff
implies that this is not at present the
state of matters, and tho future mini
mum tariff ought therefore, if ministers
are to make good their. pledge, to be
higher than the existing general one.
This does not. however. appear to be
contemplated, and consequently there
seems every probability that the ex-
tremists will force the maximum tariff
to the highest possible point, then de-
clare the minimum one insufficient, and
demand its abandonment altogether. In
any case, it is evident that the enact
ment OF the new tariff will very ma
terially increase the cost of living and of
production all over France; and how
this process is to make the country rich
er. or enable producers to fight their
battles better in outside markets is a
problem that the American people, at
the recent elections, protested it's in
ability to solve