New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-11
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
GLADSToNE's DUNDEE SPEECH.


SOME AMAZING STATEMENTS AND STILL MORE
AMAZING CONCLUSIONS.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Mr.. Glsdstonc's speech AZ Dundee on aS'
Wednesday, as given by cable report III Inc tribune
OF the 3Oth inst, presents 50 far az IL coecr''u
American tariff some anomalous features 80 huoi
So indeed, as To warrant the suspicion tiS'I 'ho ~
Old Man" Is losing his intellectual grip go
The general tenor Of British carpngs ana CRU
cisrns Of our tariff has been such al to JUSTIFY ue
conclusion that England still regards 'he 'h'eu oU"'
As colonies OF Great Britain, and that our ->'~onai
legislation must not he permitted to interfere WIN
thc paramount interests VI the "mother country
p,lc meetings I'm that country have even gone so far
A. 70 call upon the British Government 10 pro'e9t
against the passage Of the Mckinley dr. Ju9 d. Vo"s"
England had still voice in our CONGRESSIONAL Iessa
tion This dctatorial treatment OF our DOMESTIC
legislation cannot fail provoke resentment as well as
contempt in the American mind But Mr. Hladstohc
yos a least sensible enough 10 enter disclaimer OF
any purpose TO "bring railing accusation asa'is'
fine people of the United States on account OF our
tariff This was generous. 1t was magnahinious' inc
neonle of the United States ought TO be thaihiui
This abstention from abuse of people and our
Congress for ordering their own affairs In ther own
way implies our right to egslate without consulting
Gladstone or Great Britain. We commend his aInabIc
moderation! The orator, moreover assured MS Dui'-
dee audience that 4" Ire not going to treat them 10
the commonplace Of free trade For TINS exemption
from the inniction OF such patitudes they should
have been thankful
Mr. Gladstone then proceeds TO make some state
ments concerning free trade and protection thai pam
fullv indicate lapse OF Intelligence. lie SAID fro
lection although IT might inlet Incidental col'VcI"
blows on other countries did far greater mscei 10 e
people Of the country which adopted such poiIcS,
and whose people 1t plundered and defrauded IL
This be true them instead of being rallied against ny
L. HIM
But unfortunately for the truth Of the statement our
people have invariably prosper ed ana II '"h rioh UNIV"
tariffs Of protection. Not an instance 10 TIE CON
trary Mr. Gladstone ought not 10 have be'h ishoiahV
of that historic fact. lie ought not to have been
ignorant Of the further fact that in every instance INC
cost Of all commodities of necessity and requisite lor
comfort in living has been less to our people uider INC
protective taIiTs than nder free ira c lbs uoes h''
look as though people had been seriously pun
dered and dcrauded" by system OF pr0tectol' lheso
historic facts fatty contradict Mr. "Iaustoies S"'o
ment in that particular.
The Dundee orator further said There were
people who believed that the injurious enec's
of protection chiefly felt In the eOuhtIIe"
dealing with tie protected country. That was
fundamental mistake. There might De a deal Oh us
turbance and even Generalization, in trade, but II
was not true at any time that the trade of any country
ON earth could interfere seriously with the prosperity
of Great Britain Then, why make such "A fuss abont
ui If Nr Gadstone's bOastful statement he True As
TO Great Britain, ii is equally true OF France anu
Germany. And. if true, they should have conera'u
lated themselves the passage of the Mckinley Dill
bv our Congress. If it be true that we beneht
ourselves without injuring them by that tariff why
should railing accusations and threats OF re'aaoh pe
INDUCED in!
But Mr.. Gladstone repudates this by saving tha'
ENGLAND should not be led into any such sucNal
folly And he clinches this view by further SAYING
"Every country giving stringency of protection
Drlf
its own market gave the British freer aud broader
field in other markets 1t not possible for Great
Britain TO receive vital profound injury from any
of these operations abroad Certainly, under thiS
view of the subject expounded by Mr. Glad-
stone Great Britain, instead Of queIul0us protests
and railing accusations, owes us a vote OF thanks
and debt of gratitude FOR giving TO her trade e
freer and broader field in other markets" by law
protecting our own
Mr. Gladstone further stated in that remarkable
Dundee speech that The probable tendency produced
nv the tariff among Americans would be toward the
manufacture of coarser goods. thus degrading their
productions. while the English improved theirs ,
Now. intelligent American knows lhal enc
probable tendency" Of the new iar is to be exactly
ia the opposite direction from degrading our manu-
facture Of coarser goods. For We Know tlat t uh
Improvement. instead OF the degradation OF tief pro
auctions. obviously. Mr.. Gadstones conclusions are
ing the American tariff. As further evidence Of this lie
also said America must get paid for her exports
t. England, and must take payment cithcr IN i'ruan
manufactures in foreign or colonial goods through
English markets
The accuracy of the statement that America " mu t
take payment for her exports in British manufactures
or foreign goods through English markets may well
be challenged We fail 10 the obligatory element
in thus receiving payment for our exports MI
Gladstone seems to have forgotten that there is such
a thing as a balance Of trade as between different
countries and that balance must be paid in gold not
in goods We seek that balance in our favor
protective tariff is our only means Of securing IT,
And under such tariff England will take Just as much
nj opr exports as she would under free trade-in
case any more than she must for her needs.
Mr. Gladstone does not leave his Dundee audience
without further words Of consolation. For he sail :
"The experience Of the past ought TO dislel alarms
that the Mckinley law would effect material injury
The harm TO English commerce would be fractional
compared with that done to the people of the pro
tectcd country"
We rejoice that the experience of the past is 50
reassuring 10 English commerce: and we also relolca
that the same "eXperience OF the past is equally
reassurng to ourselves the people Of the projected
country" - d. ALl"EN
Newfoundland, y. j., oct. 81, 1880.