Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-10-29

throughout South Wales and Mon
mouthshire have been reduced III per
cent. since January l, last. This is an
other of those facts that speak loudly in
behalf of the protective policy of the
United States. 1t is an exhibit on be-
half of the theory that it is better to
encourage industries at home than TO
support those abroad. and it is no
wonder that the London Times was
.pained to note" that the protection
tariff here has created a disturbance in
British trade that could not be offset by
manufacturers.
1t also shows that the wages of the
Workmen are the first to suffer when
there arises a competition. II 1t be-
comes necessary to lessen the cost of
production il is accomplished at the
cost of bread and comfort to the laborer.
And this is one of the evils to prevent
which the protective tariff was framed.
1t does not require much learning to be
able to reason that an act that is keep
ing competition out of our markets is
an act that is responsible for high wages,
as we'll as for the establishment of the
industries which provide employment
for the workman. This fact is now i'm
pressed upon Our esteemed foreign
cousins.
The tariff was aimed to cover the
difference in the cost of production here
and abroad, and it has been successful.
The Bradford Eng ObSeroer, says: "A
decline of 80 per cent. is noted in the
quarters exports of Sheffield cutlery to
the United States compared with the
third quarter of 1889. Compared with
1890 the falling off is much greater"
| This is a confession that the tariff on
cutlery here has provided home market
| for home manufacturers. In doing this
it has driven 80 per cent. of the English
cutlery from competition, which def
cheney in supply has been filed by our
own cutlery makers. 1t naturally fol-
lows that the making of the cutlery to
fill this deficiency has given employment
to workmen at good wages. Is this not
clinching argument on behalf of the
protective tariff? Is it strange, under
the circumstances, that British manu-
facturers should feel disturbed? We
think not But it is strange that some
still stick to their free trade fallacies.
| GERMANY SATISFIED WITH PROTECTION.
| New York Press.
"The annual reports of the German
Chambers of Commerce show" says the
London Times, "the great strides made
by German trade and industry since the
establishment of the empire" The Times
ought to have said since the establish
ment of a Federal protective tariff,
which was one of BiSmarck'S great
works and which he considered hardly
of secondary Importance to German
unity itself. But it would not have
done for the leading London newspaper
to speak out thus plainly. The figures
and facts, however, speak for themselves,
and. as the Times admits, afford the
means of instituting a valuable com
parison between the business activity of
Germany and tnat of Great Britain. As
illustrating the progress made in all
branches of German industry and COM
merce, the reports lay stress upon the
growth in the production of raw ma
terials in Great Britain and Germany is
very striking. The figures cited in the
report extend back to the year 1850, and
are given at the end of each decade up
to 1890. At the half century, for in
stance, Great Britain produced 2,250, 600
tons of raw iron and Germany only
2O8,O0O tons In 1890 the respective
production of the two countries had in
creased to 100000 and 1867 900 tons
respectively. Thus within forty years
the production in Germany, from being
scarcely one-tenth of that of Great
Britain, has become over one-half, the
percentages of the increased output be-
| ing 255 in Great Britain, against ?, ,129
in Germany In the manufacture of
steel the comparison is no less
instructive, the prodnce of the two
countries in 1872 being 417,000 and
5000 respectively; while, in 1890, the
figures stood at 3,636,000 and 2,161, ,000
tons, the percentage of increase in nine
teen years being only 772 in Great
Britain, against 1,043 in Germany.
So far from Germany's foreign trade
having been injured by protective
policy, the most remarkable development
has been in the commercial marine.
The number of voyages made by
German vessels in 1873 was 1885,
carrying cargo amounting in the aggre-
gate to 6,951 900 tons, while in 1889
altogether 55,934 voyages were made
with cargo reaching the large total OF
p, 1893, ,522 tons. The German mercan-
tile marine at the present time stands
next to that of Great Britain.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that the
German Chambers of Commerce unani-
mously urge the government to protect
the national labor, and not to depart
from the customs tariff system, which
they say, has so largely contributed tt
its development.
CAN'T BE CONTRADICTED.
Wheeling Intelligencer.
ssSo for No ono has apppDtpd NaiO-