Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-02-14
Russia Increases It's Protective
Duties 30 Per Cent. at
One Time.
France, Spain, Austria and Other
European Nations Striving for
Higher Import Duties.
The Principle of Protection Fast
Growing in Popular Favor the
Civilized World Over.

If we turn to other countries-thoSe ma
tions which have hitherto held such pro- |
nounced opinions in favor of protection as
the U nited States have done-what do we
see? Why most enipathahc resolu- |
ton to keep out foreign Imports and 70
promote native industries
Take Russia for example That coun-
try during the past ten years has success
sively passed and adopted protectionist
laws. and is even now engaged in produc- |
ing further measures in this direction full |
particulars of which are expected to be |
published by the Russian government dur
ing this year. In June and July, 1887, !
the rates on iron and steel and various
manufactures thereof, motive machinery |
and other articles were all raised In the |
same year the import duties on agricultur- !
al machinery, twisted cotton yarns and
buttons were added to. Severe alterations
were also made in the rates on wooden and
worsted warns. But tie last move was
the issue of a Russian imperial degree of
September, 1890, which placed at once a
uniform addition of 20 per cent. on ex-
listing rates. As stated before, the Russian
government is taking further measures to
protect native manufactUlss. The I'M
portance to England of these laws is very
great considering that she has been eX.
porting thence large quantities OF hoop ana
sheet iron, tin plate, cast and wrought
iron, tin and pig lead, steam engines and
general machinery The new tariff will
no doubt render larger commercial inter-
course impossible.
The protectionist party in France is
using all It's influence to wake the govern
ment of that country to adopt stringent
protectionist tariff when the existing
/ treaties expire ut the end OF 1891, 1t
proposes to have double tariff, one for
countries which will admit French goods
| at a low rate, and the other one for hostile
nations. Practically all the most import
ant chambers Of commerce in.France agree
| that one or another industry requires pro-
! lection. The proposals will hit foreign
made cotton, wooden and other textile
goods, machinery, TOOLS hardware, hides,
&c, very severely, some Of the suggested
duties being advanced double for the min
imum tariff, and of course more than this
for the hostile tariff The question Of re-
vision is now being considered by the
French Legislature.
The Spanish government is now consld-
ering the ACCESSIBILITY of amending its
present tariff and imposing duties on
cutlery, agricultural machinery, cotton
and cotton manufactures and many other
articles. Already the import duties on
foreign wheat, rice, meat, etc, are to be
raised Italy is practically fenced round
Ey protectionist tariff and most English
manufacturers have given up any attempt
to send goods thither In fact, some
British firms have opened establishments
in Italian towns for the manufacture OF
goods they cannot export.
Austria Hungary introduced tariff In
1887 which increase the dGtes on most
cotton goods, locomotive machinery and
metals. Roumania has made several IN
creases, covering large number of artl-
cles. Switzerland feels the effect of for
eign imports to be too strong to be with
stood, and the government is preparing to
abandon It's previous free trade policy, and
intends introducing very soon a new tariff
ROumania has made several additions to
rates within the last or 4 years; also
Greece. Turkey, Bulgaria Holland, Bel
GUM and Denmark have not as yet taken
action in this respect. Portugal, in 1887
made large additions 70 the import duties
on cast-iron tubes, colt tissues, cutlery
etc. Germany continues to maintain hci
present system of protection, although an
International free trade conference is pro
posed to be held shortly in Berlin.
1t will therefore be readily seen .hat
the European continent is protectionist t
and that the termination Of many com
mercia treaties in 1891 and 1899 will &C
centuate this position ana make protec
ton a still more accomplished fact Eng
land alone among the leading nation
maintains a semi-poicy of free trade which
is not absolutely free because she taxes ;
good many imported articles FOR reyenul
. purposes. Mr.. Gladstone recently sale
England traded with the whole world ans
d not with one country, and that was he
protection against a universal law OF pro
hibiti0n. But all these countries are shut
ting their markets against her, and il
time England will only have her colonie
, IN look IN