The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-08-06
PROJECTIONS TRIUMPH.
rHe BRITISH SYSTEM PROVED 70
eE A FALlACY.

America Now Ahead OF Her Only
Bival--some Facts About Our boot
and Shoe Industry
Below will be found significant ex-
tracts from an English trade paper which
declares that in the manufacture Of
boots and shoes the United States is now
decidedly in advance of England. Some
years ago certain British political
economists evolved from their inner
consciousness the theory that the only
way in which any people could attain
to the highest efficiency as manufac-
turing nation was to be found under the
laissez faire or Free-trade system. To be
sure, their theory was not based on ac.
tual experience, but then the study Of
experience was such a vulgar pursuit
compared to the highly intellectual
methods Of abstract reasoning to which
they were accustomed, and as for the
theory in question, 1t worked out so
beautifully and jibed 50 perfectly with
England's interests at that time, that it
was adopted as the creed Of the English
economists. The theory was finally made
a policy through the influence of Richard
Golden and John Bright, who already
perceived the great advantage England
would have over all competitors in the
long start, accumulated capital, ad-
vanced methods and improved machin-
cry which her long experience IN manu-
featuring gave her, II only the world
could be persuaded to tear down their
Protective laws. Nor did they hesitate
TO confidently assert that within few
years after England should have led the
way, the whole world would have de-
clared for Free trade
Well, the British have been waiting
with an abiding faith in their Golden
theories for the world to acknowledge
their supremacy in manufacturing and
to tear down their tariff walls. But the
world has done neither the one nor the
other. Germany, France and the United
States refused to be convinced that they
could not make cloth and iron and cut
lery as well as England. John Bull
laughed sneeringly at their lack of faith
In the creed of Golden, and waited for
time to teach the American, the German
and the Frenchman the error Of their
ways. But time has done just the oppo-
site. From year to year Britain has wit
messed not only the internal resources
and trade Of the protected countries
wonderfully developing. but even their
foreign commerce growing more rapidly
than its own. Foreign wares soon began
to enter the Free-trade ports of England,
displacing native labor and stopping
English mills. Besides, It was found
upon examination that these wares were
net only cheaper than British goods, but
quite as skillfully made, and it began
to creep through Mr.. Bulls thick head
that manufacturing In other countries
had, after all, turned out to be success.
Soon he had the modification Of seeing
Brother Jonathan pass him at canter
In the manufacture Of steel, then in pig
iron, and today even the most bigoted
Englishman confesses that as manu-
featuring and mining nation we are far
In the lead of England.
|. There was one consoling thought
which John Bull continued to cherish
through all this losing industrial fight.
It was that even If manufactures were
stimulated in America and elsewhere by
artificial means, the cost of production
must be 80 great as to render 1t very un-
profitable business, and best Of all, these
Protection-produced products, even if
they supplied the home market, could
never, he thought, hope to compete with
England for the foreign trade. Even
this bit Of delusive consolation is rapidly
deserting our Free-trade cousins. Amer
lean goods have Of late years not only
successfully met British goods in many
neutral markets, but they have even en-
tered England to find ready buyers in
the very shadow of the English factories
and there to proclaim the triumph of
Protection.
For some years back there has been a
disposition among British manufacturers
to remodel their mills on the American
plan" and to adopt American methods
and machinery. Particularly has this
been true Of the boot and shoe industry.
A representative of The Shoe and Leathe,
Record. Of London, came to America re.
Gently to personally investigate the
methods of American manufacturers
Speaking Of the wrong impressions prev.
alent in England, he says, In his repor,
to The Record:
"Another fallacy generally nourished
in England (and, I must admit, shared
by the writer) has been the assumption
that really high class goods could not be
made and finished by machinery. l now
say most emphatically that there are
factories in America, and not one, but
many, which turn out large quantities
of ladies' and gentlemen's boots and