Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-02-26
M'KINLEY ISM I'm EUROPE
ENGLAND ALONE I'm HER FREE
TRADE POLICY.

EN&AANE ALGJNE AN II E~fxS r. T6 c.
TRADE POLICY.
Leading Nations of the Old World Adopt
Emphatic Resolutions to Keep Out
Foreign Imports and TO Promote Native
Industries.
II we turn to other countries those
nations which have not hitherto held
such pronounced opinions in favor of
protection as the United States have
DONE what do we see? Why, most
emphatic resolution to keep out foreign
imports and to promote native indus
tries.
Take Russia for example. That couf-
try during the past ten, years has success
sively passed aud adopted protectionist
laws, and is even now engaged in pro-
ducing further measures in this direc-
ton, full particulars of which are ex-
pected TO be published by the Russian
Government during this year. In June
and July, 1887, the rates on iron and
steel and various manufactures thereof,
motive machinery and other articles
were all SaiSed In the same year the
import duties on agricultural machinery,
twisted cotton yarns and buttons were
all added to. Severe alterations were
also made in the rates ON wooden and
worsted yarns. But the last move was
the issue of Russian imperial decree Of
September, 1890, which placed at once a
uniform addition of 20 per cent. on
existing rates. AS stated before, the
Russian Government is taking further
measures to protect native manufactures.
The Importance to England Of these laws
is very great, considering that she has
been exporting thence large quantities
of hoop and 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 intercourse impossible.
The protectionist party in France is
using all it's influence to make the Gov
eminent of that country adopt a strin-
gent protectionist tariff when the exist
ing treaties expire at the end of 1891. 1t
proposes to have double tariff-one for
countries which will admit French goods
at low rate, and the other one for hos
tile nations. Practically, oil the more
important chambers of commerce in
France agree that one or another indus
try requires protection. The proposal
will hit foreign-made cotton, wooden, and
other textile goods, machinery, tools,
hardware, hides, etc., very severely,
some of the suggested duties being ad-
vanced double for the minimum tariff,
and Of course more than this for the hos
tile tariff. The question of revision Is now
being considered by the French Legisla-
ture.
The Spanish Government is now con-
sidering the advisability OF amending its
present tariff and imposing duties on
cutlery, agricultural machinery, cotton
and cotton manufactures, and many
other articles. Already the import du-
ties on foreign wheat, rice meat etc tee.,
are to be raised. Italy is practically
fenced round by 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 increased the duties On most
cation goods, locomotive machinery, and
metals. Roumania has made several in
creases, covering large number Of arti-
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 pol
icy, and intends introducing very soon
new tariff. Roumania has made sew
eral additions to its rates within the last
three or four years; also Greece. Tur-
key, Bulgaria, Holland, Belgium, and
Denmark have not as yet taken action in
this respect Portugal, in 1887, made
large additions to the import duties on
cast-iron tubes, cotton tissues, cutlery,
etc. Germany continues to maintain
her present system of protection, al
though an international free-trade con-
ference is proposed to be held shortly in
Berlin.
1t will, therefore, be readily seen that
the European continent is protectionist
to the core, and that the termination Of
many commercial treaties in 1891 and
1892 will accentuate this position and
make protection still more accom-
plished fact. England alone among the
leading nations maintains a semi-policy
of free trade, which is not absolutely
free, because she taxes a good many inn
ported articles for revenue purposes.
Mr.. Gladstone recently said that En-
gland traded with the whole world, and
not with one country, and that was her
protection against universal law of
prohibition. But all these countries are
shutting their markets against her, and
in time England will only have her
colonies to look to.