New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-17

stances, and of apparent ccntring of all things
around his own personality, which is probably
! only human, Americans cannot but admire the
success of his efforts in welding the German Fed
! Grafton into one powerful and prosperous State.
After all, the aspiration of Americans is not to
reform the world, which no one nation can sanely
dream of doing, but 80 to form themselves that
they may present to the world a united free
and prosperous America. II is natural enough
that the example of Germany should be of in
tense interest TO them in their present pollti-
| cal contest, when they are asked deliberately To
turn their backs on that policy OF their own
| which Germany's exemplar from the be-
/ ginning.
| In the instructive "reminiscences" Of Lord
Augustus LOTUS, which have just appeared, tins
| experienced and serious diplomatst gives n sig
nifcant appreciation Of Prince Bismarcks mental
| attitude toward England, the country which must
enter into every discussion of the rightfuness
and eXpcdiency of Protection or Free Trade.
have always regarded him as hostile to England
however much he may occasionally have INDUCED
| In admiration of her. He jealous of her
| naval supremacy, of her commercial wealth. AND
| of the moral power she exercised in the world
| Perhaps distrustfnl' would be moro express
| sive of the truth than jealous 1t is England
| that led the nations in their wildgoosc philan-
| thropy of free trade, thus exercising her mora
| power In the world to the pOrtentous prolt
| of her commercial wealth. She is nation unit
ing the minimum of home production of raw
material with the maximum Of manufacturing
Industries for supplying the demands OF inter-
| national commerce. In other words. she IL
| nation of traders to whom. for the most part
the lack of restriction may he profitable. Bnt
| Prince Bismarck might we'll conceive suspicious
| a. 20 the worth of Free Trade TO other nations
like Germany and America, where compara
lively small fraction of the population depends
| Or its subsistence foreign trade.
| Accordingly, in 1873 he introduced into the
German Empire those high tariffs which began
| the protectionst reaction throughout continent
| tal Europe. Curiously enough, or rather natur-
ally enough. In country SO differently const'
| tuted from England the policy of Protection ~
once accredited itself by an enormous lh'Ic"F
| in home production, and in the manufacture eN-
port and general consumption of German soous
The Free Traders have in vain tried to explain
away this Fundamental fact. The work OF pro
| lection has not been merely temporary by CIV
| ;ng the Germans the start they wanted 1t has
| continued for cool dozen of years. Prince bls
| marc, Ind already had than that length
~ time 10 udge of the workings OF the system
| in the experience of the United States ai''f
| 1860 1t is this experience, which mas now I'VE"
| tripled by our own recent years ana 'i''s van"
r,e Of Germany which We are asked 10 neE'
in favor Of certain theoretical reasoninss "rou1"'
out in England ,o.oc,ivo
| ,ocv AZ much as any political rivalry ""''. -"
r.. pr;,oo bismarck blind to the advantages
| ~ tho relative notifications INTRODUCED ny
! crooossor in the late treaties OF commerce. Inc
go +ar;ss have indeed produced results OF ines
| .,noblo inheritance TO the interior deVeloph''n'
=. .h ,o,y Fmpire In the year 1870, whch rco'-
,oitv was first a4itated, the customs receip's
boa mounted from 100 millions oil mar
| a7o millions OF the two things "lnc" 'o," 80.
| b.eis Of the industrial movement ule pr"u"''''
| ~ coal had advanced from 40 10 ~ 'pi''i',' "
TONS and of iron from 10 more IMAM ,h
| Tn tho commercial balance me prouuo
Cern,an Industries show yet better ''c ie'
w,se nrotection On the part OF Govcrhmen'' VIZ
e,s. drtv IL should seem 70 be not 10 look ou'
.a ,.nos.s ~ revenue only, but to protect the
autonomy and well-Leng OF its own people ~
tho,r labor md industry. IL the expectations OIL
IN. vear 1900 Industrial products had como 10
| ho AZ per cent Of the whole while they coun'''
nm all told but 1877 per cent of the to'ai inp''
tation. , H., ,o,,oo
r,ns Traders have been driven back Tor reiupc
| .n .,na,entlv unfavorahle balance IN the
movement of agricultural produc''' "neie d"
| ,muorta.ion OF $50 per cent Is conrrohEu " az
| .xnortation o. only 1913 per cent OF "'o "'
| Rn+ in reality this, too, bears witness 70 VIC
| DEVELOPMENT of German agriculture uh"e' NV
1,anco Of A wisely protective policy ~ Is
| muob that it should have kept pace az w'ii 40
| ., has with the demands Of the constantly III
a.oos,nr nonuIation of the EIlpre. This increase
Zoo heon If more than ten millions OF lnhapi-
.on,o s,nce Protection has come into force Inns
I accounts in the main for tllc fact, eagerly
sei2cd upon by the advocates OF Free lra"e' 'n"'
tbe last four years have seen an excess Vi ih
nortation over expectation IN the oo'al n'o
NJ commerce across the frontiers. iHeS Ns
o, cav that this balance results from "'o vi"
nronor,ion of the increased production III as'
ou,ture cattle-r aisng. fish ana IorciBh mum"
,;es in presence Of the still more rapiu ih'i'"e'
IN nopulation. Protectionrts nave nc'oi P
tended to benefit the home prodnctiop oi .ou.
,rn hovond the practicable development OF nS
Wy a1 .osourccs in proportion 10 the demands
u,ade upon it. An obvious and peremp'ory argu
IT, .ho. pro,. lion has done at least TINS much
:: 10 casa of German agriculture Is the uhulS-
.d foo, that the landcd proprletors OF 'ho
r.,,;ro have remained firmly attached 10 IL d.
.,;cr something which would har"iy ii"''
occurred if their own intercS'e "''' ,,,
T.. ,oipt If fact. the supposed unfavoraoie
h.,orce did not mako its appearance un'i'
.ont;on had been in force FOR zen iu'i - |
THE 10 but another instance wiero -, ,'..'asuo
demands that Protection, Ike 'o'"n' ".,'.n
shall give a seacoast TO B'i"ini" '"'e
has bounded her by dry i"n': 49,. ,,.o.o oroped |
In .bo autumn of 1890 negotiations "oio o'
- for the conclusion of o treaty OF com-
- hetvcen Germany and Austra-hun-
Inv prince Bismarck had been co"'
,t with the political alliance eAis'i''s
so.,r.or the two countries, and had above"
,hs economic war to 40 merrily on across the
frontiers. 1t was not easy to come to terms
ca.u,ar manufacturers had their rivals in Austria.