The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-22
FREE TRADE ENGLAND.


/
conversation relative to free trade IN
England. At the present moment that
policy Is deserving of our close examina-
ton, and the effect of it also, for the Dem
ocratic policy of 1894 in reducing the tariff
upon many imports, in making free lun-
Der and wool, in reducing the tariff upon
hops from Is cents TO s cents, potatoes %
cents TO L. cents bushel and hay from 81
to s. ton, and laying an income tax upon
a portion of our people. is following sys-
tenn that may be called british" Let us
see how the farmers in England like free
trade Just now, and also see what has been
the benefits of that policy.
The Southeastern Gazette, the leading
paper in the county of Kent, in its issue of
September 25. 1894. records meeting at
Canterbury of the Farmers Club and
Chamber of Agriculture to consider mo-
ton "that this club urges the Hop Grow
ers' Association to use all means in its
power to get duty imposed on foreign
hops" and it was carried by avote almost
of TO L.
A resolution: "That free importation
of hops was detrimental to the industry,
and that definite steps be taken to save
this industry" was carried by 511 10 1. In
this discussion two leading hop factors
took part, and Mr.. lie May was the leader
of this movement. 1t was pointed out
that free trade in hops had reduced the
acreage from rs, 600 acres in 1856 to 90, 600
in 1894. And why2 Because foreign hops
were being imported free and sold at prices
that were ruinous to both parties (as many
of our consignors know from very bitter
experiencee
The very finest quality of "Brambling
Goldings," (the most valuable of Englishl
this year has been marketed by q friend of
mine and 63 shillings per cwt (1l2 pounds)
is all he could get for his crop-1S cents.
Well may he write me that what price
common and inferior grades will realize
is q question causing the greatest an xiety."
With such prices ruin is staring scores of
farmers in the face. Even the best quality
of wheat (best white) is selling for So per
quarter, price that it cannot be produced
for.
There IL farm of 200 acres belonging to
the government there, which was rented
at $3.50 cents an acre two years ago and il
has been reduced frat to S4.s3 and now it
is $l.75. including taxes and tithes, and
yet there is nothing in it.
During the past year there is falling
off in the stock, in Kent only. as follows:
Cattle, Il. Isl less: sheep, 1859 less. and
permanent pasture has increased "a, GA
acres. showing that arials and crops
requiring cultivation cannot be made to
paw. neither can stock.
Great regret was universal in this state
when it was known that 81 per box could
not be paid tor hop picking this year and
that IS cents was fixed for -bushel
box Goo pounds). and yet in England the
price Is less than that-it is only 3 cents q
bushei, or 60 cent box. i notice In the
police news in the same English paper
that two men took two caboages valued
at 4 cents and were arrested, and although
they were too poor to buy food they were
fined and would have been committed to
Jail had not the farmer actually paid their
fines out of his own pocket, his request to
dismiss the charge against them being
refused.
A woman with q baby was forced to
accept those prices. The child was taken
sick with measles and died. and at the
coroner's inquiry she testified that "she
was forced to take the baby out in the
cold and rain TO obtain living, and that
the measles were contracted in the hut
where many other children with that
disease were sleeping with their parents,
with rain coming down on them and rats
running over them at night"
These facts l commend to the considera-
ton Of my free trade friends. Is this the
kind of competition You desire TO place
our people with And now. If you say nay,
let US look at the taxation of free trade
England and compare il with ours. In
the United States we pay county and state
taxes. and under the Republican party's
administration We did not pay any taxes
for the Federal government. How is it in
England7
Birth is taxed, marriage is taxed, death
is taxed. tea and coffee are taxed. manu-
lectures are taxed, houses are taxed, in
comes are taxed. II you have a butler you
are taxed, If you have q footman, groom or
gardner you are taxed for each. The car
riage is taxed, the car, the cab you hire.
the railroad train, the house dog aud the
hsraldic devise on your note paper, the
gun you carry, and you pay q tax TO hunt
in addition. or even to fish for salmon.
Beer, spirits, wine. tobacco are taxed,
and the eau de cologne you scent your
clothes with, and even your ambitious
pills are taxed. These are only few of
the items. mostly for government pur-
poses. To these you have local poor
rates, county council, police voting lists,
street lighting, paving, watering. sewers,
school BOARD and vestry. House holders.
dodgers and families are taxed for the priv
ilege Of voting. and legacy duty to the
government at your decease and tar for
your grave, together with the fee for the
curate for the service. Will "wind you up"
These facts l commend 10 my free trade
friends for their consideration. Is that
the end you desire TO attain? With for
eign lumber landing At our own ports.
with British Columbia coal coming TO our
own doors, with free wool now at csnts
cents and four years ago at q cents, with
hay at 81 ton ~ the barn and four years
ago st 81, with milk st cents a gallon
and three years ago at is cents, with
a reduction Of 20 per cent. In the wages
Of the workmsn In the coal, coke and
lumber industries In West Virginia, with
white lead manufactures closed down.
with all our tin plate industries closed.
with the Lackawsnna Steel Compapv's
south mill ~ Scranton closed, and 8. 900
men unemployed, with ports Of Caba shut
against our -four owing to the tearing uo
Of the reciprocity treaty, with stagnation
In industry everywhere, with men look
ing for employment every where and find