St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-03
PROTECTION IN FRANCE.

PROJECTION IN FRANCE.
A report just sent to the state depart
ment by Consul Lathrop. of Bristol,
| England, is somewhat significant of q
| coming agitation on behalf of more pro-
lection. This time it is the milling IN
terest that is appealing for aid in CON-
peting against European pauper -four.
The consul recites that of late q large
quantity of Hour has been imported into
| England from France, and Is found to
be in many respects equal to The best
American products. He shows how this
is done probably by reciting that the
| duty on wheat and flour was consider
| ably increased by France, the avowed
| object being TO make the country self.
supporting and 10 increase production
to such an extent as to prevent the
| Introduction of foreign growths. The
result of this policy has been 10 increase
the profits of the Ere nch millers on the
flour they make at home, and to enable
them to sell in foreign markets at less
price than they charge to domestic
consumers.
The competition OF French with
American hoar III Great Britain will not
greatly alarm the producers here. The
supply of wheat i'll France is necessarily
small, for the area devoted to its culture
is prescribed. Although majority of
the people sub5iSt upon coarSer food.
there is still considerable demand for
the finer grades Of wheat -four among
the middle and upper classes sufficient
TO consume the bulk of the supply and
leave little for export. Therefore we
have little to fear from the competition
of The French. Even though their prices
are lower than our own, they could not
supply the needs of the world. But
while they are extending their foreign
trade they are depressing their own
people. The tariff tax is added to the
cast of every sack of homemade -four
sold, and the price OF bread is Increased
thereby TO every citizen for the benefit
of the foreigner, who finds himself able
to get cheaper bread by reason of the
tax.
This is a fair sample of how the tariff
works universally-in this country as
well as in France. 1t does not protect
the poor man. but the rich. anu adds
largely to the cost of subsistence of all
classes. In this country the duty on
agricultural implements has been high
practically prohibitory OF Importation.
The farmer OF the Northwest is required
to pay the duty upon his piowS, his
reapers and mowers in addition to the
cost of their manufacture. with lib
eral profit added. The farmers of Eu-
rope and South America use the same
machines, made i'll the same shops, but
pay from 80 to 90 per cent less for them.
The manufacturers make money on the
machinery they sell abroad. and are
making every effort to extend their bus
mesa fact that is a sure indication
that it is profitable. A comparison Of
the differences in prices received al
home and ABROAD shows to what extent
the farmers here are robbed for ne pro-
lection of the mannf acturers.
The manufacturers mere are i'll no
need of protection. Congressman Thorn
as l.. Johnson, one OF the largest manu-
facturers of agricultural implements in
the country, has asserted in congress
that he can successfully compete with
foreign manufacturers without any pro-
tection-that be can sell SO cheaply as
10 exclude from the American market
every machine of foreign make. He
has proved his statements by irrefuta-
BILE figures, and has protested, even
though he was himself beneficiary of
the system, against its continuance.
No doubt the millers OF France will
approve of the new order of things,
even though the mass OF the people may
demur. 1t is not impossible, indeed.
that they will rebel, for the French are
not as submissive to oppression as we
of America. We protest at the ballot
box against odious laws. and our rep
reSentatives in congress pay no heed to
the protest. LII France remedy against
obnoxious conditions is sought in rev
olution. The dynamite bomb and the
incendiary'S torch are the weapons Of
the Frenchmen. They cannot wait for
| the operation of more peaceful agen-
cies. The millers Of that country may
| reap temporary advantage from the
new tariff on -four, but the resulting
disaster from this system of oppression
will far outweigh the benefits. The
country will weary with an experiment
of this nature, and soon realize that it is
not always good policy to tax ones self
| for the benefit of foreigners, or even for
the advantage OF any class of native cit
| liens. The tax on bread will not long
endure.