The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-15
FREE TRADE ENGLAND
Manner in Which She Protects
Her Own Industries.
THOMAS n. FLeMlso's VIEWS.
Commercial Advantages OF the Mother
Ffnsseial Mistress of the werid-

The theory that England. in spite of her
purely revenue tariff, after all strongly
protects her Industries in other manners.
Is advanced by Thomas T. Fleming. the
lumber merchant. who has had good op-
portunitses of ascerta;ning the facts in his
travels around the world, and gives some
interesting arguments TO support his
theory. In an interview with q PosT-
isIELLgSEScEs reporter he said:
The superstition hiss generally been that
England Is an unprotected country. while
as . matter of fact IL is not Tariff is not
the only thing that protects the commerce
and trade OF q country. The question
therefore would be. What protection has
England that the United states has not
1 wiii give an instance: ! made three
trips 10 the West Indies and South Amer
lea. stopping at Cuba, Antigua, Dominica.
81 Kits. Sc. Lucia. Martinique. Bsrba-
does. Trinidad and ports in South Amer
lea. and vas interested in noting how the
commerce and trade of these islands and
countries was controlled by Great Britain
rather than by The United States. put
this question TO one of the consuls az ST.
kits and he answered: The steamers
which make the semi weekly trips through
the islands carry the royal mails, and are
heavily subsidized for 30 doing This vas
confirmed bv the captain of the steamer
Mural. of the Quebec line. This very fact
kept the ships of the United States out of
these ports. Around South America and
all through the West Indies Great Britain
has several coaling stations where It's ships
are supplied with coal AT q minimum cost.
all of which contributes TO handicap
American ships not so provided. This
condition of things also exists IN the Med
iterranean, where l remained six months,
through the ORIENT and, in fact, all over
the world. Thus protected by coaling sta
tons and subsidized, ships of Great Bril-
tain carry cheaper as we'll as act az drum
mers for trade. These advantages also en-
able Great Britain TO handle her commerce
with the utmost regularity and precision,
allowing merchants all over the world to
know when they give orders exactly on
what day the goods viii arrive.
There are many other reasons tending
to give England the benefits Of protection.
The low interest with which London. the
financial center of the world, handles all
exchanges and bills of lading and ship
ments of merchandise is another factor
that protects the commerce of England.
The bills of exchange are good all over the
world. whereas bills of exchange of the
United States are unknown. England was
the first country that introduced steam
and machinery into the world. The long
prestige of England rs mechanical na-
ton has trained her mechanics as those of
no other nation have been trained, en-
abling them to construct. first iron ships
and next steel ones, cheaper than any
other country on the globe. The ma
chinery and propelling. power Of these
ships, are in advance of the rest of the
world, which alone is sufficient 10 aid her
10 outrank the United States. A large
proportion of the energy and capital in
Great Britain is concentrated in world
commerce and world banking. Her roads.
homes and workshops are all completed.
Al. 81 ~. -
where so much energy and capital must
be expended In opening up a new country,
developing internal improvements. In
England the development of the country
has already been achieved, here it is in its
beginning and artificial protection of some
kind is absolutely necessary TO handicap
this formidable rival. Free trade in Eng
land was the direct result OF the influence
of the manufacturers of the kingdom with
the British parliament. Every petition for
free trade was unanimously urged by every
manufacturer in the kingdom. In this
country the manufacturers appeal for pro-
lection, showing that the industrial condi-
| tions OF the two countries are entirely diff
fer n,. The absurdity of the Democratic
| party following the footsteps of England
| Is apparent. In afiording protection to the
| merchant heet England overlooks nothing
| shus we see 5000 Indian sailors IN her
marine. cheap labor and coolies, Malays,
| japanese anI gtDer cheap laDOr Sailors.
"All students who have any knowledge
| of the worlds industrial history are ac-
| quainted with the fact the United States
/ lost her prestige IN foreign commerce by
| the rapid triumph of steam over sail, to-
| gether with the building OF the Suez canal.
| The Suex canal was q deathbiow to the
/ American wooden sailing ship. Long
1 voyages around Africa and South America
/ were no longer so necessary, aud Eng and
/ quick 20 see the importance of this cutoff
\ TO commerce. bought the canal and began
/ az once to establish q system of coaline
| stations for her steamships at her colonial
| possessions all over the world, and she
/ soon became mistress of the seas. The
force of this change is realized when it is
considered that the United States is able
| TO build the cheapest and best wooden
sailing ship. whilst England Is able tc
! build the cheapest and best iron or stee
steamship. For twenty years Democrats
| have been bowling about our tariffs caus
| ing the ruin of our merchant marine.
Thus capital. prompt and regulars eliv
| cry of goods, coating stations. subsidies,
cheap labor, long hereditary mechanical
/ skill and last. but not least, her vast colonial
| possessions, combine in giving England its
| hold upon the commerce OF the world
/ With this combination she is en-.
abled often TO carry 10 Der fac
tories raw materials at no cost what
/ ever. large quantities Of freight being ear.
/ ried as ballast These ara the reasons
| would give that make England a protected
nation. and makes IL the business policy OF
the United States &c handicap her with