The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-18
Great Britain's Unfortunate
Transatlantic Colony.
Free Trade Leaves the Newfound.
Ianders Helpless.


too many German princes to support.
But the real trouble is due to the insane
extent to which the peculiarly Manchester
view OF free trade has been carried. The
French government gives its fisher men
bounty amounting to from 90 to 70 per
cent. OF the value of all salt cod exported
by them to Spain, Italy and Portugal;
but the British government considers it
perfectly consistent with free trade TO
permit its own subjects, both at home and
in Newfoundland, to be excluded from the
above mentioned markets OF the Mediter-
rsnean by the French bounty givers.
That is free rrade run mad, and since
Goldfish is the chief export of Newfound-
land the island is doomed to ruin SO long
as 1t remains British colony.
III 1t were one OF the United States, then
France could not interfere with its
MAI kets in America, and / think our
Government would soon say to France:
$50 long as you try to drive our people
out CT neutral markets by your bounties,
we will give our people the
same bounties, under the same con-
hAtAohos thht yON w. lhdt 10 thC Ohiy
dignified way of meeting this tariff war,
but the British Government dare not do it
and SO Newfoundland must suffer.
II Newfoundland Is received into the
Canadian Federation it will strengthen
the vote for Canadian reciprocity with the
United States, il not for complete poll
tical absorption.
Lord Salisbury's government, in 1878,
vetoed the construction of a railroad
crossing the Island, because it dare not
defend British rights against French
claims in Newfoundland.
1t might have relieved the Newfound-
landers by building some 200 miles of road
from Port Aux Basques northward along
the French shore, without at oil coming
into conflict with the French claims. but
IL dare not even do this.
Newfoundland has been bankrupted by
the endesvor to complete this road at its
own expense.
The least profita Bile part OF the road has
been built, but that which remains to be
built is the most important, and it is
worth tine trouble OF American capi-
talists to look into the matter
Ii lies today in our power, without the
slightest danger OF English interference,
to make an economical annexation of the
whole territory along our northern
frontier, from Vancouver's Island
to st. Johns, by proposing fair treaty OF
reciprocity to our Northern neighbors;
and this, after few years trial. would
convince them that political union must
follow also.
To give an intelligent English view OF
the matter, may refer to James Anthony
Froude's words on the subject in his
"The English in the West Indies" Chap
ter 81.
"To be taken into the American Union
is to be adopted into partnership. To
belong as a crown colony to the British
Empire, as things stand, is no partnership
at all. 1t Is to belong to a
power which sacrifices, as it al
ways has sacrificed, the interest of
its dependencies to its own. The blood
runs freely through every vein and artery
of the American body corporate. Every
single citizen feels his share in the life OF
his nation. Great Britain leaves her
Crown Colonies to take care OF
themselves, refuses what they ask and
forces on them what they would rather
be without. Ii 1 were a West Indian /
should feel that under the Stars and
Stripes ! should be safer than was
at present - political expert
mo i ahputA hou II
which to sell my product in which /
should be treated as a friend; should
have a power behind me and protecting
me, and should have future to which /
could look forward with confidence.
America would restore me to hope and
life; Great Britain allows me to sinh, con-
tenting herself with advising me to be pa
tient. Why should Icontinue loyal when
my loyalty was so contemptuously val
ueds" And again, in chap. %, referring to
the sugar trade, he says: "The European
powers, TO save their beet root, went on
to support 1t with bounty.
Against the purse OF foreign
viduals cannot compete. Defeated in a
fight which had become unfair, the
planters looked, and looked in vain, to
their own government for help. Finding
none, they turned TO their own
kindred in the United States. There,
at last, they found q hand held
out OF them. The Americans were willing,
though at q loss OF &, 500, 900 OF revenue,
to admit the poor West Indians TO their
own market. But a commercial treaty
was necessary, and treaty could
not be made without the
sanction OF the English government
The English government, on some fine
drawn crotchet, refused to colonies
which we're weak and helpless what they
have granted without word IL deman nd
ed by Victoria or New South Wales,
whose resentment they feared And
when the West Indies harassed
desperate and half ruined, cried out
against the enormous injustice, In the
fear that their indignation might affect
a -. Ill ...A ~. a. a