Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-06-13
Affects Our Industr;c..

Affects Our Industries,
The first step toward free trade is
affecting quite a number of American
industries. Let us now see how It
works in other countries Taking the
United Kingdom, where free trade has
been longest in force. and her iron and
steel industries, We find that the i'm
ports and exports Of iron. steel, tin
plate, wire, hardware, coal and machn-
cry compare as follows for period Of
ten years, from 1SS4-1S94:
1884. 1894
Total imports E3S0774,549 f4Os, ,O5. IT'S
Total exports. 232,927,5775 2lb,194 2:3;9
Tons. Tons.
Total exports of
of iron and steel ), 1862 o.fJ; 49,
Imports of iron
ana Steel .... lcl,SJo l. 3d.,
There has been no wall of protection
around the United Kingdom during
this decade, and her manufacturers
have had every possible opportunity to
let themselves out into the markets
OF the world, yet we find that the total
British exports Of iron. steel. tin plate.
wire, hardware, coal and machinery
combined decreased over $50 Oa,. uN,U 4
year between 1854 and 1924
1t would almost seem as if the alb
s"nce of 4 wall of protection had work.
ed entirely contrary to all free trade
theories in Englands case. because ii
has enabled the foreign manufacturers
and producers of iron. steel tin plate,
wire. hardware, coal and machinery
TO sell in the English markets nearly
SlM',WO.WO worth more of their prod
ucis and manufactures in 1894 than
they did in 1854. Free trade in En-
gland has increased the imports of the
above mentioned goods by nearly t2D.-
100000 sterling and has decreased the
exports by more than tlG.OOOWn ster-
ling. The figures quoted are from the
official Board Of Trade returns.
Taking the quantities OF the English
exports We find that the United King
dom has sold under its policy of free
trade $4,000 tons less of iron and steel
III 1894 than she did in 1884. Her eN
ports of pig iron decreased by nearly
100000 tons; Of bar, angle. bolt and rod
iron by nearly 10000 tons; Of railroad
iron by 100000 tons. and of hoops.
sheets and plates she sold 2l?.OOO tons
less in 1894 than in 1884. Her exports
of railway carriages decreased in value
from f5O4.3l5 in 1854 to f2I1,Ooo in
1894. Her exports of railway trucks
declined by t254. 600. her exports of
hardware and cutlery fell Oft by tl.3M-
zoo within ten years, and her exports
of steam engines decreased by Il 100
nnn year
The English desire that We should
adopt their policy of free trade can
hardly be so friendly suggestion Us
our English admirers would have us be-
lieve. If it has resulted in such enor
NOUS losses in business among the iron.
steel, tin plate, wire. hardware. coal
and machinery trades of the United
Kingdom, 1t is hardly friendly act to
encourage us I'd practice similar tactics
that will result In similar losses to the
United States. %@
While England has lost so much mon
cy and so much trade in these indus
tries during few years of free trade.
the United States, on the other hand.
under its policy of protection, has built
UP similar industries to an enormous
extent--to such an extent that we are
undoubtedly buying less Of these CON-
modities from our English neighbors
and have helped materially to diminish
their manufactures and their output.
Perhaps this is the real reason why
they wish US to drop our policy of pro-
lection. 1t would not be an entirely
unselfish reason.