Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-22

attack: in the second place that they
hoped by abandoning 1t to induce other
countries to follow their example and
level the barriers against the competi-
ton of their formidable English rivals.
These facts established. he investigates
the nature and methods of the move
nlent for repeal. His conclusions are
not very creditable to the Anti-Corn
Law League or to it's great leader,
Golden, the pure handed hero of a
5loodless fight" who is nevertheless
found cajoling the farmers with false
promises. Singularly enough the
sources for this part Of his work are
the free trade authorities themselves.
He then traces the history of England
during the recent free trade period.
The period from 1876 to 1874 was one of
prosperity, of the growth Of home in
fustries and expansion of foreign trade.
Yet it is shown eonclusively that this
was but a continuation of a period of
prosperity which the English people
had long enjoyed. resulting from
superior advantages acquired during
the period of protection which had just
closed other influences quite apart
from the matter Of tariff policy. con
tributed to this prosperity. Cold was
discovered in California in 1Si9 and in
Australia in 1851. 1t was the period of
railroad building throughout the world.
and British capitalists and iron mas
tiers furnished not only the material
but the capital for their construction.
The most interesting part of the work
To the American student Of the tariff
question will be found in the l.5 pages
devoted to the effects, OF England's sys-
tenn of free trade on her domestic in
lustries from 1874 to the present time.
1t is shown that by this time Contin-
entail nations had developed their vast
manufacturing industries under pro-
tective tariffs. They We're ready to
enter the contest with Great Britain
and put the free trade dogmas of Rich
ard Golden and his associates to an
actual test of international competition
Competition became so excessive and
imports so increased. that in
1885 Parliament appointed commission
to inquire into the causes of the decline
of trade. In the digest presented of the
evidence before this commission. is
found the most reliable and definite
presentation of facts against the policy
of free trade to be obtained anywhere
This is followed by tables which pre-
sent an analysis of the foreign trade of
the country from 1860 to 1892 These
figures disclose the fact that while inn
ports OF competing commodities for
home consumption have steadily in
creased. the exports of domestic pro-
auctions have steadily declined since
1874
Following the discussion of the tariff
question in the United Kingdom, about
100 pages are devoted to Germany.
France Russia and other Continental
countries, presenting for the first time
a connected account of the industrial
tariff legislation and COM
mercial history of these nations.
A history of the tariff question in the
United States is then taken up in its
order. and all the tariff laws which
have been enacted from 1889 to the Nc
IIinley bill in 1892. are explained. The
depression in trade followed the low
tariffs of 1887, 1886 and 1857 is shown to
have resulted from an attempt to
csta bIish free trade. Again, the bust
ness activity and industrial growth re-
aulting from the protective tariffs of