The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-20
A FRENCH VIEW or mkINLEY1sn.

The July number of the Forum viii
contain an article on Major Mckinley
and what he stands for, by the eminent
French writer, NJ. Paul Le9oy-B eaulieu
By permission the New York Post
prints extensive extracts from it in
advance of its publication, and it is
from that source we quote part of the
article
NJ. Leroy BeaUlieu says that for
number of years Major McKinley's
name has represented in Europe the
most exaggerated form of protection
ism and that more recently it has been
equally linked with bimetallism. These
two, excessive prosectionism and the
notion OF giving equal recogni-
ton to silver as to gold, are,
in the domain of economics, the
two perlls that threaten contemporary
civilization. Then he enlarges upon
these dangers, as he sees them. Re
garding excessive protec4ioI.ism he
says:
As to the first point l shall be brief
II under the lead of Mr. Mckinley the
Unlled States Increases decidedly the
import duties on European merchan-
disc, it win professionally give a
( st4Ung stimulus 10 European protec-
|. uonism. In almost all countries Of Eu-
rope the protecuonisi party is still
Very strong. High as the actual du-
ties are, they do not satisfy its appe-
tite. In France it is aglsatiag for
duty on wheat OF ten francs (neariy so
per metric quintal instead Of seven
francs or Sl.30, and for like advances
on other products. In Germany the
"agrarians' are sIiM ardently opposing
the recent treaties of commerce In
Belgium the Catholic party, now in
power. has greater need Of the rural
vote than has the Liberal party, whose
chances for any near return TO Office
are feeble. Even in England there is
being built up a protectionist party.
though it conceals Its game; just now
its mask is the project for a customs
union for the British empire, involving
favors for English products IN the coll
cnies and for colonial products in En-
gland
The only restraint on the tendency of
the protecfionist party in Europe to
new excuses is the opposition of man
ufacturers for export. The fear of
seeing foreign markets closed against
them binds these in a common effort
TO bride the energies of the land OWL
ers and land cultivators. But if the
! United STATES led the way in the mark
! ed increase of duties. the European
manufacturers would lose their chief
argument in opposition to the extreme
I protestionists. The example of the
! United States would be invoked with
certainly and success for an increase in
the protective tariffs of Europe. par
ticularly on agricultural products: the
present rates of taxation would be aug
/ menfed by 30 per cent or 40 per cent.
I No one can deny that this would check
/ the progress Of the United States. I'm
migration and railroad traffic have an
intimate connection with agriculture
4 and agricultural exports Even man
ufactures cannot extend rapidly except
as population Increases, and such in
crease is Incompatible with decided
/ falling off in the trade Of Europe and
America
From the first poinr Of view-the re-
/ vlval Of the protectionist regime
! throughout the world-the election of
| Mr.. Mckinley must be considered as
certain to cause recoil in the devel-
opment of the civilized world The
peril is no less-it is, indeed. more def
mite, perhaps, and more immediate
from the monetary point Of view
This view will generally be accepted
by all we,o are opposed to excessive
protectionism. Protectionism is a pol
1 icy that tends to isolation and selfish
ness, and there are no stronger agents
for retarding the growth OF civiliza-
ton.
/ We should hardly regard the election