Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-05-16

compete with continental countries.
and will be compelled to resort to pro-
lection or lose her foreign and much
of her domestic trade.
! The prediction that this would inev-
litably come has been sneered at by
free trade doctrinaires, who seem to
imagine that some occult superiority
resides in the free trade formula.
During the last few years, however,
facts have been too much for their
theory. Continental countries have
begun to adopt the best English and
American machinery, and with their
much lower priced labor are compel
ing with English manufacturers. not
merely in their own markets, but also
in the English market. This tenden-
CIV has become so manifest to observ-
ing English statesmen that an actual
change of policy is now being contem-
plated. OF course, they are very
loath to admit that their free trade
policy is a failure In1eed, the super
stition in favor of free trade is too
strong to render such frank confess
sion politically expedient. Little by
little, however. it has been inciden-
tally admitted by prominent states
men several times during the last few
years. About eighteen months ago,
the London Statist offered reward
for the best essay on the subject of
"Organizing an Imperial Fedora
ton, /" in which the principle of free
trade should be maintain ed within the
federation and protection against all
without.
1t is officially announced that con-
ference is to be called for the purpose
of devising ways and means to bring
it about In his speech announcing
the scheme at the Canada Club, tne
substance of which has since been re-
peated in Parliament, Mr.. Chamber
lain admitted that though still free
trader, he was. willing to depart from
the doctrine Ill order to improve the
commercial interests of the country
According to the report of his speech
in the London Times, he said:
~ have no such pedantic adnira-
ton for it Gree trade) that if sufficient
advantage were offered me would
not consider deviation from the strict
doctrine. [Hear, hearll Mr.. Golden
himself took this view, and comprom-
ised his principles in making the
French treaty; and it cannot be ex-
pected that we, his disciples, should
be more orthodox than the apostle OF
free trade himself Hear, hearl and
laughter. My fourth proposition is
that true Zolloerein for the Empire.
that free trade established though
out the Empire, although it would in
volve the imposition of duties against
foreign countries, and would be in
that respect derogation from the
high principles of free trade, and from
the practice of the United Kingdom
up to the present time, would still be
proper subject for discussion and
might probably lead to satisfactory
arrangement, if the colonies on their
part were willing to consider it.
Hear, hear! and cheers. ]"
This is complete confession that
free trade as a policy for England has
been failure. and that England is now
ready to adopt an imperial fedora
ton modelled on the basis of the United
States, with a protective policy agairs
all foreign countries. This is in ac-
cord with Lord Salisbury's speech
some two years ago, and the call for
conference shows that it is part of
the official program of the admins
tration.
The London Times of March 27th
endorsed the scheme in leading edi-
torial, in which it says: 1.-The United
Kingdom has for nearly half century
pursued, steadily and avowedly, free
trade policy, while the colonies, on
the whole, though with some remark
able exceptions and with no approach
to uniformity of action, have drifted
into protectionism. This divergence
has hitherto frustrated the various
projects that have been discussed for
an Imperial Customs Union, which
would, at once, establish free trade
within the Empire as it exists within
the vast territories of the United
States, and would bind together the
members Of such federation by ties
of interest as we'll as those OF senti-
ment. Yet we believe the
vast majority of people of the United
Kingdom will heartily endorse Mr..
Chamberlain desire.
After reminding its readers that Mr..
Golden would not have objected to
this policy, and admitting that how
ever cautiously limited the modifica-
ton of the tariff might be-" it must
involve the reimposition of the duty
on foreign corn and the levy of re-
newed tax on foreign sugar" 1t
says, Tie belief in free trade as the
indispensable condition for the growth
of an industrial and commercial COM
munity like ours is not insistent with
growing Impotence of the pedantry
that would condemn any practical
notifications of an abstract doctrine,
such as the most rigid economists
have themselves introduced when
they had to decend from theory to
business. A very moderate advan-
tage given to our colonial FELLOWSHIP
iectS would have Srarrelv a r,s.rcar