Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-18

4 pROTHECY THAT FAILED.
twin Dc remembered that the author
NJ the Wilson tariff bill visited Eng
land after that measure became law
and was banqueted In london by
British manufacturers and merchants.
on that occasion Mr.. Wilson predicted
now era and n revival Of the Ameri-
can merchant marine, as well as
steady Increase In urr exports, both of
food products and manufactured
articles. and ho warned the Engishmcn
that under the operation Of the policy
of breaking down the defcns"s raised
by protection American manufacturers
were TO become their competitors In
tho neutral markets
II Is interesting now to recall this
prophecy ond to point out how com
plctcly II has failed. II Is needless
to say that It did not in the least
disturb tho British manufacturers to
whom 1T was addressed. They were
heartily in sympathy with the policy
represented by Mr.. Wilson and they
knew perfectly we'll what its results
were 10 be for them. They had al
ready set about increasing their faciIi-
ties for making goods for the American
market and they were not at all
troubled about the competition OF
American manufacturers in neutral
markets. ON the contrary they were
rather amused at the Wilson idea
natural enough, perhaps, to an cN-coI-
lcgc professor, who knew very little
about practical afrairs-that our man
uracturers could hold their home mar
l,ct against British competition and
also invade other markets long oc-
cupicd by the manufacturers of Eng
land The proposition was 80
obviously absurd that the practical
men who were entertaining the Ameri-
can tariff rcformcr could not have been
otherwise than amused.
What has been the actual experience
The very reverse of what Mr. Wilson
predicted. Instead of our exports Of
food products Increasing they have
steadily declined Instead OF revival
Of the American merchant marine,
smaller percentage of our exports and
imports are being carried in American
vessels now than two years ago. AS
to exports Of manufactures there has
been q very slight increase, so in
significant in comparison with what our
manufacturers have lost of the home
market as to be unworthy Of cOnsidera-
ton, while no British manufacturer has
~, Il 1irr1,t
vantage in any market on the globe by
reason of American competition. On
the other hand, how enormous has been
the gain to the manufacturers OF our
great commercial rival, in whose in
tercst the protection defenses were
broken down. The wOolen industry
of England has experienced during the
past two years probably the greatest
degree of prosperity in its history and
even now, when American wOolcn mills
are idle or running on short time. those
Of Bradford are in full operation,
largely to meet American orders.
British manufacturers have not only
held the neutral markets. but have taken
n large share of the American market,
with all that implies in loss to Ameri-
can capital and labor. At the same
time free wool has been boon to
Australian wool growers and an almost
fatal blow to sheep husbandry in the
United States.
The platform that will be adopted
at st. Louis condemns in terms none
too strong the destructive and de-
plOrable results of democratic policy,
which has not realized a single prom
se of its authors.