The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15

mother country. u am Impressed. ne says
with the extreme importance Of secur-
ing a. large a share as possl BE az the uaJ-
tual trade Of the United Kingdom and the
colonies for British producers and mani
facturerS whether located n TIE eOloI..-s
or n the United Kingdom That =
practical motive and - not altogether q
selfish ore. 50 far ~ England is concerned.
Mr Chamberlain not only wishes 20 knew
why certain Glasses Of British nangfa--
lures have been underso!d and displaced
in colonial markets. bat he also asks ipT
a return Of colon al products when might
- a1Eanfageously exported 70 the Cn1fe9
Kingdom or 10 other portions Of the en-
pre-. That ne VII receive in reply a great
mass OF valuable fnf0rns ton il would be
safe 10 assume but i would be premature
70 conclude that anything mas been done
10 hasten the consunIEuaton Of imperial
federation.
Let me offer an illustration from one q
the "negiected estates OF the empire. Of
which Z nave personal knowledge from
travel and palnstaklng investigation In
the British Vest Indies the tariffs have
been arranged for the express purpose Of
taxing Imported manufactures lightly and
imported food heavily. That has been IN
violation 0f the Golden principle OF cheap
eniHg food supplies. cut II has operated 10
encourage. 50 far as possible, the Impair
fat.On Of manufacture from the United
X ned0nl. II German traders have entered
those markets and displac ed 20 some cx-
tent British manufactures il has been IN
consequence Of their mercantile lnteili-
gence and Of the lover cost OF the prod
ucts Of cheaper la0or. They are becoming
the chief rivals OF English merchants Ia
the markets Of the world. and the returns
made 20 the colonial Office IN response 10
Mr. Chamberia % circular all reveal the
results OF their successful competition.
The returns viii also disclose the fact that
England offers at inadequate outlet for
the trop.eal produce % those colonies.
which is absorbed mainly by the United
States. Their chief export is sugar, which
has been practically shut out Of Europe
through the extraordinary development OF
the beet Industry and can De sold OF d
large scale only IN the American market.
The German government u now propos-
.ng TO levy an import duty on foreign su-
gars. which IS expected 10 yield S,SSosS
annually, and s. 0Oo.o9o drawn from this
source is 10 be expended in TRIPPING the
0ountes OF beet sugar. II this scheme be
carried 0at ia tie interest OF German eg-
Ticulture nothing can be more probable
than vast increase in production and
most destructive competition in the mar
kets Of the world. with disastrous effects
upon the cane industries OF the British
West Indies.
Can lie DO Anything.
When Mr.. Chamberlain receives his fun
budget of Information from those neg
lected estates, what can ne do that viii
be Of practical utility in increasing trade
between them and the mother country
Railways are not needed cable facilities
are adequate. no imperial grants for local
improvements can Toe suggested the
steamship service is excellent So long
England retains its present system OF I'M
restricted importation from every quarter
OF the globe IL Is poweriess either to re-
press the increasing activity and enter
prise OF German traders or to protect the
Industries Of It's colonies when exposed TO
very serious competition. II the proposed
Berlin scheme be carried into effect the
Increased bounties will enable German
beet producers 10 sell their sugar 10 ex-
porters at prices which will be ruinous TO
West Indian planters and what can MIR.
Chamberlain DO in London 10 avert the
disaster
The Illustration which l have given has.
perhaps. distinctively local application.
but ~ points TO the general conclusion
that the main obstacle 10 imperial fedora
ton is the free trade system of the United
Kingdom. one Of the best informed ex-
perts in the English public service said to
me not long ago. IF we had a tariff il
would be comparatively easy TO establish
a British Zollverein and TO make a reality
OF what IS now dream--imperial fedora
ton That was frank admission from
free trader, who made all haste TO dis
claim any desire ia have any change intro
.dnced IN the economic system OF Great
Britain. but Il revealed the insuperable
difficulties with which Mr. Chamberlain
and his successors in the colonial Office
VIII be confronted in their attempts to
bring about imperial federation British
farmers. who have been compelled 10 emil
CRATE To the colonies by the ruinous conai-
tions OF agriculture al home. have little TO
expect from that grandiose project SO long
AT the home government neglects 10 pro-
tect them against destructive competition
and TO offer them substantial advantages
in the worlds great battle for market