The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-09

IN she home market The German has como
20 Ae regarded as the rival and enemy OF the
Er ssl.sh tradesman. The anti-German
soi:gs were popular as soon as they were
heard in England. They expressed grow
insS feeling of dislike for the nation which
was competing most sharply with England
al ssome and abroad. So far from the Ger
nsa alliance being popular. as Lord Sails
buy and his predecessors had supposed.
sig:is were not wanting that war with the
Fasheriand would meet with public ap-
prevail. and that a blockade Of the Eihe
wosild be hailed with general delight
IL. then, the queens speech and the polt-
lea. leaders were silent respecting the
most important revelation Of English opln-
ior- which had been made during the re-
oeya weeks Of turmoil and excitement. il
waS not because the anti-German feeling
WAC temporary furry and had spent its
forge. Commercial riyalries and antago-
nisSns were behind it, and the strength of
tha feeling. which had previously been IN
debated. was accurately known. While
passed over in silence at the opening OF
paNiament. II has been a revelation that
WIZ be likely to affect profoundly the future
relations of England with European pow
ers statesmen are not likely to forget
thssi so far as the English mercantile and
manufacturing classes are concerned. Ger
mac1y is the enemy, and neither Russia. nor
Frsnee. nor America. While there was a.
reAtion in Lord Beaconshelds time
against the Golden policy Of non-inter-
ver. tion and diplomat tic isolation. and while
thes-e has been a subsequent development
OF Anperial interests on tremendous scale,
tht- old-time shopkeeping spirit survives in
ENGLAND. and IL is now directed mainly
Against Germany.
Is is not Impossible. moreover, that this
enC-German movement. which has brought
wi involve enormous expenditures during
the next year for strengthening the fleet.
ma> also have a direct influence upon Brit
ish economies. II is already a constant
sou-ce OF complaint among manufacturers
anSs merchants that the Germans. while
cor>rolling their own market. are system
atAlly relieving themselves from the eff
fees of overproduction by sending their
sufNlus 10 England and selling it at lower
priAs than are taken at home. German
paI.-rmakers. for example. are competing
SUCCESSFULLY with English manufacturers
ana supplylng many of the publishers and
nc'sspaper offices with stock. Many other
ins sances might be given of the distinctive
effects OF German competition with English
manufactures.
4 well-known member of parliament re-
marked to me a few nights ago: Il am a
free trader of the most orthodox stamp.
but believe that England viii have a tariff
befare many years 1t Will be an imperial
policy which the colonies will welcome.
and it will relieve us from the evil OF be-
consing the dumping ground for the over
production OF German manufactures" An
other Englishman who has extensive sugar
pla6tations in the East Indies recently
TOOK up the same line of argument. remark
ing. The English planters have been los
ing money steadily for years because they
cannot compete with German beet sugar
exported to Englasf with a government
bou.lty. Why should England after allow
ing the Germans TO destroy the sugar re-
finesies Of Bristol and other towns and TO
thr:w 100 coo men out OF employment be
ben; upon running all its sugar colonies9
Why does 1t not set up a tariff against
German sugar and give the planters in its
owrg tropical Islands chance to make a liv-
ing
1t is a fact not without significance that
the mover of one of the addresses yes:er-
day in parliament avowed himself to be
a ysrotectionist as well as a himetallist
The protectionist movemNlt is undoubte lily
making progress in England. So long
the agricultural industries alone were srf-
fering, there was little likelihood that II
would be taken up by the nation. But
now that many manufacturing industries
are suffering from German competition,
II ts becoming a formidable movement.
The English free trader has been walt
ing year after year for a break in the tariff
league against him. and Is weary of trust
ing In providence to effect some change
in the hearts of foreigners He is begin
ring to compare himself with the Indian
who refused to 40 hunting while his stock
OF lenison was diminishing day by day.