Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-08-18
FAITHFUL BEGGAR.
A BIRTHS h Subject Discloses British
Political Methods
John Bulls Idea OF discriminating
Duties-Favor- English Adoption,
Opposes Them for tmericn-Dif-
fercnt sauces for Goose
md Gnnder.

fercnt sauces for Goose
and Gander.
Right at the very moment when Brit
ish interests were exercised against the
enactment of an American law to pro-
tect American shipping by a differential
duty, we find that the British imperial
federation policy is being strengthened
by a precisely similar suggestion. the
enactment of differcntial duty that
will operate in favor of colonial prod
ucts. IL is the same old story over
again. What the Britisher wants 10 do
n all very right and proper lie can
bluff and bullduze, discriminate or diff
ferentiate all he has a mind TO; but we
poor Americans must not think OF
adopting similar tactics when they
would interfere with his profitable
business.
On February 10 last, an address was
delivered before Il special meeting of
members of the London chamber OF
commerce by MIR. Faithful Begg, an
old member of the chamber and an eX-
member of parliament. who had lust
returned from globe-trotting expedi-
fion. Mr.. Faithful Begg's text was
british Imperial policy; Impressions
of Colonial Tour He touched upon
the almost universal colonial opinion
now existing at the antipodes that Eng.
land should establish "preferential
trade of course giving her preference
as buyer to colonial products. and
equally, of course, discriminating
against those of other European coun-
tries, and against those of the United
In
object Mr.. Faithful Begg has found il
necessary To modify his views in re-
gard to free trade, as follows:
Coming TO the question Of the food sun
ply. We were to-day in a dangerous posi-
ton. The Golden club view that the nation
was the best-fed nation in the world al
though the country produced the smallest
amount OF food-stuff. was true. but tina.
S.a4fIys. - Ssl: I 5ssns aacc1,,
food, and becoming oblivious to the sources
from which II came and the danger which
lay In the path OF this country in the inter
ruption OF these sources. lie did not wish
TO argue the question as question OF free
trade versus protection. but he wanted TO
remind them OF that which was frequently
forgotten In connection with these discus
Sions, and that was thst CObdcn's proposf-
ton was a dOuble-headed proposition. II
was double headed in this sense that he
believed other countries would follow th,.
lead OF this country. and he antlcipated a
the result OF the adoption OF his prin-
ciples. an era of universal peace We
were no nearer an era Of universal peace
hut were further away from "a than u.
were in the times Of Golden and IL was
from that standpoint that this great qtes-
iron must properly he considered He had
always oeen, and was still, firm believer
I'm the principles Of free trade. If they
could be safely applied
Mr.. Faithful BePg finds that his
natural born British desire for British
prosperity prevents his being "a faith
ful beggar in the free trade ranks of
the Golden club Should the trouble
with Greece result IN a general Europe-
an war the British people would srri-
ousiy regret their dependence uuon
other parts of the world for their food
supplies. The immediate advance i'm
the price of bread would bring home to
them, in all its hideousness. the folly
OF free trade, and not even "ditFeren-
tial duty in favor OF colonial products"
would help them.
Mr.. Faithful Begg is now only "a firm
believer in the principles of free
trade'--if they can be safely appIied
There are hundreds more i'm England
who are Of the same belief. The policy
of free trade is now very general
~ taken throughout England with am
II. Even the continuous supply Of
cheap food" has not obliteratcd all com
mon sense from our British friends
and the more they travel-as Mr.. Faith
full Begg hasand the less insular
they become. the more they will take
their free-trade medicine with am CO.
Quoting further We find that:
lie dId not believe IL could be reasonable.
held that differentiaI duty I'm favor ~
colonial products was necessarily 4r f,
fraction Of free trade But even III b. vysr,
in some measure am infractiou OF the barJ
ana fast principles Of free trade 30 wac q
simple measure OF precaution for u.s. 10 take
IN lht situation i0 which wc found our.
selves IL was a species Of Insurance
IL would seem. then. that "a diTeren-
tial duty is regarded JIM England as "au
infracton of free trade" and has to
be apologiled for. But the British mind
regards the imposition Of q difTercutiaI
duty i'm this country. as applied 20
American shipping as IAN infracfiop
Of protection. In either case IL rpusr
be regarded as "a simple measure Of
precaution.' as Mr. Faithful Bepg ac-
knowledRcs. and such "a simple meas
ure of precautiou" as has been found
necessary for The better business pro.
lection Of both countries.
But call IL preferential" or r. "dif.
ferentiai.' or discriminating" duty
or even "a species Of insurance" and
the fact remains that il is "a simtl.
measure Of prccaution" for the protcc-
ton Of British interests when applied
To colonial products: and 30 is equally
"a simple measure Of prccautiou" for
the protection Of American interests
when applied To- American shipping
In both cases 10 most certainly Is IAN in
fraction Of the hard aud fast principles
of free trade"
Mr.. Faithful Begg foresecs that "the
treaties with Belgium and Germany at
present barred the way TO progress in
this direction" We have found the
nATle trouble. Our srunid irc1Iu Nth