The Sauk Centre herald., 1897-12-16
PROOF CONCLUSIVE.
PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE corr
TRASTED.

Strangely Different Results In Two Aug
traIian Colonies-Prosperity Under Pro-
lection For Nation and Individual.
Where Farm Interests Flourish.
In no section of the globe can the diff
| ference between the effects of the pro-
tective tariff and free trade policies be
more strongly contrasted than in the
adjoining colonies of Victoria ana New
South Wales in Australia The older
| colony, New South Wales, adheres rigid
ly to the free trade doctrine of the
mother country. The younger and more
| progressive colony of Victoria has long
| since adopted the policy of protection.
The free trade liar seems to exist in
| New South Wales as well as in the
United States and in order to refute
some gross misrepresentation uttered
by member of the New South Wales
legislature, The Age, of Melbourne,
epitomizes the following summary Of
| facts which constitute the chief ele-
| ments of national prosperity:
| First.-That our (Victoria) population,
| measured by density, is nearly four times
| that of New South Wales and is nearly equal
| in absolute numbers, Notwithstanding a sum
| Of fl6,OOO.OOO of loans spent in New South
| Wales more than in Victoria, besides als4' 4So
| spent for immigration in the mother colony
| and a land revenue of FL GOT 600 greater than
! that yof Victoria
| Second-That Victorian dwellings are more
| numerous than those of New South Wales
with fewer of the poverty stricken class.
| Thlrd.-That education is more widely dlf
| fused, with almost twice many libraries
and more than twice as many books.
Fourth. THAT the destitute asylumS OF New
| South Wales have almost twice as many IN
! mates as ours and cost almost twice as much
! in maintenance.
Fifth.-That our railway enterprise has been
greater we having mile of railway to every
| 28 square miles Of territory, as against to
every ll9 square miles in New South Wales
| Slxth.-That our postoffces are more numer'
| GUS absolutely and relatively. ...
! Seventh-That the value Of our crops is
| greater by more than 91, ,OOO, 600; that we more
| than double New South Wales in wheat, are
more than eight times greater than her In
| oats. nine times in barley, nearly twice IN po-
| tatoes, four times greater in vines. nearly
| twice in hay and over l,OOO,0CO acres more In
| the sum total Of all
|
| OF Victoria are worth e19 is. per acre against
| go Is In New South Wales, and an aggregate
| of E816 4l5 In Victoria against G479, ,756 in New
| South Wales
Ninth-That New South Wales sheep in 1895
were AZ, ,6l7, ,6S7 against only l3,lSO,943 in Vic
toria, owing to the wide extent OF pasturage
over the Murray, but that even i'll this item,
| while Victorian focks are slowly increasing
! those of New South Wales have had disas-
| trous decline. according to Mr.. Fenton OF
Is, ,s2305 slnce s9l to 1885, and a still more IA
| tai one since. according to general estimate.
Tenth.---That while the totals of New South
| Wales cattle have declined since 1861 by I'LL
$685. the Victorian increase has been 1,205, ,808.
| Eleventh. while the increase Of New
| South Wales horses since 1861 has been 254, 7&,
Victorla's 9 increase has been 3E, ,4S0.
Twelfth.-That our dairy cows are more
numerous and our dairy product greater.
| Thirteenth.-That our swine are more numer-
GUS and their increase three times as large.
| Fourteenth.-That in the details of our in
| dustry Victorian breadwinners are greater
| and their dependents fewer. ....
| Fifteenth.-That in manufactures our prod
| ucts are greater, our factories worth more and
| the hands employed greater by some IL, GOO.
| Sixteenth.-That even in primary production
| Victoria has 9l84 3s. lid. to the square mile
| against eS2 Is. lid. in New South Wales.
| Seventeenth the facts from the pro-
| bate returns show Victorian accumulated
| wealth to be greater and more widely diffused.
| Eighteenth.-That Victorian Indebtedness is
very much less than that of New South Wales,
while her foreign investments and income
| from them are very much greater.
| Nineteenth.-That the value of Victorian
| ratable property is much greater than in New
| South Wales, and its annual value ELI, ,676, ,079
| against 81 ,S95, ,645.
| Twentleth.-That all this progress has been
accomplished Notwithstanding that the New
South Wales revenue from land, judged by the
| year 1856. is 81, ,607, ,191 larger in the mother
colony than in Victoria.
| Here are a score of conclusive proofs
that agriculture, industry and invest
ment are more prosperous in the pro-
lection colony of Victoria than in it's
free trade neighbor. 1t is great group
of facts, and protectionists are never
afraid to present facts, while their free
trade opponents wriggle and squirm only
with theories and generalities. Turning
to the question of foreign trade, which,
the free traders assert, is "a direct test
Of nation progress, The Age refutes
this idea and ably proves it's point as
follows:
| AS matter of fact nations foreign trade
| is often merely its carrying trade and is not
! even In a remote degree an index to its wealth
| production any more than the railway porter
| is a rich man because he carries so many peo-
| ples luggage. This can be made evident by
| glance at the following table, taken from Mr..
| Coghlan's latest edition of the 'Seven Colo
! nles:"
Total trade
| per head.
| 1884.