El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-09-20
ENGLAND'S CRISIS.
Dingley Bill and Dollar Wheat Paralyz
ing John Bull.

ENGLAND's CRISIS.
DingIey Bill and Dollar Wheat Paralyz
ing John Bull.
There is no doubt at all that England
is hard hit by the Dingley bill, says
the Globe Democrat, though it will
not begin to appear fully for several
months to come. The immediate future
of the English masses is not a cheerful
one.
"Dollar wheat" which means sc
much for this country, means a greatly
increased cost of subsistence for the
Ia Dor of all English factory towns, and
this comes in a year when the Amer
lean market, by far the best market in
the world for their products, has been
closed to them in some lines and great
ly restricted in others. The threaten
ed food shortage in Ireland, helping,
as it necessarily will, to sustain the
increased price of subsistence for En-
glish factory labor, is an added
element of difficulty in what for
England was already a difficult situa-
ton.
1t is not rendered much less difficult
by the fact that England is the great
est creditor nation In the world. The
best this can do for the country as a
whole is enable its capitalists to give
releases from debt instead of cash, but
this is of small moment to English
producers, working at increasing
cost of life for more restricted mar
aetS.
Besides, London, with its population
of 4, 26O, 900, Eugland aud Scotland have
The six cities of Glasgow, Liverpool,
Manchester, Birming ham, Leeds and
Sn. field, all more populous than en-
cInnati at the latest census, and all de-
psnding, as do scores OF other large
mauufacL turing towns, almost wholly
on foreign trade.
Since 1t became apparent, nearly a
year ago, that the tariff would be re-
WISE d IN way which would show Eng
lish producers no particular favor,
Eng lish imports have been crowded in
10 this country as fast as posi- BILE, and
much more rapidly than it was posi- BILE
20 distribute them. AS this was done
largely at the risk of English capital
it has not helped the English business
situation apr eciably up 10 the present,
wuiie, as a matter OF course every
pound of English imports forced on
this market in advance of the demand
will operate to keep out a pound here
after until demand aod supply are once
more readjusted.
Last year our imports OF English
goods reached S169 900, OOO-S1o 200, UOU
more than we imported from Germany,
which was our next highest fOreig n
furnisher, and 800, 100000 more than
we bought from France. Twenty-one
per cent of our total purchases abroad
were from England, and what is of
more Importance to England just now,
over half of our total sales abroad were
co England. These sales were chiefly
Of food products and raw material al
an increased price for them means an
Increased charge on all England's en-
urmous output of manufactured goods.
Naturally enough, under such clrcum-
stances, England is always u "bear''
in our grain, provisions and raw ma
terisl markets; but in spite of her most
strenuous efforts, her annual outlay
per head of population for subsistence
has been increasing steadily. 1t was
81 shillings in 1868. According to
Whitaker, its present range is be-
tween "A and so shilIings. OF course
in q year like this, with wheat rising
and all other American agricultural
exports following 1t, this range is like
" 10 be materially extended.
England will hardly feel the worst
effects of these conditions before mid
winter. The first six months of 1898
are likely to force her to revise her eX-
listing system in important essentials.
Oh IAip'luS . OiloV
the English people, buying from those
be considers their enemies, are oblig ID
20 eat handful of dirt for each mouth
full of bread is an exag gerated way of
stating the situation, but still it sug-
gests good deal of the present condi-
ion of English feeling.
The Mckinley bill cut deep into En-
glish production, but Eoglish capita
lists endeavored to offset it by making
larger American Investments. The
problem they have to face nova pro-
Diem which all become pressing as
soon as their advance shipments to
this country are consumed-wih be one
of the most serious in their commercial
history. They have taken possession
Of Egypt and are trying to found q
great African empire in the hope of
solving it, but il will be some time at
east before the imperial army can
force the Egyptian feiloh and African
negro TO produce breadstuffs and cotton
tn at will compete successfully with the
products of the Western ana Southern
states of America.
In the meantime, England, crowded
oy increasing German competition and
With American exports of manufacture
I'd goods also largely increasing, has to
adjust itself to the present fact of in
creased cost OF production and a re-
,tricted market for its output.