The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-08
EUROPE AND OUR TARIFF.

According to the Hon. James Charles
Monaghan Of Rhode Island, the efficient
representative OF his country as consul at
Chemnitz. Efforts are being made Ia
unite Europe In tariff war with the
United States"
This is the text Of n brief but interest
ing review by Consul Monaghan which
is published in the November issue Of the
governments Consular Reports. Consul
Monaghan expresses the opinion, how
ever that the real opposition that efforts
are making to consolidate in Europe Is
not so much against tho tariff ms against
the competitor whose wares and products
were weakening influences hundreds of
years old" Doubtless the Dingley bill
has re.awakened this aggressive sentiment
for a German writer has recently declared
that the Dingley bill clears so heavily
on certain exports from the countries Of
central Europe that one may look any
day for concentrated efforts TO control the
exports to and imports from the United
States.
It appears that during the last ten
years, Europe took so per cent of ali our
exports-a proof say Europesp authori-
ties, that the United States Is dependent
for its prosperity and progress npon this
huge demand. In It's relations with the
rest of the world, says one writer, the
United States last year had passive
against it---while the trade with Europe
shows the enormous balance in its favor
of sal7, 600 900. The entire export trade
TO Europe was E77 800, 600 and the i'm
ports 1850, ZOO 600. Consul Monaghan
quotes one vigorous leader of the move
ment for tariff war as follows:
"The United States is not as essential to
Europe as Europe is to the United States.
We can call on other parts of the world for
products, etc. IL is time to act. Measures
must be taken to protect ourselves against
the certain evils Of too tightly drawn tariff
on our products. Protest has proven useless.
The United States has heard but has not
needed Europe's or Asia's protests. II is for
us TO say whether we will wait to see If tho
new tariffs are rs injurious is expected, or
whether we will grasp the only remedy that
x,usu fattA W. hau th.t
the Bundesrath. representing. as it does, the
diverse interests OF the German empire will
unite as one man. after careful consideration
of all the facts, after weighing the injuries
done TO German interests to protect farmers,
merchants and manufacturers "
Consul Monaghan is a Democrat ap.
pointed to his present post by President
Cleveland. But that he does not share
the free trade views Of his party is dem
onstrated by the stand he takes in de-
fense Of the right of the United States to
enaot tariff legislation. "It is curious, ;"
he writes, "that European nations will
not sec that all we demand is the right
which they exercise so freely among them
selves, to protect our agriculture, COM
mercc, and manufactured Europe cannot
understand the altered relations resulting
from our industrial development 1t is
very disappointing to European manufac-
turers who have seen so much money
formerly made by merchants doing bust
ness with.the United States to watch that
trade sinking. year by year. from figures
expressed in hundreds of millions to
millions, and, in some cases, to thousands.