New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-16
AMERICAN ISSUES ABROAD
ENGLISH OPINION ON THE DINGLEY
TARIFF, WITH LAPSES OF MEMORY
MORALS FROM THE WEST INDIES.

London December 4
The daily press announces with flourish OF
trumpets the complete failure Of the Dingley
tariff as revenue measure The Free Trade
orchestra at once tunes up The deficit is re-
garded a convincing proof that he tariff il
prohibitve. and American financiers are warned
that by making duties excessive to check
importations they have exhausted the sources
from which revenue is drawn No allowance is
made either for the heavy importatons preced-
ing the enactment Of the tariff, or for the com.
promises required for securing the Senates ac-
quiescence. or for the short period during which
the measure has been in operation. The one fact
which stress Is laid is that the Protective
system has not at once filled the Treasury
How men in their Senses" exclaims The
Standard" could have imagined that increased
receipts were to be produced by prohibltive
and semi prohibitive import duties passes com.
prehension!'
English sree-traders have q convenient habit ,
Of forgetting everything which runs counter to
their economic theories. A stranger from the
planet Mars dropping suddenly into London
and reading the comments OF the press on
American affairs would not suspect that the
United States, with a Protective tariff had
for a generation surplus revenues so abundant
that the National debt was paid off on an un.
exampled scale From August 1865 to July
1892 the reduction OF this Indebtedness was
$1,914, 905. 107. No such miracle OF finance was
ever wrought in Free Trade England, yet 1t
was accomplished under the operation OF the
American Protective SYSTEM and the wise
leader-writer of THE Standard" cannot com.
prehend how In their senses can expect
surplus revenues under a semi-prohbitlve tar
ifl The Marian tripper would never know
from the London journals that Treasury de-
felt was not heard Of in America until the
last Democratic Administration substituted q
low tariff on English lines in place Of gen.
uine Protective system, when the conditions
OF American prosperity were Immediately
transformed. The only idea which he could
extract from the discussion would be that
Americans instead OF reverting to a revenue
system which had been justified by narves Of
debt-paylng and prosperity, were foolishly emp
tying their treasury and running themselves.
The structures OF English journals on Amer.
lean financial methods should not be regarded as
evidences OF unfriendlness or hostility. 1t Is
not that they love Americans less. but their own
theories and interests more They know that It
was the phenomenal prosperity of the United
States during generation Of Protection that re-
strlcted Free Trade practice TO England and
world even setting her own colonies against
her. They are aware that It was this trium-
phant experience OF the United States under Pro-
lection that led Germany TO abandon Free Trade
and to become England's energetic commercial
rival In Europe: and that for long period
American example was a greater force than
English theory in regulating the tariff practice
Of the modern world. They are not ignorant
dered an inestimable service to the FREQ Trade
cause by taking up arms against the Protective
system and breaking up the settled course OF
American prosperity. They perceive that the
restoration OF financial stability and good times
under the Dingley tariff after a period OF UNI
exampled depression under low tariff, VIII DO
a convincing proof Of the efficacy OF Protection
Hence they are eager to believe that the revival
Of Protection Is from the outset "a complete
failure" and are making the most OF the evil
dence that national revenues are sull inson-
Client and that American finances ere uhslao'e
and disordered They DO not dislike Americans
but they are passionately devoted to their own
economic theories and want 70 sell the" so'u'
In unrestricted foreign markets.
80 long as America continues her Protec'loh
system." said Mr.. Gladstone on memoraoi'
occasion. English commercial prosperity ~
secure" This dictum was repeated Tor genera
ton in England as an inspired economic tru'h'
and the orthodox Free Trader was never weary
OF demonstrating how impracticaoe Enghsn
competition would be II America were 10 aoah'
don Protection and adopt Cobdenlsm. II THIS
were true the English people ought 10 nave oeen
profoundly thankful for each and every FRO
tectiye tariff In America, since legislation OF TINS
kind only served, according to their own pro-
fessed belief to deliver them from formloaoie
rivalry and to secure their own commercial gu
premacy But they have never seemed 70 %
grateful to American Protectionists. They nave
never ceased to sympa thize with the American
Free Trade movement, although. II Mr.. Glad
stone were right in his dictum Its success "ou'o
,mneri the commercial supremacy of their own
country Ungrateful to Protectionists for resou'
ing them from the chances Of destructive COM
petition they ardently desired the lowering OF
tho American tariff. by which their own ruin
would be brought about! Was there ever nne'
illustration of national altruism!
since Mr.. Gladstone's dictum was first heard
thsre has been considerable economic experience
g., tu,o countries Germany, after falling to ao'
oomplish any great results under Free Trade
adon,ed Protection and became at once Eng
lands formidable competitor In the Industrial
world America, under Democratic guidance
lowered its tariff and surplus. which was onos
the envy and despair OF every Finance MINISTER
In rurone was converted into a deficiency Ma
| t,onal credit was clouded. and American pros
perity ceased to be a stumbling olock In the way
Of Cobdenism The English altruist. VINO wa
willing to sacrifice the interests OF his own coun-
try in order that foreign nations might prosper
under a low tariff, now has little TO say aoou.
the suicidal course OF Protectonist Germany ana
conveniently forgets the recent disastrous e1'
psrience Of the United States in making a mea..
urable approach to Free Trade. What ne -
hot haste 10 believe Is that the revival OF gen.
nine Protection is "a complete failure ana inst
the Treasury has not been filled with revehuS III
Ave months
.rho ,,o,o,sster Guardian" the ablest ana