New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-23
THE OPEN DOOR.
MR.. LEONARD COURTNEY's SUMMARY OF
ENGLISH OPINION ILLUSTRATED
COMMENTS OF WEST IND
IAN PLANTERS.

London December H.
Mr. Leonard Courtney is perhaps the most OUT
spoken OF the old school Cobdentes In the course
OF an address delivered yesterday before the
Royal Statistical Society he referred 10 Professor
Jevonss warning respecting the coal supplies or
Great Britain and TO the phenomenal growth OF
the coal and iron Industries OF the United States.
To these portens OF the Industrial DECLINE OF the
United Kingdom another had been added this
year. The United States had outpassed Great
Britain in the Manufacture Of cotton. an indus
try In which English ascendancy had previously
been unchallenged The last statement Of the
aggregate Of cotton worked up I'm the two
countries assigned larger quantity to the
Western Republic than TO the United Kingdom.
Ardent Cobdenite as he IL. Mr.. Courtney is like
Saul among the prophets. for he accepts Pro-
fessor Jevons's forecasts OF Industrial decline
and seeks TO impress upon his countrymen the
expediency OF adjusting themselves 10 an lnev-
table future He admits however that they are
not troubled by his own speculations or by Pro-
fessor JevOns's predictions. The current English
view Of the increasing competition OF rivals he
has explained accurately in the following
passage:
If the course OF trade We're everywhere free
and open. competition would be no more serious
to-day than II half a century back The
spring OF It's mischief lies in the modern ascend
ancy OF PrOtectiOnist ideas and the energy OF
other governments in shutting us off not only
from their own markets. but from vast spaces OF
the world for which they are all eagerly
scrambling. This exclusiyeness Of other nations
Is our real peril. 1t explains, in the view Of the
authorities to whom ! refer, the abatement Of
our growth II there has been such an abate-
ment; II points TO loss which must become real
II counteraction be not taken: and the only way
to meet it ia to seize for ourselves anything re-
naming unappropriated, or to take some coun-
teraction in order TO prevent the abatement
from actually becoming loss.
While Mr.. Courtney did not support this view,
and even sought 10 demonstrate from the ex-
perience Of the Congo Free State that African
colonies would not be useful as outlets for Brit
sh trade, he gave summary Of current opin-
ion which helped 10 explain the stress laid upon
the open-door principle in recent discussion OF
Chinese and American questions. Fifty years
ago the Cobdenites predicted that the civilized
world would be converted to free trade by the
force of English example. Only a small group OF
economic faddsts now entertain this hope. The
battle is fought not against Protectlonist or
hgh-reve tariffs. but against the principle OF
excusiveness in the management OF colonies or
spheres Of influence. That is considered
Englands real peril The practical English
man. after fifty years experience under free
trade despairs OF inducing the United States.
Germany. France. Russia Italy and other great
Powers to lower their tariffs. What he is strug-
Cling maintain is equality Of commercial priv
ilege in outlying colonies dependencies and pro-
tectorates: and he is wellnieh convinced that
the most feasible method Of enforcing the prin-
ciple is that OF Selling for himself any territory
remaining unappropriated in the scramble for
dominion.
LUMINOUS TALK.
When emphatic protests appeared in the Eng
lish press against the application OF the Ameri-
can navigation laws and tariff system TO Hawai-.
and Porto Rico there was practical illustra-
ton of English sensitiveness on this point Eng
lish trade with those islands nconslderable.
and no material interests involved; but
there was sharp edge of irritability in all COM
ments from the press. The following conversa-
ton between American and welI-informed
Englishman illustrates the points at issue:
The American-Why should you make much
ado about nothing over Hawaii and Porto Rico.
when you are carrying your main points In the
Philippines?
The Englishman-We have no important COM
mercial interests in Porto Rico and Hawaii, it
is true but We have principle there, as else
where.
The Amercan-If that principle be free trade.
YOU have no cause for complaint The United
States will open It's own markets to those ISL
market where they can sell their sugar and
other products.
The Englishman-That is a matter OF aca-
demic interest TO faddists of the Golden Club.
Practical Englishmen care nothing about free
trade as an abstract principle
The American-You will surely admit that
Imperial Federation is broader principle than
the open door? The Americans in annexing Ha-
wall and Porto Rico are carrying out MI Cham-
, orlain's idea OF an empire with free trade In
side and a common tariff outside That is sys-
tenn of Imperial Federation which your most
progressive statesmen would like to see ihsu-
tuted i'm the British Empire why Is II
.ortiouated" and "reactionary" when the Amer
leans introduce II!
The Englishman-We care nothing about I'M
neri,l Federation. 1t is a dream which Is utterly
unavoidable for the British Empire. We take
our stand on the open-door principle. That Is a
nolicv of paramount importance TO us we cam
NOT fight our way into the markets OF Protec-
tionist nations but with our navy and our COM
nlate command Of the sea we can enforce the
principle of equality Of privilege In colonies de-
tendencies and sem-civilized States lou 90
not seem to understand that we are now open
doorists rather than free-traders. we cannot
compromise that principle.
This conversation confirms In detail MI
courtnev's summary of English opinion respect
ing foreign competition in trade. The OPEN
door principle is aimed against exclusive priv
eges. not in high-tarif countries, but IN those
portions of the world which are dependent upon
them. That exclusveness Is regarded as the
chief menace to England's commercial progress
Hence II follows that every English journal
protests against the closing OF the door In Hs-
wall and Porto Rico, although the broadest
nrinclples OF free trade and imperial federation
within the Union are carried into practical ope'-
alton. England has no important traue in'e.
.a.s n, those islands but she has phrase Whlcn