Evening journal., 1900-10-23

years OF our foreign commerce-compar-
ing the low tariff period under the So
called Wilson law with the high tariff
period since 1897. The American manu-
facturer realizes fully the benefits Of the
recent past. Does ne realize, and does
the average voter realize the possibili-
ties Of the future with adherence to pres
ent doctrines in government, and the
decisive force they should have in his
exercise Of the suffrage at this time?
If he does not. we may hope TO enlighten
! him. II he does. we may hope to help
him enlighten others.
There has been a general increase in
the domestic price Of manufactured
goods Free trade advocates are wont to
charge this to the greed of the protected
manufacturer In dealing with the con-
sumner. The charge is parallel with free
trade arguments as a whole. There has
been an all-round substantial increase In
wages. This is responsible for a part Of
the advance Another and leading
cause is the advance in the price Of raw
material used in producing articles OF
common daily consumption. Iron and
4 steel furnish, perhaps, as good domestic
s Illustration as may be fouhd-the ad-
vance in these for 1900, as compared
4 with 1898 being in most classes approx
mately 100 per cent. Furthermore, the
foreign prices Of very many raw ma
terials necessarily imported for American
manufacture have advanced without re-
! gard to our tariff. Some Of these foreign
advances range as high as so and 100
& per cent.
But while the manufacturer here re-
I ceives better prices than formerly, the
people are enabled TO pay better prices,
BY the freer circulation Of money, in
creased incomes and universal activity.
3 The prevailing prosperity constitutes an
~endless chain" Of benefit every link Of
b which was forged by the opponents Of
, free trade II is a condition, not the
ory. that confronts the voter-and the
(. condition is that, after the consumer has
s. paid an advance in price, he is still vastly
/ better off than he ever was under any
low tariff that we ever had. And the
e average voter cannot do better than re-
member that, if every consumer is not a
81 manufacturer, at least every manufac-
turer is a consumer equally with him
self, and is affected equally In this capac-
ity by every favorable or adverse cir
cumstance that affects other consumers.
EUROPEAN LESSONS.
What we have done in the develop
e ment OF our manufactures is an earnest
Of what we may do-with a continuance
OF like methods What we have done We
+ never did with methods opposed TO these.
81 II. rs is the fact, Europe is gradually
a recognizing the advantages of protection
and seeking them. how much more ur-
gent is il that we do not now commit the
sf gross folly Of abandoning protectionl
This is n crucial period in the worlds
commercial expansion. New balances OF
prestige are to be struck in the near fu-
fure. with vast and virgin markets open
ing to enterprise and ingenuity. Under
our present system our manufacturers
~ fully protected. have met successfully
and will continue to do so, European
competition in Europe. There is no rea
son. therefore. why we should not b'
te equally successful in the Orient.
- The only nation that leads us in com
Great Britain. is steadily and rapid,
VS. drifting from free trade back toward pro
f.. lection The nation that is pressing III
~ hardest IN third place. industrially 4
h Germany. The secret Of Germanys won
derful progress is not far to seek. Tn
empire was organized in 1871 out Of pro
tective states. Following the lead o
England's free trade government, how
hIt ever reductions Of duties had been begui
ST In 1865 by the "Zollvereln." These con
,hnued until 1877, by which time the EN-
|si pire had passed fully to free trad
basis.
The experiment was declared a failur
Dy the leading German economists an
l3 MISUNDERSTANDING Bismarck. wh
- pointed to America with this assertion:
The success OF the United states in ma
terial development is the most illustrious
OF modern times. Ii Is my deliberate
Judgment that the prosperity Of America
IS due mainly 20 its system OF protective
IN laws / think that Germany has now
reached that point where Il Is necessary
& to Initiate the tariff OF the United States
'aFl Germany followed this advice in 1877
peg Her manufactures are now challengiI
ours in every foreign market Her co
output in 1899 was three times that
IA 1879. while Great Britain's increased on
4 so per cent. in the same period. But n
;rfs alone has Germany expanded steadily
III recent years in the export Of manufa
lures. but her agricultural experience h
been like our own, the great increase
Industrial establishments has helped {
sts farmer by giving him better home m,
ket
pea Within half century nearly all Eui
pean countries have tested the low tar

 or free trade system; ana nearly all, pr
z<h iting by the result, have returned TO D
~. lenllon Germany. France RUSSIA. Al