The sun., 1900-12-04
viii England Tax American Manu-
factures?

We are informed that Sir HOWARD VIM
CENT, the Honorary Secretary Of the United
Empire Trade League. will bring forward
In the coming session of the new Parlia-
ment bill imposing ad raiorem duties
upon imports into the United Kingdom
other than those from the British Colonies.
What chance has the bill Of being passed?
There is no doubt that Sir MICHAEL HICKS
BEACH. the Chancellor OF the Exchequer,
will find it extremely difficult to make
both ends meet England has two wars
upon her hands. The contest in the
Orange Free State and the South African
Republic has cost her several hundred
millions Of dollars. and it is expected to
cost her nearly five million dollars week
for an indefinite period. The military
operations in China are imposing upon her
an additional burden. and to these also II is
impossible to foresee Limit. or course
such outlays cannot be met from the taxes
which had proved adequate before the two
contests in question began. The Chan
celor Of the Exchequer must find new
sources for the national revenue. and they
must be abundant sources. There is no
doubt that preferential customs duties
would provide a great deal OF money. Is
the bulk Of the British population. how
ever. prepared to renounce free trade,
and TO revert to the protectionist system
which obtained in the United Kingdom
before the repeal of the Corn Laws?
To that question a definite answer will
have to be given by the incoming Parlia.
IN
conflne himself TO proposal to levy duties
on foreign manufactures imported into
the United Kingdom and into all British
dependencies which are not self govern
ing, he might have prospect OF success
The British manufacturers Of iron and
steel have already good cause 10 dread
American competition, and. no doubt,
they and the operative; employed by them
would be glad TO he relieved from II. II
projections principle would 90 no further
Bearing in mind that their iron and steel
products have been long cut Of by heavy
duties from United States markets, the
British manufacturers may not unreason-
ably feel that they have n right to recur
to similar measures Of defence. now that
thoy are being undersold by American
rivals in the markets Of the United King
dom Should Sir Howard VINCENT aim.
however. TO erect a tariff wall exclusively
for the benefit Of British manufacturers.
he would not in the least promote the CON
soidatinc purposes Of the United Empire
Trade League with which he is identified
Undoubtedly his bill would allow Colonial
manufacturers to enter the markets Of
the United Kingdom duty free. but this
would be sterile privilege, The Colonies
possess il now, but none ~ their manu-
fact tlrcd products il able to compete with
those Of the Unit ri Kingdom in the British
market
Sir IiowARp's impcrialistc programme
will compel him 10 carry the protectionist
principle much further. and to apply II,
not only 10 those artificial products in
which British manufacturers fear foreign
though not Colonial, competition. but also
To food staples. wherein decided prefer-
ence manifesty would inure to the profit
of the Colonies. If the preference. how |
ever. ls to loo Of any substantial benefit 10
Colonial food producers. the tax imposed
on foreign grain. -four and meal would have !
10 be So considerable as sensiby to affect the |,
rost of bread in the United Kingdom. We |
fo not believe that inhabitants OF the |
British Isles. however imperialistic in |
sentiment. will assent to the impo~ition OF |
such tax upon breadstufrs. unless they |
are closely connected with the agricul- |