New-York tribune., 1902-12-05
the home market without safeguards against
foreign energy and enterpriee.

foreign energy and enterprise.
These Yorkshire manufacturers do not admit
that the fault is theirs If England be in the
way of being beaten in the great modern battle
for markets. They complain Of the injustice of
Sir William Preece's charge that the nation is
standing still commercially from lack of scfen-
tiic business education in the masters rather
than from ncapacty in the men, and lay stress
upon his concession that the success OF
the Americans and the Germans in supplanting
the English in the home market is not due to
the superior quality Of their goods. They as
sert that the nation will not be vanquished in
the struggle for industrial supremacy from lack
Of energy and organizing power In the manu-
facturers but from insuperable disadvantages
caused by tariff determinations abroad and
heavy railway freights at home They do not
find It difficult to prove that the German manu-
facturers, having their own market secured py
the tariff. can cheaper their goods for the eX-
port trade and receive shipping bounties from
syndicates: and that it costs less to send mer-
chandise from Hamburg, Bremen or Berlin to
London than it does from Sheffield. Leeds or
Manchester. When Sir William Preece urges
them to lay aside the habits of their fathers and
train themselves for business as the AnleT1-
cans and Germans are doing. they shrug their
shoulders and assert that the tariff system de-
vised by Golden and Bright has become obso-
lete and that the railway system Of the United
Kingdom needs to be revolutionized IN the IN
terest Of home trade. There would be marked
development OF protectionist feeling among
manufacturers and merchants in the Midlands
and IN the North of England II there were not a
general conviction that from political point
of view the movement must be hopeless one.
The use which the Liberals have made of the
petty registration duty -four and grain is
warning that a comprehensive tariff measure
with revenue duties on foreign manufactures
would meet with strenuous resistance and popu-
lar agitation, and condemn to defeat any gov
ernment which should propose 1t as a practical
measure of national defence. The working
masses would readily be rallied at the polls
against any legislation involving the substitu-
ton OF indirect for direct taxation we have
given away our markets" the Yorkshire manu-
facturer will grimly say, "and we cannot regain
control over them ana meet foreign rivals on
equal terms With the Americans and Ger
mans against us. free trade is not business, but
we must put up with it on account of politics
and muddle through best we can"
There have been so many unfortunate con-
eular appointments in Sheffield during recent
years that thoroughly efficient and creditable
administration Of the office is now source of
general satisfaction. Major Church Howe, who
was transferred from Palermo TO Sheffield two
years ago, at once met merchants on their own
ground consulted their convenience, intro
duced new and straightforward methods OF con-
Quoting business and won the confidence and
respect Of the manufacturers. He is a retired
Nebraska banker. who accepted the Palermo
consulate on the suggestion Of President Nc
Kinley that he would feel more at home in
Europe if he had some employment there and
place in which to hang up his coat and hat.
He has succeeded both in Palermo and in Shef-
field in proving how easy 1t is for an American
trained to business to conduct consular trans
actions with system and TO promote good feel
ing as well trade. Major Howe. far from be-
Ing ashamed OF the uniform which he wore dur
ing the Civil War, puts 1t on whenever there is
a public banquet, he is allowed to do by the
consular regulations He credits this Uniform
with having won for him the friendship OF the
King OF Italy when he on duty in Sicily,
and also with having opened every hospitable
mansion In Sheffield 20 him. The man inside the
uniform probably has had something to do with
his consular achievements and social successes
Major Howe is good example Of a courteous,
exemplary business man in the consular service,
and Yorkshire merchants speak of him with
respect and enthusiasm. l. N r.