The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-04
And All Have Grown I'm Wealth, While
Great Britain Is Beginning
to Decline.
ARGUMENT FOR PROTECTION
POINTS FROM JOSEPH CHAMBER
DAIN'S HERALDED MANIFESTO.
His Reasons for Wishing His Country
to Discard the Doctrine of
Free Trade.

LONDON, oct. 3.-"Every other natlon
and all our own self-governing colonies have
refused to accept the gospel of Golden, and
yet, although they ought, according to its
dogmas, TO be in the last stage of depres-
sion and decline. they have grown during
the last twenty years in wealth, population
and trade In everything that goes to make
UP the greatness of a nation"
That is the keynote TO Joseph Chamber
lain's manifesto which will be published
Oct. 5. in the form of a preface to shill-
ing pamphlet entitled Mr.. Chamberlains
Proposals; What They Mean, and What We
Shall Gain by Them by G. A. Vince, sec
rotary to Mr.. Chamberlain's tariff organi-
cation. In view of the vigOr with which the
war Of pamphleteers has again come In
vogue in English politics, the publisher has
appropriately given Mr.. Chamberlains
pronouncement deep red covers, in signifi-
cant contrast with the undecided blue-gray
of Premier Balfour's academic treatise on
the fiscal question.
Mr. Chamberlain does not mince matters.
With characteristic aggression he carries
the war into the enemy's camp. Those who
maintain" he writes. in spirit of bland
obscurfsm, the absolute inspiration of an
antfquated doctrine, will have much to ex-
plain" His remarks are addressed ITO men
of all political opinions, since the questions
now raised are not necessarily matters or
party politics, nor, indeed, is it likely that
the issues will be ultimately decided on
strictly party lines"
Mr. Chamberlain begins by saying: 1T is
difficult to believe that the results of the in
vestigation will not convince every impartial
man of the necessity for some reconstruc-
ton of the system which has remained sta
tionary and unaltered for more than half a
century, while every other policy has been
modified and adapted TO meet modern re-
quirements."
PROTECTION INCREASES WAGES.
Continuing, Mr.. Chamberlain points out
that the property of the working classes has
increased in greater proportion in the pro-
tected countries than in the United King
dom, and says: Free trade, If 1t had ever
existed, might have secured for us all that
its promoters promised; but free imports
without free trade have brought us face to
face with problems which never entered
| into Cobden's calculations. We know that
the idea of a united empire did not
appeal to him and that he regarded
the colonies as an incumbrance to be got
rid OF as soon as possible. The little
Englanders who follow his lead are
not likely to be moved by any consideration
arising out of our new-found pride and
faith in our distant hnsmen. But, what
would Golden have said If he had foreseen
that the trades unions, whose existence he
deprecated. would be successful in protect
ing labor In u score of ways, tending to in
crease the rate of wages and to raise the
standard OF living? Would Golden, as the
representative of the manufacturing classes
have still maintained that while the manu-
facturer was artihcially prevented from OBJ
tanning labor at the lowest rate he ought
to rest contest when the products of foreign
labor untrammeled by any regulations and
legislation, 10 which he had TO submit,
scheme was at least consistent. 1t was
free labor, we'll as free imports; free i'm
ports combined with protected labor is
neither consistent nor profitable to any of
the parties concerned"
Mr.. Chamberlain holds that the consoling
theory that other countries are running
themselves by bounties and import duties
hardly conincides with the fact that British
exports have been pretty stationary for
twelve years, while those of other countries
have increased so rapidly that II the rela-
tive progress continues for a few years
longer they will have left far behind"
THE COLONIES.
Dealing with the colonies desire for bet
ter commercial treatment, Mr.. Chamber
lain says: 1T is no answer to offer them
an imperial council, which they have al
ready refused. If we reject their proposals
for reciprocity we shall be in great danger
of losing our present trade with them, as
well as the prospects of its future extern
sion. 1t is entirely owing to the growth
of our colonial trade that the actual and
neaVy decline In our imports to foreign
protected countries has been concealed in
our general returns. Do the stern ad-
vocates of unrestricted imports consider il
satisfactory that we should have nothing
to bargain with and continue to be grate-
full for such crumbs as fall from the rich
mans table, in the shape, at the best of
the most favored nation clause, which only
gives the benefits of arrangements pre-
viously made with sole reference to the in
terests of other persons, and in respect
whereto we had never been consulted? is 1t
not childish to ignore the fact that by bar
gaining on equal terms other nations have
been able to promote their interests and
that IL we had also in our hands weapons
of retaliation should probably be able
to bring the world much nearer a universal
free trade system than it has ever been
will have TO be little more definite and
more accurate. They will have to explain
why the transfer of taxation say from tea
to bread, would be disastrous, even though
| il benefited our industries and restored
| them to something like the relative position
which they enjoyed twenty years ago
| They will have to decide once for all wheth-
| curse whether dumping is a philanthropic
| operation whereby foreigners are endeavor-
| ing to secure the welfare of this country.
| or an insidious attempt to ruin our indus
| tries and obtain our markets for them
| selves. They will not be allowed to evade
! these questions by the cheap device of
/ abusing their opponents"
Dealing passionately with the accusat ton
| that his policy is intended to reduce the
| workman and his family to starvation"
| Mr.. Chamberlain writes: Let them at
| least admit that, rightly or wrongly. this
| policy is propounded in the interests of the