The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-04
In its True Sense Free Trade
Never Existed.
so SPEAKS CHAM BERLAIN
We Gave All to the World and Received Moth
irg, HI Says---Le There be Change
---Let Us Bargain Like
Others.
(By the Associated Press.)

10y INC @AoSONldltil IICSS.J
London, Oct S.-"Evely other nation
and all our own self-governing colonies
have refused to accept the gospel of Cob
den, and yet although they ought, ac-
cording to its dogmas to be i'll the last
stage of depression and decline, they have
grown during the last twenty years in
wealth, population and trade and in
everything that goes to make up the
greatness of nation"
That is the keynote Of Joseph Cham
berlain's manifesto which will be pub
hshed October in the form of a preface
to shilling pamphlet by c. A. Vince,
secretary to Mr.. Chamberlain tariff or
ganization.
Mr.. Chamberlain points out that the
prosperity of the working classes has in
creased in greater proportion in the pro-
tected countries than nthe United King
Com and says:
Free trade, if it had ever existed, might
have secured for us all that its pro-
moters promised; but free imports with
out free trade have brought us face to
face with problems which never entered
into Cobdens calculations. We know
that the idea of united empire did not
appeal to him and that he regarded the
colonies as an encumbrance to be got
rid of as soon as possible. But what
would Golden have said if he had fore
seen that the trades unions, whose exist
ence he deprecated would be successful
in protecting labor in a score of ways
tenling to increase the rate OF wages and
to tsaise the standard of living. Would
A.9t 5en, as the representative of the man
ufacturing class, have still maintained
that while the manufacturer was arti-
fcially prevented from obtaining labor at
the lowest rate he ought to rest content
when the products of foreign labor. un-
trammeled by any regulations and legis-
lation, to which he has to submit. under,
sell him in his own markets? Cobden's
scheme was at least consistent 1t was
free labor as we'll as free imports. but
free imports combined with protected la
Dor is neither consistent nor profitable
to any of the parties concerned"
Mr. Chamberlain holds that the theory
that other countries are running them
selves by bounties and import duties
hardly comedies with the fact that British
exports have been practically stationary
for twelves years, while those of other
countries have increased so rapidly that
IF the relatives progress continues for a
few years longer they will have left Us
far behind
rs it not childish to ignore the fact
that by bargaining on equal terms other
nations have been able to promote their
special interests. and that if we also had
IN our hands yeapons of retaliation we
should probably be able to bring the world
much nearer a universal free trade system
than it has ever been since Cobden's time :?
Our free food friends will have to be a
little more definite and more accurate
They will have to explains why the trans
fer of taxation, say from tea to bread,
would be disastrous, even though it bene-
flied our industries and restored them to
something like the relative position
which they enjoyed twenty years ago.
Dealing passionately with the accusa-
tion that his policy is intended to reduce
the workman and his family to starva-
ton Mr.. Chamberlain writes:
Let them at least admit that rightly
or wrongly, this policy is propounded in
the interests of the masses of the people,
of the poor much more than of the rich,
and that those who are responsible for 1t
have earned by strenuous endeavor IN the
past the right to resent the charge of
neglecting the interests of the industrial
pODulatipn