The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-13
WORLD'S-19O4-FAIR.

GOOD ADVICE, BUT WEAK PREMISE.
whats good for Sam isn't good for john is Mr..
Carnegies argument addressed to England by way OF
protest against Mr. Chamberlans preferential tariff
PLAN He explains that the great American principle
Of protection is all very well for Amefica-and this
ill be accepted Mr. Carnegies opinion. since the
great American principle enabled him to accumulate
several score millions-but that it would be very
had thing for England. lie intimates that it would
lead retalations and reprisals by this country
against England. and horrible commercial tf
would cnsue. 1T certainly would not tend to the
union of the two great Englishspeaking nations. Brit
ain and America, without which Britain could not
share with the States the position of a dominant
worldpower. On the decision of the subject would
depend Britan's future Empire
Mr. Carnegie seems TO be substituting prorosi-
ton for premise when he begins by affirming that
the high tariff is good for us.
II for Us. however. why not for England? We are
nations doing business together and competitors.
Do not rest upon the same basis: Are we not
subject to like disadvantage or advantage? In
theory or in fact how this be otherwise? Would
not England. dealing with other nations precisely
does this nation from the standpoint and under
Identical conditions suffer or benefit as this nation
1t would seem that whatever is good for us should be
good for England: hut the truth is that England
thgfred by something other than that which Mr..
Carnegie assumes TO be good for US.
In considering Mr.. Carnegies proposition there
must be borne in mind one great fact and uni
versaliy admitted principle the nations are in
ternational buyers and sellers; and profit and pros
perity depend upon buying and selling advanta-
Secusly.
England has established the truth of the free-trade
principle and established its commercial suprenl-
acy by consistent adherence to that principle. On
account of the free trade principle England has really
secured the preferential treatment for which the high
tariff countries strive With its markets open TO the
world 1t has suffered less from reprisals and resalia-
tons than any other Power. 1t has secured freer
and fairer world-market thin any other Power
In word. 1t has bought and sold to advantage at
least to greater advantage than any other Power.
England takes middlemans profit 1t must bus
raw materials and sell manufactures. Suppose that
It raises an offensive tariff against foreign Powers.
Wnl that action enable il to buy materials the
cheaply to its transformed products
feer entrance and higher prices in foreign markets.
Probably England will accept Mr.. Carnegie,s advice
and its own experience and observation rs conclu-
sve that high tariff would produce such results.
Probably England will not lightly abandon secure
position for course the wisdom of which has not
been demonstrated.
There but two ways in which tariff could
by any possibility benefit people-in the matters
OF buying and selling. A tariff can affect nothing
else/ Manfestly and frankly. the protective tariff
was not designed to enable us to purchase cheaply.
Has it benefited by facilitating entrance and Sc
curing good prices in foreign markes-has it helped
us to sells This is a producing country. even more
dependent upon entrance into foreign markets than
England The record shows that some OF the foreign
markets have been closed to exports while many
Of the great Powers have raised retaatory obstruc
tons against During the past four years We have
sold quantity OF goods abrcad. hut We have had to
scale the walls in order to do We have been en-
abled to do SO only by making home consumers pay
the foreign duty. In order to induce the foreigner
10 receive goods against which high retalaory duty
had been laid, our Industrial trusts were compelled
10 let the foreigner hare them at little or no proft
Tnh he trusts are enabled to d0 because of ths
$500 g