Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-10-13
lD
MONDAY EVENING. ocT. Il. 1903.
EncLAnD's GREAT QUESTION.

Joseph 1"uhHlUGIlHtH Huh iclt ihS
British cabinet because he has be
come a protectionist: several other
members ri the cabinet have resigned
because they are still, as they always
have been. free traders. Mr. Balfour.
who remains at the head of the gov
eminent, favors the general principle
Of protection. but IL unwilling 70 fay3-
its application to food stuffs, probab-
~ not because he thinks IL a wrong
principle. but because he believes the
country would reject such d measure
at this time, Mr.. Chamberlain Is de-
voting himself for the time being 10
a vigorous educational campaign in
favor OF the measures which he be-
lieyes TO be vitality necessary for The
preservation OF the unity Of the en-
pire and the protection Of her com,
mercial Interests. He Is trying. as A
first step. to convince the British peo-
Pic or the fact, which the rest Of the
world has preceived for some time.
that their trade has been steadily de-
crcasing. This Is an unpleasant fact
for a Britain to shout from the house
tops and have repeated around the
world. But nevertheless ns he goes
around among the people with his
message, he Is being received With
cheers. They realize that II their
trade Is sick the first step IL to
recognize the fact. and they approve
Of the man who Is the first to recog-
nize Il and who is prepared to under
take the cure, The wonder Is that no
Statesman has faced the situation and
been willing TO undertake tho strug-
gle sooner, for It Is a well established
fact that since 1871. when other ma
lions systematically began TO apply
the policy Of protection. the British
share OF the worlds exports has do.
clinet. Figures for all nations. are not
available. but those OF Germany.
France. Belgium. Italy and tho United
States, Engiand's manufacturing com.
p~etitors. sufncientiy illustrate the
point.
In 1872 the exports or these 1--WE ma
lions and England aggregated $780,.
100000 for which England's share was
g. s5. OOo. 900. or 3s per cent. In 1909
the total was s5,545. OOo. 900. Of which
England's share was sf.4lb. 100000. or
less than 26 per cent.
The reason for this falling OF nat
urally lics in the fact that while other
nations by protecting themselves at
home have been the better able to com
pete In foreign markets. England has
been made the dumping ground" for
the surplus production Of the protected
nations who could AFFORD TO dispose
Of this surplus at a loss; against this
handicap the poor British manufac-
turers could not compete, and once
crippled at home they were naturally
less able 10 compete abroad. The pro
posed protection. besides hfrording a
better home market. wonld also give
them a capital upon which TO tfade-
n means or retaliation upon other ma
lions for the high tariff placed upon
British goods; they could Offer TO re-
duee their duty on certain American
goods for instance,if We would lower
the tarfif ON some Of their wares The
United States will be al Interested
witness 10 the great struggle, the out
come Of which will directly affect us
and may operate 10 bring about some
notifications lii U present tarin
laws.