The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-01-09
WHAT THEY HOPEFOR
BRITISH INDUSTRIES DEPRESSED
BY OUR TARIFF.
They Are Extremely Anxious That 1t
Shall Be So Revised and Recon-
structed as to Give Them the Privi-
Iege of Larger Sales in the United
States.

In cablegram OF NOV. lS, prlhteu
by the New York Sun, Sir William
Preece, ex-president Of the Institution
of Civil Engineers, is reported as tell
ing some plain truths in an address
delivered before the Society OF Arts
Among other things Sir William said
that British commercial and industrial
supremacy had practically ceased,
largely owing to lack of commercial
education and obsolete business habits
and also to lack of commercial pa
triotism and the free trade fallacy.
The nations which had not adopted
free trade fourished more than the
solitary nation that had adopted 1t.
He instanced the protection OF their In
dustries by the Americans, whose pol
icy was dictated by intense patriot
ism. II the Americans were right IN
principle and successful in practice,
the whole policy of the United King
dom was founded in gigantic error and
must lead to commercial ruin.
Two days later the view of Sir Will
liam Preece regarding the folly OF ad-
herring to free trade in the face OF the
object lessons furnished by protected
America was strongly reinforced by
statement of the bad conditions, which
prevail in the Yorkshire manufactur-
ing district. The London correspond
ent of the New York Tribune cables to
that paper that the Yorkshire manu-
facturers continue to complain of de-
clining trade with the United States.
While there has been meager gain
of $103,500 in exports from Leeds to
the United States during the last II
months compared with 1901, it can be
explained by shipments of wool and
iron rather than by an Improvement
in the wooden trade or metal manufac-
turers The Bradford district, whose
prosperity depends largely upon
brisk trade with the United States, is
disappointed with the result of the
present tariff, and the manufacturers
are forced to admit that the American
market is now mainly supplied with
home goods. Huddersfield has suffered
less than Bradword, since 1t exports
to New York the finest qualities OF
worsted and wooden goods, but us
manufacturers find cause for COM
planning in the shrinkage of the Amer
lean demand. The textile trades OF
Leeds are suffering from the same
cause. and merchants are forced to
send their goods to other markets,
which are not supplied with home
manufactures Exports Of machin-
cry. steel rods and iron from Leeds
to the United States have fallen dur
ing the last quarter even from the
low level of the preceding year. 1t
is not difficult to convince Yorkshire
merchants, either in the textile or
metal trades, that the American tariff
since it was reconstructed the last
time has stimulated home production
and operated against British indus
tries. The general efficiency OF that
tariff as a defensive measure Tor re-
serving the home market for nome
manufacturers tempts many among
them to express dissatisfaction with
the prevailing Conui'iohS Va
English free trade without reciprocity
from any colony except Canada"
When the tariff was reconstructed
the time before the last the manufac-
turers of Great Britain had no such
complaint to make. So pleased were
they with the tariff reconstruction OF
1894 that they banqueted William l..
Wilson and showered no end OF com
pliments upon President Cleveland.
The Dingley tariff changed all that. 1t
has SO stimulated home production
that British producers mourn the loss
of great and good friend and
great and good market. They are
earnestly hoping that tarifr revision
sentiment will once more prevail,