New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-19
ENGLAND AS 4 DUMPING GROUND

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Mr. Chamberlain's warning to his Greenock
audience, that the United Kingdom is in dan
ger OF being made a dumping ground for vast
quantities Of American and other foreign manu-
features, is strongly emphasized by much cur
rent news. In a recent issue Of 'The Statist,"
of London, for example we find nearly three
pages devoted 10 the yearly meeting Of an i'm
portant coal and iron company. In moving
adoption Of the report and accounts the chair
man Of the board Of directors said:
OF the future, It is difficult to say anything
sanguine. We are well equipped 10 meet any
demand and to keep cost Of manufacture down,
but the intention Of The steel Trust OF America
TO fight the depression in trade there by finding
a dum-lng ground here. which with our pres
ent ifs Il arrangements we cannot fight against.
must in1uTiously affect the iron trade and con-
seQUently coal. Let us hope American trade will
SO N revive. We as q nation need some review
Of our fiscal posi tion-and larger home markets.
the best markets of all-in the shape of attached
and mutual aiding communities The United
States OF America and united Germany possess
and preserve the home markets in their vast
territories; and We ought, with our colonies and
India, TO follow their example There has been
a good deal Of prophe wing lately to the effect
that the adoption OF MT. amberlains and Mr.
Balfours proposal would mean dearer food TO
the people Of this country. IL is easy to proph-
esy. / would go further and say that for some
years after the adoption Of Mr.. Chamberain's
or Mr.. Dalfour's proposals should be not indis-
posed to guarantee to the men Of this company
the shareholders better dividends.
In seconding the motion the deputy chairman
also said:
] may tell YOU that during the whole of our
last financial year a large proportion OF the
workmen IN our iron and steel manufactur-
ing departments have regularly been short
time II has been sad very sad, to to see
willing and capable men anxious to work walk
ing about idle Mondays and Tuesdays for
no earthly reason except that work which
f..g,, III
at prices much below their own cost of pro-
duction ours. This, of course would have been
impossible but for the foreign protective tariffs
i trust viii do all in their power to
help the present movement for combating
the foreign monopolists and getting back our
trade. The people who call themselves free
traders say, Reduce wages to meet this COM
petition" I reply that even If our men were
paid one-half less than they present this
would not get us back particle of our lost
trade. Then others say. Improve your ma
chinerv." Gentlemen, great deal of our ma
chinsry here is superior TO anything they have
on the Continent, but We cannot fight against
tariffs which are framed to checlornate us How
are 10 find dividends for our shareholders or
work for our men as long this kind OF thing
exists? Give US fair play and we can com
pete successfully against any foreign manufact-
urers. Y len we are not able TO do so we de-
serve to go TO the wall. India used to be one OF
our best markets Now nearly the whole of a
large trade which used TO be ours in that coun-
try has gone to Germany, and our trade in South
Africa seems 10 be going the same way If I'm
these two countries only duty were levied on
iron and steel equal TO the tariff in the country
where 81 is produced should then I'm those
regions enjoy real bona fde free trade and the
result Guild be more work and more wages for
our woT lingmen This is no party question 1t
Is question OF life and death to the working
man. anu matter or a dividend dividend
to shareholders
The statement that American manufacturers
make Great Britnin a dumping ground for their
surplus goods at less than the cost of produc-
ton calls for no detailed discussion. IL may or
may not he true, and 1t may or may not be
good commercial morals for American and other
manufacturers to do so-though OF course. il is
merely the application OF rule common I'm
most departments of trade Those are ma.tors
Of statistical and academic interc.i ;, hat is