New-York tribune., 1903-06-08
rARrrE. rRApE AXp LNpUsTRE.


AIr Chauberlain's tariff plans may not be
xfudicared lv statistics. but then the conten-
lions Of his opponents certainly cannot be Brit
ssh agriculture is declining. That has long
been a rruism The acreage Of wheat IN 1919
vzss S514OeS. in 1855 II was 2.553,0 and IN
7aQo II was .456042 Nor was this enormous
decline counterbalanced by increases in other
crons There were 10 material increases. The
area OF grass land. including meadow and past
ure. did increase. Il was 30o0000O acres N
1913. 3 100000 in 1885. and g 100000 in 1900.
But in that there was little profit for there
was no corresponding increase in cattle raising
The number OF horses has been increasing some
what but thar Of cattle is stationary. and that
of sheep and swine is decreasing. Land aban-
doned for crops is not. therefore. devoted 10
stock bur chiefly lies idle. The result is that
imports OF meat are actually increasing faster
than of bread. Imports Of wheat and -four,
stated IN thousand hundredweights. were JS.012
In $50. 1881 in 1SS5 and 9015S in 1906 In
ports u meat. expressed in the same terms.
were l60 IN 1870 $3.50 in 1891 1877 III 1895
and 1892 in 1906 Naturally tie assessed value
OF land is declining. It was f69.300O00 in 1881,
E57.70J.00o in 1891 and E52, 100000 in 1900.
Bu. while agriculture is thus going TO ruin,
say the Cobdenites. manufactures and com
nerce are enormously increasing. Are they,
indeed. old Truepenny? Il is true that the
output q coal IS increasing In million tons it
was los in 1881 1s5 in 1891 and 219 in 1901
But the coal mines were thus being exhausted
to feed foreign rather than British industries.
The output Of iron ore, Il million tons. was Il
in 1851 Jess than Is in 1891 and Il in 1900.
while its value was E6,200080 il 1851. $3.50 600
IN 1891 and II % 600 il 1896. Not much gain
British and imported ore. was s.l44.449 tons in
1Ss1 7,4060G4 in 1891 and s.959.G91 in 1900.
Not an enormously expanding industry that.
Cotton is the greatest Of the Kingdoms textile
industries In 1881 imports Of raw stock were,
tn million pounds. 1873; in 1891. 1893 and in
1901, 1.e2e. II the same years the exports Of
manufactured cotton. expressed in the same
terms were, respectively. 207. ls2 and 204.
Evidently neither IN iron nor in cotton has Brit
ish industry or British commerce considerably
increased in these twenty years. Indeed, the
total OF all British exports has increased very
little. L was. expressed IL millions of pounds
sterling 234 in 1881, pa IL 1891 and $50 in
1901. while the total Of imports. similarly ex-
pressed. was 397 in 1881. 435 in 1891 and 521
IN 1861 Thus The Encyclopaedia Britain
Mica says. '-the annual value OF the imports
into the United Kingdom las largely increased.
''but there has been no corresponding increase
"in that of the exports Of British products and
merchandise. To that we NAV add with
equal truth that while British agriculture is
declining, being sacrificed 10 the supposed needs
Of manufactures and commerce there is no
compromising gain IN manufactures and com
naerce
Nov. let Us look for moment at British reve-
nue. and taxation The revenue Of the United
Kingdom Is steadily increasing. II was ISL
10000 in 1881. $50 100000 in 1891, f130 900
IL 1901 and fIz2, 100000 In 1902 OF this the