New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-11
FREE TRADE" CUSTOM HOUSES.

The return of Mr.. Morley TO the arena OF poll
tics, after his years of seclusion In The Octagon
at Hawarden, writing GladstOne's biography,
was acclaimed with JOY by the Liberal-Radical
party, and especially by the stern and unbend-
ing Cobdenites These latter, panicstricken at
Mr.. Chamberlain's assaults upon the citadel OF
their faith welcomed Mr. Morley back the
one champion who could offer ar effective de-
fence. II is to be assumed, too, that Mr. Morley
was equally glad to return and engage in the
fray, for there is probably nothing dearer TO
him In politics than free trade, and there is
probably no British politician now living more
qualified to be its authoritative exponent and
protagonist. We are by no means sure. how
ever, that his reappearance has been as profit
able to that cause as his party associates e1-
pected or, indeed, that 1t has been particularly
satisfactory TO himself.
His misfortune is that he is practically COM
PEELED to take up the insfncere cant words OF
Cobdenism. the exposure of the fasity of which
Is one OF the simplest of tasks We do not, of
course, mean that he is himself inSincere, for
he is one OF the most transparency sincere of
men. So we have doubt that the Duke of
Devonshire and many of his colleagues are
quite sincere In their free food propaganda.
Yet the very name OF their Free Food League
is Insincere for everybody knows that there is
not and never has been such a thing free
food in England-tlat is, all food free from tax
and that these free traders have themselves
no thought OF such thing. Everybody knows,
too. that Mr.. Chamberlain does not propose to
increase the sum total Of taxation upon food
but rather. by distribution among more articles.
to make It more equitable and more easily
borne, and indeed. actually to reduce its gross
amount
Now Mr.. Morley, trying to answer the COM
plant that England is being made dumping
ground for the surplus products OF other lands.
exclaims There is no dumping so deadly ns
1.-THE dumping of customs house officer upon
"your shores!" If that means anything. II must
mean that a protective tariff would impose upon
the United Kingdom a customs service from
which 1t is free. 1t is the common cant
OF lesser Cobdenites that a free trade land Is
free from those enemies OF the human race.
customs inspectors and collectors. with which
protectionist lands cursed Now the fact
is that the United Kingdom. under the blessed
freedom Of CobdeniSm, has a more cumbersome
annoying and costly customs service and col
lects in proportion to its population q larger
customs revenue, than any other great COM
mercial nation IN the world Germany collects
at her custom houses each year 50 06 per capita
Of her population France collects So 80 Amer
len, under the Dingley tariff. that aOomlna ton
OF desoatiOn to all Cobdentes. collects SIS A.
The United Kingdom under the sweet freedom
Of Cobdenism, collects 81 1917 more than twice
as much as protectionist Germany more than
so per cent more than protectionlst France. and
more than 90 per cent more than the United
States. Moreover the cost of the service is ma
terially greater in Great Britain than In any
other Of these countries. Finally. the system Of
administration nj British ports is so antlquated.
so illiberal and so burdensome 10 shipping mer-
business is now deserving London wholesale for
the more free conditions 10 he found at Ham,
burg and other Continental-and protectionist-
ports.
In the face OF such facts Mr.. Morley's elo-
quent warnings against mourning the burdens
low-as hollow as the free food clano OF those
who are at the present moment collecting Gus
toms duties OF S65,00o.0OO a year on food. In
Guiding articles of the most general use and
greatest necessity. In spite OF the Free Food
League. food is not free. and no member OF that
called free trade trade is not free and no free
trader proposes to make II so: and in spite OF
Mr. Morleys warning against the dumping OF
customs officers upon the shores Of England the
United Kingdom is to-day one Of the most Gus.
toms officer ridden and custom house burdened
countries in the world.