Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-29
BRITISH TESTIMONY TO PRoTEc
TON

American workingmen are likely to
draw lesson from the efforts now be.
ing made in England to get away from
the blight of free trade and to put that
nation on a protective tariff basis.I 1t is
reasonable to suppose that the report
of the commission of English working.
men which visited this country to in.
vestigate the effects of protection had
great deal to do with encouraging
the protectionist sentiment that is
growing so rapidly in England.
1t is well known, of course, that the
investigating committee was made I'm
of practical artisans in many lines of
industry; they were men who knew
their especial line Of trade in every
branch. They had been brought up
under free trade and knew from prac.
tical experience what free trade is do.
ing in England at this time. They
came here to investigate protection
and their verdict was strongly in fav.
or of protection.
But the greatest advocate in Eng.
land of change from free trade to
protection is Joseph Chamberlain. who
resigned from the British cabinet in
order that he might be free to fight
the battle of protection for his coun.
try, as against the existing free trade
system. He is recognized as being the
especial friend of the great middle
classes of England, the commercial
and Industrial classes.
In a recent argument, addressed to
the British people in behalf of a
change to protection, Mr.. Chamber.
lain said that protection would give
England these advantages:
First, an increase of trade with her
fellow-subjects and best customers,
who not only take much more per
head from England than foreigners,
but take it in the shape of manufactur.
ed products whose production involves
the employment Of the greatest
amount of labor"
That is, the home market" argu-
ment which the wisest statesman of
America have been advocating for
years and which. under the Dingley
tariff act, has been INDICATED in the
greatest era of prosperity this coun.
try has known in generous employ
ment, in good wages, in Investigation
of industries.
Second, the power of bargaining
with competitors, and thereby secur-
ing that they shall take either more
OF the productions of English labor in
exchange for the products of their la
Dor, or that they shall leave the Brit
ish market more completely to Brit
ish labor"
That is the independence which pro-
fpntinn oiUnc tN "a.
workingmen. That is another feature
of the protective tariff which has
worked out here, under the Dingley
tariff act, We are bargaining now
with the nations Of the earth, making
it advantageous to them to take more
of the productions of our labor and
making them keep out of competition
with us at home.
Third. in either case. this change,
and the increased trade will provide
more employment for the British peo-
pie and greater demand for Brit
ish labor"
That argument has been indicated
in our case right along; there has
been steady increase in the demand
for labor and increase in opportunities
III lduol " luu employment. mat is
proven by the fact that labor from the
old country has focked here and
found good wages.
Fourth. if the demand for labor in.
creases, the wages of labor must rise
also and full work at fair prices will
enable British manufacturers to pay
higher wages without loss to them
selves"
One would think in the fourth argu-
ment. that startling fact in econom.
les had just been discovered. But the
Americans discovered that long ago
and have been practicing it with great
profit to their nation for forty years
or more, save in one unfortunate peri
cd when through a slip, democratic
tariff policies were in effect for a brief
but disastrous time
The question this fall will be will
the American workingmen follow
democratic advice and swap tariff sys.
tens with England?
THE EAGLE AND THE BEAVER.
Under the above caption the To.
1onto World. half in jest and half an.