New-York tribune., 1904-09-21
ISSUES ABROAD
Tariff Question Less Important than
Maintenance of Safe Diplomacy.


candidates do not run wei with a British handi-
cap. There was President Cleveland, who was
an English fRvorite because he advocated
lower tariff. He was embarrassed by English
partisanship after he had given a great i'm
pulse to the wcollen and metal trades Of the
United Kingdom. and was forced TO free hirlseI
from the reproach of promoting its business In
terests. The unexpected affront OF the Venez-
ueIa message was warning that a Free Trade
President might become enemy Of interna-
tionaI peace. England has prohted by this ex-
perience. No attempt is now made to exert
influence iE American Presidential elections II
there are preferences for any candidate pans
are taken TO conceal them. The leader writers
strike an equation between rival parties and
candidates. and maintain an impartial attitude
Of neutrality during the political campaign
Manufacturers in provincial towns and the wise
acres Of the political clubs in London are equally
cautious this year in talking about the Presi-
Dental election. They assert that they have too
many things TO think about in the business of
their own empire and in the byplay Of Euro
pean diplomacy to have leisure in reserve for
weighing the merits of either candidates or par
ties in an American election, Admiration is
invariably expressed for President Roosevelt's
character, but there no signs that he is a
political favorite, as President Cleveland was
before the Venezuela message. or that England
teat OF either candidate.
The tariff question certainly does not make
me President a favorite candidate in England.
His election involves the triumphs Of the
Protective system and the cautious and con-
servative revision Of the tariff by the political
party which for ffty years has been identified
with the defence OF the home market Neither
ths Bradford woollen trade nor the Welsh tin
plate industry, nor any other business interest
Of the United Kingdom. has any selfish reason
Cor hoping for his election. The English
point OF view. moreover. has changed with ref
erenee TO the American tariff since President
C1eveland's time. Manufacturers learned then
that. while reductions in that tariff might tenn
porarily increase their exports to the American
markets. the advantage was counteracted by
business uncertainty and a general shrinkage
in purchasing power The statistics OF Anglo
American trade during the last twenty years
prove that a lower tariff like the Wilson act.
Is less beneficial to England than the main
tenance OF American prosperity without dis
turbance Of home industries If British pro-
dueers ana merchants are less anxious than
they were In 1855 and 1898 to have the Ameri-
cans reduce the tariff. they also have less faith
IN the principles OF Free Trade.
II Mr.. Chamberlain has not converted the
country to his fiscal proposals. he has caused
searching Of heart among influential classes
respecting Free Trade. Many of the largest
landowners among his supporters; manu-
sacturers by hundreds, and even thousands are
advocating the defence Of the home market by
a 10 per cent tariff. and income taxpayers of
moderate means are impoverished by the bur
dens OF war taxes in time of peace and are
crying aloud for a tariff for revenue. If there
were a general election this autumn there would
probably be a victory for Free Trade for Mr..
Chamberlain has not succeeded in the course Of
a single years campaigning in convincing the
majority of the electorate that il is either safe
or necessary TO reverse the policies Of half
century: but agnosticsm respecting Cobdenism
would be denoted by a large minority vote.
Bigotry over Free Trade has disappeared in
England. Faith in il a cardinal doctrine OF
economic faith has declined. Twenty years ago
Conservatives and Liberals alike were con-
WINGED that the Americans were exhausting and
running themselves by their tariff policy.
majority Of the Conservatives are now Of
different mind. They are persuaded that the
Americans have understood their business and
that the English have sacrificed their own in
terests in blind adherence to economic theories.
without reference TO the experience OF nations
like the United States and Germany.
Times have changed since the Golden Club
strove TO convert Americans TO Free Trade in
Presidential contests and Mr.. Cleveland was
ting down the tariff schedules and opening the
home market to British manufacturers John
Bull may not be more disinterested than he was
twenty years ago, but he is broader minded and
more astute Instead Of regarding the over
throw OF Protection in the United States as one
ot the greatest British intei ests. he has become
less OF a Free Trade zealot. and a heartier and
more convinced Anglo-Saxon He knows in his
heart that the moral support of the United
States In affairs Of world politics is more i'm
portant TO England than the revision of the
Dingley tariff the abandonment OF Protec.
tfon. Tariffs may come in Mr. Chamberlain's
England after second general election, or
tariffs may go in America with a succession OF
Democratic administrations; but what deeply
concerns enlightened Englishmen, as well as
Americans, is the cordial cooperation of the
two nations in the true spirit Of Anglo Saxon
Fellowship It is not a question Of alliances. for
an Anglo-Americon coalition would be as un-
popular here as 1t would be in America; nor is
81 a selfish. ins5ious scheme for dragging the
Washington government into foreign complca-
lions and making OF it for British ends
II is recognition Of the truth that the co-opera-
tiOn Of the two nations on independent lines,
without formal conventions or secret diplo-
matte understandings. is mutually helpful and
advantageous
This cooperation becomes more important as
the conditions OF diplomacy are transformed bv
war IN the Far East and by the decline Of
Russian prestige on the Continent England
and the United States have had common in
terest IN defending the open door principle and
IN safeguarding the independence of China. and
while each has been a consistent neutral since
the outbreak OF the war. both have synlpathized
strongly with Japan and have shared the re-
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