Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-08-03
PROTECTION is COMING.
England Getting Ready to Avail Her
self of the Safeguard of
Trade.


While the recent agitation in England
looking to the institution of some form
of direct protection in the way of duties
upon foreign products has not accom-
plished anything in that direction it is
not to be assumed that the effort has
entirely iiled or has completely sub
sided. fact, very important step
toward practical protection has been
taken, as is shown by a London cor
respondent who writes with reference to
the passing the second reading of the
aliens bill in the British house of com
mons. This measure, says the Troy
Times, is framed with the intent of pre-
venting the admission TO England of des-
titute and other undesirable aliens
That it commands a strong measure of
popular and parliamentary approval is
made apparent by the vote. The bill was
passed by a majority of 1872.
Joseph Chamberlain, who represents
the class of public men in England who
are getting their eyes open to the neces-
sity for some form of protection to
British industry, says of this aliens-eX
clusion act that it is ''only a step toward
much greater things; the step is a
small one between the bill which keeps
out this low class of labor and the bill
which | hope to see introduced shortly
which will prevent the goods which
these people make from coming into
competition with those made in this
country" The arguments which led to
the introduction and passage of the
aliens bill were familiar to Americans,
and were that aliens of the sort indi-
Gated because of criminality, disease
and insanity, become burdens upon the
poor authorities and the people who pay
the taxes; that by unfair competition
they oust native workmen and bring
down wages; that they overcrowd the
districts in which they live. dwell in un-
sanitary conditions and become a men
ace to the public health, and that their
presence tends to reduce the standard of
the national physique. Much the same
sort of reasoning led to the re-
strictiOns governing immigration into
the United States.
The aliens bill passed by the British
house of commons is intended TO pro-
tect British workmen from one form of
admitted evil. 1t was shown in the dis
cussion that while the population of
London has increased only ten per cent.
within ten years the strangers within
the gates of the British capital num-
ber 81 per cent. more than a decade ago.
These aliens are now coming from the
continent at the rate of several thou
sands weekly, and are driving out many
BritOns who seek elsewhere the chance
to make living of which the new arriy-
ais deprive them. The correspondent
who presents the facts says: I'VE send
away from this country from 150 600 to
100000 able-bodied men and women,
British born, and of these only ten per
cent. represent unskilled labor the rest
being trained operatives among the men
and skilled in some line of work among
the women. And then we import from
abroad all the refuse and decrepit
labor from continental cities" The
objectionabes not only supplant the
British artisans, but boycott the British
shopkeeper wherever sufficiently numer-
GUS to do so. Cases are cited where pun
lie aid has to be given to those deprived
of labor and patronage in this way. and
the government has introduced a bill
looking to providing more effective
aid.
The situation brings out in bold relief
the damage done in England through
lack of safeguards against the economic
dangers menacing that country. The ex-
clusion of Objectionable aliens may have
satisfactory results, but. as Mr. Cham
berlain says. the true policy is to pre-
vent the goods made abroad by these
aliens from coming into competition
with British products. That means pro-
lection, toward which Great Britain is
unmistakably drifting.