New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02

lish manufactures from American mar
kets. The Tariff Reformers are as
eager about that as the Free Traders.
There are still Cobdenite doctrinanes
who. in the face of all evidence con-
tinue to believe that Free 1rade Is
making progress in the world and that
there is Free Trade party III the
United States. and even that the Demo-
cratic uartv il for Free Trade. The
Daily News and Leader" the cniel
among those Radical papers COM
monty known as the Cocoa Press
Icherishes that illusion. Or. wilson
repeated assurances 10 the contrary
failed 70 convince this journal ana
fa;lod Ia convince others. You cannot
nersuade the Free Trader 10 open HIS
mind to facts
# useless to assure him that ifee
Trade in his sense. is not an Amer ''''
doctrine. and that no Free Trade parry
exists in America. The DISTINCTION w
t,roer Tariff for Revenue only and Free
Trade is not To him distlncuo1'
Whether anybody in America kh'"'
what the phrase FARM Tor heNe"'0
really means, ] am not sure nav
never met a man who could or wou'i
explain if. But the Englishman one
idea is. of course. such a readJustmcn'
of duties on imports as VIII open Amer
lean markets to English products IL
is vain to tell him that, whatever else
we do. we shall not do that.
That any principle underlies the DOC
trine of Protection the English nave
never understood. They have stud'eu
the question only as a question oi
profits. The theory Of that great i'e-
publican, Mr.. Thomas Il. Reed 'ha'
Protection was "A good thing in .tscit
because il insured the more equal DIS
tribution of Wealth through Wages, ~
unknown even 10 the Enghsh larh
Reformcrs. Mr.. Moreton Frewen. In
The Nineteenth Century" stated ana
expounded it with luminous force more
than two years ago. But 10 state such
a proposition once is Of no avail. II
must be stated and restated often ana
again otter He Is not an economic
authority. but / will venture 10 quote
an apt sentence from Epictetus:
you must know that it is no easy
thing for a principle 10 become mans
own unless each day he maintain 1t
and hear it maintained. as well a.
work il out in life"
Nobody knows that better than Mr..
Frewen. He did as much as could he
done in a single article. with wealth
Of illustrative knowledge. II q great
Tariff Reform journal would take II mp
as a question Of principle. and a
means II permanently distributing
, wealth by a permanent and general
. increase in wages. the mind Of the
British workingman might be reached.
At present II has not been reached.
There is no other way in which he can
be got TO listen. Even then. IT will take
a long time. IL took a long time with
US The American workingman has
been educated through three genera
tions beginning in 1927. resuming IN
!
been continuous since the morrill, war
tariff OF 1851 The Briton Of to-day
has no ear except for the increased cost
Of food While Tariff Reform means
Food Taxes. it means To him nothing
else. and that il why the Unionist party
has shclved Tariff Reform till after the
next general election. Mr.. Bonar Law
was against shelving H. but Mir. Bonar
Law is the Leader led
For similar reason-the reason ~
self-interest-the British manufacture
considers all American proposals OF
Tariff reduction with reference TO Brit
ish competition. II is no business ~
mine 10 defend or attack the American
President that is 10 be. But ! sometimes
tell a British manufacturer of steel
or woollens that whatever we may
do. we shall not open our ports TO him
al the cost Of our own prosperity. He
listens sadly. and turns away sadly.
and the subject has for him no further
interest.
This is a very discursive treatment Of
subjects which ought TO be dealt with
compactly. But | am not dealing with
any Of these subjects as subjects. My
one object is 10 present 10 the American
reader the British view of what Eng
land and America have in common and
in respect to what objects they are d.
vided. The division, in so far as IL
exists. does not touch the question OF
good will between the two countries.
II does not touch the question of in
vesting English capital in America.
The points Of contact are many more
than the points Of alienation or aloof-
ness.
There is of course, one very grave
matter which may affect the financial
as well as the diplomatic relations of
the two Powers. and that is Panama
q question which must be treated by
itself if at all. refer to il now only
~ say that il has never been publicly
discussed here. as it rightly has al
home. from the good faith pom, Of
view. Privately. the Englishman must
have. and sometimes he privately ex-
presses. a strong opinion as To The
binding force of treaties. and what
comes of breaking them. He does ne
| -, lie Won Ia moi h..s.