The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-11-05

parc, has gone to pieces under TIE
searching test of war; and she has
courageously cast aside any se'u-
blance of preserving the Free-Trade
principle and gone in frankly tVT
rejection.
is true that in the budget which
was introduced in Parliament last
night by Reginald McKenna, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. the list
of dutiable articles is short, but the
important feature of the new budget
is that the new taxes are purely Pro-
tectionist. Mr.. NcKenna annOun-
ces that his primary object is tn
check the importation of the articles
scheduled and II is clear that any
revenue which may be brought in is
secondary consideration. No more
Protect lonist speech was ever made
than that in which this former Free
Trade minister introduced the Tariff
section of the budget
tory of English taxation since the
days of the late Mr.. Golden that an
import tax has been imposed without
at the same time the imposition of an
eaualizing exercise tax on the com
petitive domestic goods. Thus, when
imported tobacco is taxed an equal
excise duty is placed on the home
grown leaf. When a customs tax is
imposed on imported sugar. home
grown beet sugar has to pay an equal
duty to the excise man, and when
foreign brandy is taxed, homemade
whiskey comes equally under the inn
post This time there is no attempt
10 rob the home manufa cturer Of the
advantages of the tariff. and it is es-
pecially significant that every one of
the items on the short list is one
which was being seriously affected
by foreign competition, and the man
ufacturers of which were clamoring
for Protection. Here is the list OF
articles on which fat rate of 33 l-3
per cent. is imposed.
Motorcars, motorcycles and parts
thereof. cinema. films plate glass. /.
clocks, watch es musical instruments, I
hats. The case of motor cars and !
cycles is especially interesting to
Americans, as it is chiefly American
goods which will be affected In
all but the cheapest grade of cars
British manufacturers before the
war were able to hold their own
gainst all corners. and there was on
ly one make OF American motorcycle
extensively sold in this market. In
mediately after the war began the
government Communicated for war
purposes the whole production of
number of the best known British
makers of cars and cycles, and
little later most of the others were
employed in making shells and other
munitions OF war. OF course this
meant that they had to drop out of
the market. and advantage of this
fact was Immediately taken by Amer
lean manufacturers. who began to ,
pour their goods over here. The
goods are excellent aud little cheap ,
er than English machines of CORES
bonding class, and the British manu-
iacturers at once saw that unless ,
was done they stood to ,
ose not only their immediate trade
out their good will in the future.
Strong representations were made to
he government. and the 33 1-3 per I
cent tax is the result. 1t will more
ban equaiizc the American average
after the war. and there is very little
,hance that il will be taken off or
owered for many years to come.
rhe imports OF motor cars and cycles
md parts thereof into this country in
he first eight months of this year
nearly all from American were
s26. 666, 500
The duty or cinema films Of which
s. ,22O, 525 worth were imported in
he first eight months of the year, is
also directed chiefly at America.
Most of our imported films come
rom the United States. and domestic
producers have been very hard hit
~ their competition. America will
ESQ be affected to some extent by
he duty on clocks and watches. OF
which the imports amounted to $4.-
50, 0G5 in the first eight months OF
his year. Roughly. about half of
hese goods come from America and
he other half from Switzerland. and
English makers have been compelled &
,or years past to watch their trade J
4 winding almost 10 vanishing point. !
The tax on musical instruments is :
directly protective and is also the /,
irst move in the trade war on Ger I,