The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-04-07
ENGLAND's TARIFF CHANGE

ttu uStN W ut very Aoha VI boiAAtii,
to England as a shining example O
the ~beneheence of that policy. Ad.
miral Chadwick. retired, recently go
out of his element and blamed tariff:
as of the prime causes of war.
England adopted the free trade pol.
icy in 1916 because her industries hac
developed to such a pitch. under pro-
lection. hat she could produce more
cheaply than any other country, and
she wished to convert the world TO
that belief in order that her goods
should encounter no tariff barriers.
1t was good businesses.
Germany, under Bismarck. adopted
the protective policy in 1879 because,
prior to that. every time a German
mill started operations English price
cutting began and continued until the
mill had gone into bankruptcy. Ger
many has been a protective country
since 1879, and under that policy her
industrial development has been so
great that she became England's bit
terest trade rival, and the most dan
gerous. 1t is beautiful to talk of a
wal of humanity, unfolding princi-
pies of social justice, and all that, but
the underlying cause of the present
European struggle is commercial ri
valry, and the center of the stage in
the great drama is held by Germany
and England. Germany was selling
her goods in English markets, and
grabbing English foreign trade. Eng
land vas getting the very deal she
had handed others a half-century be
fore.
Now England has decided to return
to the protective policy. She is con-
vinced it is good medicine for her,
but she will not prescribe ii for any
n else. British India enterprisers
believe that they can develop an i'm
portant cotton textile industry there
if they a have a little protection on
their goods. India recently raised an
immense sum for the support of Brit
ish armies, and one of the fayors
asked was permission to raise the du-
ties on cotton textiles, which was
promised them. SO they increased the
tariff on cotton goods from 35 to 712
per cent ad yalorem-to us an insig-
niicant duty, but to India manufac-
turers employing labor at ten cents
a day, an important increase.
What a spasm that increase has
caused among the manufacturers of
Manchester, England, the very breed
that subsidized Richard Golden to 90
forth and preach to all nations the
word of free trade! They recently
appeared before Austen Chamberlain,
Secretary of State for India, and de-
clared that the proposed tariff in
crease was the greatest blow ever
struck at the cotton industry and
would result in the closing of the
mills. They threatened that their po-
litical power would be used to oppose
the Lloyd George government unless
the duty were withdrawn.
These are the patriots that make it
hot for our cotton manufacturers
every time the Democrats get into
power. How the pendulum swings!
These same Manchester men fought
the great English protectionist, Jo-
seph Chamberlain, to a standstill.
Now they are suing to his son. But
the Lloyd George government is going
to stand by its promise to India; first,
because nations are finding that it is
the best policy to keen promises; sec
and, because the sentiment of Eng
land today is not SO set against pro-
lection; and third, perhaps, because
England may need another $500, OOO,-
900 from India before long.
Protection does not cause war;
rather has it an opposite effect. Ma
tons dealing with a protected coun-
try know their limitations. but there
are no limitations in a free trade
country and idle hands cause discoa-
tent.