| Show THE QUESTION IN ENGLAND THERE promises to be a hot political time next fall in great britain as vell as in the united states there will be elections I 1 in both countries the tariff question kill be conspicuous in each of the campaigns salisbury Salis burys Is recent 9 to the effect that england has gone too far in free trade have caused a great grat deal of stir in the mother country tt it has been stated that the late richard cobden did not foresee the effect of En glands policy in that line but anticipated that the world at large would follow sult suit this result has not been realized and many thoughtful Britis hers have be gun to attribute the industrial distress in that country to some extent to her free trade system the agitation has been in progress in england for some years in favor of a moderate form of protection whenever the subject was broached in the house of commons in the presence of john bright tho the associate of cobden and sturdy advocate of free trade he would arise like a tolumbe slumbering lion suddenly confronted by an enem yand fairly roar with rage hurling burling against the person who had the temerity to insinuate that the trade depression was in any degree due to the operation of the theory he had done so much to establish all the force of his power ful oratory his speeches on such occasions were remarkable for bitter irony and withering sarcasm but the anti free trade sentiment has been gradually gaining ground it is however doubtful whether even a moderate application of the tariff system would have any remedial effect upon the situation of british trade inthis in this country politicians of both the great national parties are are as a rule disgustingly unfair in their presen represent re tattoos of f each others other views on theories and leading questions it is rare that a controversialist will fairly k state the position of his opponent this is in conspicuously the case in relation to the subject of tariff it is absurd and unjust for democrats to speak of the republicans as a body as high protectionists projectionists oi or for the latter to refer to the democracy as an a aggregation 99 rega of free traders the fact to is that both parties favor tariff defor reform in the difference being the extent to which it should go ot 0 what would constitute reformation I 1 it t may be said mid safely that there must be few people of any political opinions who are not both free traders and pro for ine ingance ance if all the nations were agreed upon a policy of trade unrestricted by tariff there can be small doubt that it would be beneficial to the race those imbued with a humanitarian spirit would not object to such a condition of commercial brotherhood while many nations are yet unwilling to establish their inter national relations on that basis the country which drops i to co a condition of absolute free trade must do so at the peril of being placed at a dangerous didd disadvantage vantage because wb while ile its markets are open to all comers other nations close theirs to it reciprocal free trade is beneficial to those who engage in it but without reciprocity the protectionist nations must have the advantage if mr Cob deus dejOs anticipatory dea had bad become a reality and al all ali I the nations had followed E En glands free trade policy there is little room for doubt that she would have been much more free from distress than she now is her manufactures would now be finding extensive sale eale in marts now practically closed against her productions this subject will doubtless have a p powerful bearing upon the issues of the approaching campaign in great britain recently lord salisbury has sprung several questions upon the british public his animadversions upon what he claims to be the results of free trade suggest one of them it to Is a theme that will catch the popular baras ear as the people are ready to grasp at almost any explanation of the cause of the prevalent distress ensuing from the ind industrial stagnation the proposal of the tha premier to bestow under specified restrictions the franchise upon women bome is another evide evidence ince of his bis political these two questions win will weigh in favor of the par ty in the election of this year |
