A British View Of Free Trade

Sir Jamos Kitson, Presldeni oí the ritish Iron and steel histltute, and timself onc of the Rreatesi producers oí ron and stoel in the United Kingdom of Groat Britaln and Ireland, has been contrlbutlng to the education of the iritisii people on aound notlons of poIticel economy by assurlng them thai 'no matter whether BO-called free rade or protectlon earry the day In he United States, that country is desined to become a great manfacturer of iron and steel." of ceñirse the proluction of American iron and steel voulil bo retarded and dlminiahed by i return to anythlng approachlag 0 a free trade pollcy, Juat as surely as it has been made a gre.-u industry y protectlon. The valué oí Slr Jane, s' peech is in direct inte the mind of Engish workmen to tlio succesa of the inerican pollcy of protectlon to the troduclng powers of a people. There is a vlgorOUS COUTSe of ]ol1cal education in progresa in Bngland ust dow. Por example, "Leaflet No. V." of the Fair League ol Greal l$ritaln has this to say: "Th" free traden teil us we must letïslate tor the consumer. Uut we must lo nothlng of the kind. We must lenisate for the producer. The free trade allaey aeaumes tha1 the consumera' ersonal interest is the truo social rlterlon. lt is a eelf evident fallacy. Nono of us lives to himself n the truo social system. Moreover, he fallacy assumes that because all leople are consumera, while only mos1 f the people aro producers, legislatlon or the consumera is legislation for the good of all. But the truo ground of the juostion is: ('au there be consumptlon vithout prevloua production? The very old, the young, the very rich. Uie ory poor, none of whom produce inythlng, all consume something. Hut he old law, as set down in that gtrange old book, the bible, saya: "If 1 man work not, neither let hlm oat." int free tr.ade choapons to hlm who loos not work and lessens the wages of him that does work." This has the sound of the American rospol (f prol eet Ion 10 producers. Leaflet Xo VI. of the samo league quotes tlius Allison's "History oí Euope." "High prices and plenty," saiys dam Smith, "are prospcrity: low pries and scarcity are misery." The American f ree tía der never quotes this proteetive admission from he pages of the founder of the English ree-trade school. The English fair raders are turning it against the Engish free traders. But, contlnulng to quote from Allison's history, Leaflet o. VI. says: "It is to no purpose," says Dr. Johnon (writing a eentury ago), to el! me that tggs are a cent a dozen n Scotland. It does not prove tliat ggs are plentlfnl, but tliat money is scarce." Eggs are worth twelve times as much in Scotland to-day, and there are :welve times more eggs laid in Scotand now than a century ago. Egge are dearer because more peoplo are ible to buy them. "Legiulntion for consumers as such, i. e., for such eonsumers as do not produce," eoninuea the leaflet, "is class legislatlon of the worst sort." Which is a Kreat Vmorican trut h set on its travols hrough England by Engllshmen who are tired of free-trade gospel of cbeapless. It always is the "consumer who does lot consume" thnt demanda free rad". The man who produces wheat rants wheat to be protected. Sorneimea he i.s unjust enough to demand bat Iron ghall not be proteetedr beanse he does iiot produce iron. He vlio produces "ool wishes it to be proected, but ometimes he_ is unjust nough to ask tliat Balt shall not be irotected, because he does not proluce snit. But always it is he who does lOt produce that protests against protection. I'rotection, however, should be universal. If iron were not proected the purehasing power of the iron men who buy wheat would be limited and the price of wbeal Irssened; if wheat were not protected, the -purchasinii power of tlic farmer who lmys iron would be lessened. As Adam Smith well puts it. "high j)rices and plenty are prosperity; Uv prices and scarcity are mlsery." Captain and Mr. BouteDe, of Ypslanti, wcre among the interested visitors at the G. A. II. room of the Art Loan last evcning. Captain Boutelle was in command of tlie equad of men that eaptured Jeff Darla and -vas a witness to the historica! fact that Jeö tried to escape In woman's elothee. -Times May 29 th. The original I?isk University Jubilee Singers are to sing in Universlty hall next Baturday evenlng, June Gth, for the benefit of Newberry hall. It is aeedless to tviy that they will have a tiouse lull.