A Foreign View

The London Spectator of recent date, jommenting on the political situation in the United States, says: The Democratie party has with virtual unanimity not only adopted an antiprotectionist programme, buthaschosen as its candidato a politician whose name is synonymous with what we mean by free trade - that is, tariff for revemie purposes only. The manner in which the Democratie party has adopted the principie of free trade is especially remarkable. Protection - i. e., the raising of duties for other than revenue purposes - has been condemned as nnconstitutional, and therefore if the Democratie party triumphs protection must go, root and branch, as something opposed to the institutions of the United States. The vote by which this decisión was carried was a very heavy one. Five hundred and sixty-four members voted for it and only 343 against. Nor is this all. Mr. Shearman declares that "the most significant part of the vote consists in the fact that the minority was composed almost entirely of men who heartily approved of the decisión, but who feared that the people at large were not prepared for such a radical utterance, while the majority included the entire delegation from New York, who have hitherto been among the most obstinate opponents of anything savoring of free trade, and who strove to def eat Mr. Cleveland upon that ground." Mr. Shearman is confident indeed that the Democratie party as a whole may now be considered as unanimous for free trade and against the taxation of the consuiner in the interests of the producer. But if the Democrats are a large majority of the voters, and if the Democrats are deterrnined to put an end to protection, it is obviously safe to predict that the days of protection are numbered. England's Cotton Trade. England is evidently losing its trade in cotton manufactures. The government return, issued a few weeks ago, deals with the trade for the first sis months of this year and the same period in 1890 and 1891. It makes the following statement of exporte for the six months tenns: 1890. 1891. 1893. Yarn and twist. L 6,143,611 L5,634,416 L4,897,791 Piece goods.... 25.984,073 26,244,365 24,501,310 It is acknowledged that there must either be a reduction of wages or a curtailment of production. Either method would be disastrous to labor and lead to the inauguration of a great strike. The Liverpool Mercury states the situation as follows: Both manufacturera and merchante complain that at the present rate of outlay they cannot make both ends meet. The operatives, through their official representatives, urge that the amendment of the existing state of affairs is not to be found in a reduction of wages, but in a diminution of supply. On all sides it is admitted that something must be done if Lancashire is to maintain its present position as to the great field of this vast industry. Suxony Is Watchinc Our Election. The issue of Kuhlow's Germán Trade Review of July 20 contains the following interesting statement: "It is thought that the votes of the electors will shortly destroy McKinley's work in the immense transatlantic unión; will dispense with the password of 'America for Americans,' and by giving a splendid victory to the Democratie party will open a f ree path to our trade." The same article says that if the Democrats succeed, the industries of Saxony depending upon the American market will be revived, for the reason that the goods they make cannot be so cheaply produced in the United States as in Germany, "owing to the high price of wages." Reciprocitylias added over 810,000,000 to the sales of our farmers and manufacturera to forelgn coun tries in the few nionths tince our reciprocal treaties with those countries went into effect.