How Free Trade Works

Araericans are asked to accept the British theory of tariff. Before changing, they have a right to inquire whether Great Britain with her theory of free trade has prospered more than this country with it9 protection. If not, the case would seem to te thatof the fox who wanted to introduce the fashion of wearing no tails. The British census of 1801 and that of 1SSI teil what the results ot free trade during twenty years were in England and Wales, as follows : " l'trant ■' 1861. 1881. I -5 3 Population 2O,066,2a4!ü5,971,439 '.9.4 .... Emploved in professi'ons 481,967 647.07.Í 34.2 .... Em p 1 o y e d in domestic service.. .. 1,367,782 1,HB,8K 31.9 .... Employed in trades 623,710 980,128 :i7.1 .... Employed in transporlation 440,067 663,203 50.7 .... "5SS?...'ÍÍ 2,010.4m! 1,383,484.... 15. E m p 1 oy ed in industries 4.744.134 5.710,104 20.3 ... The farming population decreased largely, while the classes which live on the producers largely increased. Froe trade was goodfor the trading class, which increased 57.1 per cent., and the growing wealth of the wealthy increased the number of domestic servants and of persons in various professions. The increase in transportation, which includes in the British table persons employed in transporting "goods, men and messages," was also greater than the increase in population, as it was in most other couirries durinL that period. But the vital faet is thát the number of producers - of those engaged in farming, manufacturing, mining and other industrial occupations- was 0.754,588 in 1881, and was only 7,083,988 in 1881, having increased by 5 per cent., while population had increased 29.4 per cent. Truly, a gain of 30 per cent. in population and 5 per cent. in wealth producers is not au encouraging symptom. But, says the New York Tribune, the latter class, which includes all workers in manufacturing, mining, fishing and other industries, also included some traders, it is expressly stated, and the capitalists as well as the working-men, and also the persons employed in many occupations for which the demand necessarily depends upon the number rather than upon the condition or well-bemg of the population. In the following table is shovvn l'rom the British census reports the number of hands employed in the various tcxtilo industries : I 'er cent t OCCDPATIONS. 1861. 1881. J_ _3_ Cotton manufacture. . 466,846 488,677 7.0 Flax manufacture... 106,968 97.7U3I 8.1 Hemp, etc 2.',8S:! 82,471).... 1.8 Mix'd and unspecifled 83,17I M7,ST477.9 Sllk manufacture....! 117.ÍM9 (B.5CT .... 40.1 Wool and worsted... Ü38.814 233a'ö'j .... 2.3 Total 1.0M,8toi,0U,64B 2.7 ... Thus it appears tbat tn the grèat tcxtilo industries, ir. which Great Jintuin hadan enormous advantage, free trade haa permitted scarcely any increase in twenty years, and in four out of six branches a positive decrease in the number of hands has resulted. But the advantages of Great Britain in ron and steel-working vvere even greater, and these industries have fared thus: Per cent. i s OCCUPATIONS. lsei 1831. L fc g í_ g Miners 33n,41C 44!,:!7S 33..1 Iron and stee). .. 31G,r72 861,M3 14 1 Other minerals.. 3Br.,D79 474,97. 29.8 .".... Total l,Oia,99. 1.ii77,r,'J i. 1 The increase in the number of miners is greater thau the increase in population, and yet the increase in workers in iron and steel is less than half the increase in population, while in other metáis and minerals the gain is about as great as in population. And thus it comes to pass that Ureat Britain is hungrily looking to the United States íor a market, and hoping to delude American working-men into voting English wages íor themselves.