Arter the last election for Preston become known here, we said that the result showed that a now politi force had made its appearance in English politics. The battle in the Lancashire borough was fought upon rather indefinite principles that are now beginning to be called Fair Trade. The meaning of this phrase is that when foreign countries levy such high duties on English goods and products as virtually to shut them out of their markets, England should retaliate by imposing what may be called defensive duties. The Preston election seems to have been regarded at Home with the fall significance we attributed to it. The Quarterly Review contains ay article in its last number which has evidently been suggested by the victory which Mr. Eoroyd, the fair trader, achieved over his opponent, who was an ont-and-out Cobdenite. The article contains a fair, and in some parts a powerful exposition of the effects which the English free tariff system against the protection to their own industries system of foreign nations, has had upon English manufacturing and commercial interests, It also goes as far to lead the public to believe that the Conservative Party are ready to smile upon the fair traders, as is prudent in a grave, judicial party organ. Of this however we have seen no signs in the speeches of the leaders, or in the columns of the newspapers that may be considered to represent their opinions. Mr. Ecroyd, who has been the chief exponent of fair trade opinions, gave a brief exposition of them in a letter to the Times. He proposes to tux imports of all kinds from foreign countries in which a high protective tariff exists; but he explains that he does so in order to produce a reserve which might be applied to the reduction of the taxation which presses on the manufacturing and Inbonring interests. Grain and food from the United States are to be taxed ten per oont., while the same articles from Canada are to be admitted duty free. This is but one instance of the scope of the views of the new school of fair traders. Pro. vided Canada will be bribed by our generosity to her farmers to give up her protective duties on what she imports from the mother country, the suggestion has a fairness about it that will attract the ill-informed, and many others who think imperfectly on political subjects. The interests of all parts of Amorien are now so interwoven with those of England, that whatever may be wrong in the business, or indeed in any other kind of relations, between them cannot be set right in such a rough-and-ready way us this. Less than half a century ago it might have been possible to draw a line on the American continent, and to say, We shall admit the wheat grown on one side of this duty free, but that which is grown on the other shall bear such and such a customs duty. The railway system which is as yet only partly developed, aided by steam-boat and other means of communication, renders such a fiscal policy an impossibility, It might be tried, but how long could it be maintained We refer to only one of the many obstacles which would interpose themselves in the way of a partial return to the Protection system, but there are many others, some of which are just as serious as this one. Oat-and-out protection to native me dustry would bea possible policy for an old country like England, and it could be maintained, but only at the expense of the position in the commercial financial world which England bolds at present. A large part of the prosperity of our great shipping places, such as London, Liverpool and Glasgow, comes from their being the depots to which produce of various kinds, the property of foreigners, is sent for sale. A portion of it would doubtless continue to be sent if protec. tion were restored, but only a small and very probably a constantly diminishing portion. But if thoro is a party in England, which we very mach doubt, in favour of imposing import duties on food, they are never likely to see their opinions triumphant. The fact that food has been cheapened, and its quality improved, is the one thing which the great mass of people will remember if a change of policy is recommended by politicians. That certain trades imagine they would be benefited by retaliatory duties being imposed on foreign products, including food, and prophesy their own ruin unless the National policy is changed so us to particular cases, will notaifeot jong of the mass of the middle ud that part of the working classes not engaged in the trades that are suffering from foreign competition, Daring the Inst great depression in trade much suffering was averted by the cheapness of food, and the low prices of other necessary articles, which the plentiful supplies of food brought about. Indeed, it was mainly the cheapness of food that enabled millions to struggle through the late hard times in England, Articles of manufactur stand upon quite another footing, and it seems only fair to our own manufacturers and workmen that when the tantis of foreign nations practically exclude our wares, we should in self-defence place such duties on at least some of the goods they send to us. The articles which compete with our own manus factores in our own markets, and others, such as wives and silk stuffs that are bought by the wealthy or well-rondo, are fair subjects for duties. It is probable that a movement to reimpose these would meet with a great amount of success, for there is scarcely an interest in England that is not threat ened in the home markets by foreign competitors, But although the fow politicians who favour fair trade, or reciprocity, have undoubtedly received some measure of support from the working classes in certain districts in Yorkshire and Lancashire, we have secu nothing to indicate that the new departure has found general favour among working men throughout the kingdom, Nor have any great number of masters pronounced for it. No one entitled to be considered a statesman has shown any sympathy with the fair traders, and Mr. Gladstone has been careful to explain away the encouragement he gave to the deputation of sugar-boilers. Bat nevertheless the fact of such an article appearing in the Quarterly as that to which we have referred, shows that among the Conservatives there are sume who are willing to try whether there is enough force in the movement for fair trade to make it worth this while to encourage it. And it is quite likely that many of the Extreme Radicals will temporize with the new
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.