THE STATE OF TRADE IN ENGLAND.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1262, 7 May 1886, Page 3

THE STATE OF TRADE IN ENGLAND.

(‘ Stationary Trade Review.’)

From ihe-fever heat of the Christmas trade, business suddenly dropped down to zero as the year opened, and is still there. Paper, books, stationary, printing, and fancy goods are all at the same dull uniformity, and show no signs of improvement. The Go.-i vernment has changed, but the laws regulating supply and demand change not. 'fhe Home paper trade seems gradually going from bad to worse in the matter of prices, and even at the low rates now ruling there is an entire absence of speculation. Paper both printing and writing, can be bad at almost any price, and mills which used to confine themselves to the best qualities now join in the scramble for third-rate orders. Foreign competition is very keen. Last week wo saw a sample of superior bank uola from an Austrian mill offered at 7d per lb, which no home maker was tit to make under 9d. The book trade is practically free from foreign competition, solely owing to our copyright laws, but in fancy stationary die»p foreign goods flood the in n-ket The great bulk of Christmas, Easier, and births day cards, scripture texts, albums, purses and ether leather goods, load pencils, printers’ cards, stove ornaments, colour boxes, toys, fancy china and glass ware, and nick-nacks in general, are all imported. Other trades can speak for themselves, but ns regards the various branches of the stationary tribe, wo have not only ceased from developing onrhome manufactures, but are rapidly coming to the conditions ot being mere consumers. . what’s to be bone Fac’sinust mo looked straight in the face. We are neither optimists nor pessimists, and have hitherto abstained from giving an opinion on the vexed questions oi Fieetade and Protection The arguments for and against tend to bee ime politic d, and as trade j airnalists we have no politics. To doubt the soundness of the principles laid down by * obd. n and Bright is considered by a certain class as heinous as to doubt the nivhonticity of Holy Writ; but we live in an age when opinions change rapidly. A gmerahas arisen who knows not Co’oden. Tn Ins days, Germany and the United States ot America, as manufacturing and exporting countries, were non Britain was the work-hop of the world. In opening our ports to Freetrade, it was expected that other nations would follow suit. By it wo were to buy cheap food for our artisans and nw material for our mills, which, with our unrivalled machinery and shipping facilities, we coul I transform into manufactured goods, and distribute over the whole world. Do

TIJF. RESULTS OF TO DAY bear out these nnt'cipations 1 They do not. As a leader in tho lua’ch of civilisation, this country was justified

in making the attempt to bring about a state of universal free trade. ’Tis a consummation devoutcdly to be wished. But—we cannot afford to continue lending where others dare to follow We cannot agree with Buskin’s assertion, that of the twp powers—senti* meat and self-interest—send merit is the stronger. If this were in trade matters, then cheap foreign ..mods would find no market in tins country, as without doubt sentiment is on tho side of home manufactures as a nation we-have indulged in sentiment quite long enough. We cannot revert to agriculture as onr mainstay, and all will admit that siraplv as consumers and merchants we cannot retain our present position. Our manufactures are the source of our wealth, and when they cease to bo c irre I on profitably, neither sentiment nor tiade will supp y a sn! stitule. Taka a Connie of simple examples The Kagle Pencil Company of New York sells annually in Great Britain thousands of grosses of their copying ink pencils duty free, while our Birmingham manufacturers ate hanhcipped with a heavy duty on any pencil cases they sell in America. Again, “(.,'urtor’s American Inks ” are finding a large free market here, while onr Fields’ and Stephens’ have to pay 2j percent duty before their goods can be sold on the other side. This may he i’Veetrade, but it is not fair to tho British manufacturer. GIVE PROTECTION' A TRIAL

It may be that I'Teetrade is all that its advocates say it is, and that the imposition of protective or retaliatory duties would make bad trade worse. The present state of our manufacture ing industries could not be much worse, so that now would be a good time to make tl>e experiment. As business men we are open to conviction, but are not to be convinced, solely by theories.