FREETRADE AND BRITISH CAPITAL. CAPITAL.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 140, 16 May 1893, Page 2

FREETRADE AND BRITISH CAPITAL. CAPITAL.

TO TUB EDITOn OF THK STAR. Sn:,— Tho above subject, being a very comprehensive one, it is diKicult to do justice to it in the small compass deemed necessary in letter writing. Politicians and others have said (when they find that rc.ison fails to justify them in their arguments in favor of Protection), words to tho effect that whether Freetrade or Protection is established is only a sec ondary consideration, and they must attend to subjects of greater moment. This is auother instance of either a. want of study, prejudice, or a desire to shirk the argument. The policy of Freetrade is worthy of the very fust consideration, which I haye endeavoured to show in my last letter. That, policy along with enlightened Christianity has contributed tho greater part to works ostrifatiug tho litmiiin race from tho gloom and confusion of the dnrk ng^s, loading to an increased sympathy towards kindred and distant alien nations, and is the great motive power of progress and enlightenment, and if the effect of that policy does not advance until Freetrade is universally established, then public atfiirs on this earth will have only fulfilled part of their destiny. Xo one can presume to deny that the above combined policy on tlio part of Great Britain during this present century has contributed largely towards the very much boasted progress of America, and at the present time 1 Dritisli capitalists, I believe, still find a Held for investment and employment of labour in the United States. It was the duty of the American Government to restrict the overwhelming influx of colored labour, producing the over competition which took place, but the event was winked at by the Yankee, until it began to interfere with the welfare of the higher classes, but it suited his purpose in establishing unnatural industries, and to attract cheap labor to enable him to secure a large share of the territory and riches of the far West, and the passing of tho Chinese Restriction Bill, which at last eventuated, was accomplish ed by a former lease of power of a Democratic Government favouring Freetrade, showing that those upholding that policy have naturally a greater sympathy with the working man than those who favour the scheme of Protection. The passing of the McKinley, ! or Skinflnt, Tariff Bill by a Republican Government, and its injurious effect on English manufactories and trade, leading to a tendency to reduce wages, and j thereby causing strikes in England, I will refer to in an article on strikes. As to the last strange and evasive letter of " Emigrant " and the state of agitation he soems to have »ot into, dreading that iuv letters will be the means of influencing the choosing of candidates at the nest general election, [ leave all that to the working man and the intelligence of your readers to decide. " Emigrant " says as Britons we have many reasons to be I proud of our nation, but he be-littles himself, and is inconsistent, in running down England's grand policy, which has made her mistress of the seas, and has given inspiration to tho lines — " Rule Britannia; Britannia rules the waves." My advice to " Emigrant " is to stick more to the subject, and not to migrate by clinging on to paper kites, or astride of golden eagles in the sky — to disturb the attractive balancing influence of those shining rulers of the upper regions, which provent white from becoming black, or the overcast sky preventing the morning from becoming night — but as champion of the terrestrial unearthly scheme of Protection to render the reason of his favouring that scheme plain to the working man and tho general public. " Emigrant " askti me to produce the history of British trade that existed ere that event took place. I will ask •' Emigrant " one or two questions. What was the condition of the ancient Britons previous to the flint and bronze ages, and what eoro of material did they make use of in providing themselves with undergarments? I remain, etc., A Colonist.