The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 22. A PLEA FOR PATRIOTISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 73, 22 April 1909, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 22. A PLEA FOR PATRIOTISM.

British enterprise and Jlritish t-apital have received a rude blow through the action' »f the United States in declaring the' Philippine Islands n close preserve fori American trade and shipping. The application of the American shipping law to the Philippines closes the whole of the growing trade of the Islands as effectually as the coasts of the States are closed against all but ships of local register. America's action but adds another to the warnings that liritisli mercantile supremacy is being challenged by every constitutional means available to vigorous rivals. What foreign shipping fails to accomplish with the aid of bounties and subsidies, a heavy measure of'protcction makes possible at once. The anomaly of the [iresent position, so utterly to the disadvantage of Britain and her Dominions, must before long, surely, lead to reprisals. The United states and Germany, through their protective tariffs, practically close their home markets against British competition, while Britain opens wide her doors to all nations X\> compete against her home markets. Not satisfied with this initial and enormous advantage, and the further advantage to be gained from the exclusive right to trade in the Philippines, the United States Government has gone farther, and placed an export duty on all Philippine hemp, granting, however, a full rebate on all sent to the States.

Hitherto England lias been the l'hi ippine Islands principal market for henii ami the action of the States has t/iu placed ii severe handicap on an import ant British industry, rendering it prat tic-ally impossible lo compete agains American manufactured hempen goods ii the open markets of the world, iner is, however, in tiiis cinljurgo on BriLis trade a not inconsiderable gain lo Xe\ Zealand, practically the Only hemp pre ducing country of note heretofore com peting against the Philippines. Th glutting of the English markets wit Manila hemp has been the principal rcii son for the slump in the New Zealan flax industry. The withdrawal of th former source of supply, consequently must leave British manufacturers di pendent to a very large extent on tlii country for hemp supplies. New Zen land, therefore, will in nil likeliiioo' have no immediate reason to regie America's policy in this respect. On th broad question of principle, howevei Xew Zealand, as also all the Britis. Dominions, are as vitally, interested i the maintenance of mercantile supremac, as of naval supremacy, and any foreigi poliev calculated to injure British tradi indirectly, but not the less surely, at feels our interests. Unfortunately, ii the struggle for commercial supremacy the British dominions are assisting ven materially in reducing the margin n favor of Hie .Mother Country. Notwitn standing that our shipping is denied tin right of trade on the American coasl (every one knows the patriotic argument of the Vancouver against the Frisco route), that American markets are closed agahist our produce and manufactures, Unit even the immigration laws of America are against us, we freely admit American shipping monopolies t<; exploit our markets, and while purport ing to oiler Britain protection againsl American imports, practically place liotl countries on an equal footing. Irrespective of the rights or wrong of free trade and protection, our pri sent policy is inconsistent and unwisi Other considerations being equal, an. taking a purely patriotic view of th question, it should be consistent an logical to expect trail British Irani Would hlive the prcl'iveiice with liritis people. When, however, we lind com petitors using unfair, though perhap perfectly constitutional, means to injur British trade and enterprise, the wisdol of our supporting the trade of our ow Empire becomes an obligation. Jh commercial patriotism that is engendcre by compulsion ill countries such as Cei many and tile United Slates slionhl, i our case. be. cultivated a.s a ilntv n self-inlcrest. Britain and the Britis Dominions aye the last and the riches markets in the world: therefore th growth of the trade of foreign coiintrie is dependent to a very considerable ex tent on the patronage accorded Lliem li. the people of the British Empire So long, therefore, as methods sue as the United States has adopted wit regard to the Philippines obtain, it i against our best interests, as a matte of business, to encourage the trade o the United Stales. There need not b any tariff retaliation lo aoiiieve tha object. The corrective is absolutely r the hands of the people themselves. 'Til boycott is the most effective weapon o retaliation and punis. ment. produced t date. The. result of its applieatioi against Germany and Japan by China and more recently by Turkey and Set via against Austria", is well knowr Willi equal justification it might be a]: plied in Australasia against Herman; and the United States, and with equal if not greater, success. We make m apologv for advocating such n step, lion estly believing it would be in the lies interests of our local industries and o the inler-lmperial trade as a whole. Ou imports from tile United States tola over a million and a half per annum wliile less Ihan half that value in good is taken from us by the Slates. Th balance of trade against us with Get nuiiiv is even more disproportionate, fo while we import to the value of £'400,00 per annum, Germany provides a mnrkc for only £OO,OOO of' our exports. Ever year sees the balance of our trade wit these countries advancing in their favoi Circumstances have arisen, howevei that render it liijrhlv impolitic to en courage liostile trade. I'ublio resent ment can easily be shown, and we hop the most effective of all weapons will b utilised.