A GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON PROTECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2483, 9 June 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

A GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON PROTECTION.

The report of the Stuttgart Chamber of Comtnerco for the past year is quoted in the Consular report from Wurteraberg. Speaking of the system of protection, the Chamber says: — "The result of the ioteusivo and extensive development of the protective system, notwithstanding its beneficial influences on many branches of industry, has been to doubly increase the international uncertainty which now burdens trade and commerce. Every movement in favaur of protective duties results in efforts on the part of each country interested in the matter to Outbid its neighbour: and the very duty which is by way of protecting a nation produces n reaction on home prices, and causes them to become assimilated to those of internat.ional commerce." The report concludes with the following appeal:—" The prospect of lasting improvements would be better grounded could only further exactions in international customs tariffs be avoided, and the uncertainty of market price, which is the outcome of the prot.eetive system, be removed by an equitable establishment of mutual customs and commercial relations, by ail increased stabilly and certainty of the duration of tariffs, and a reciprocal return to former conditions. This is at present, it is true, but a pious wish, but the day will come when the imperative necessity of a mutual rapprochement on questions of customs policy will be evident, aud that not so much by the uncertainty of prices as by ihe gradual blocking of the provisions of the most-favourednation clauses and of foreign conventional tariffs. Every year since IS7D has witnessed the cessation or approaching cess it.ion of various branches of foreign enterprise. It is the ease today with Switzerland, Italy, Rouniania, Scandinavia, Greece, I'ortugal, and, to a certain extent, Spain, and next year oilier countries will follow suit. Under the existing conditions of customs policy it. is clear that ' the most-favoured-nation clause ' is losing daily in meaning and importance, because every country denounces the conventional tariff system, and enlarges and accentuates the provisions of its o.vn national tariff, whereas, it is cssontial to the being of our commercial prosperity that the significance of that clause should, as far as possible, bo preserved and even augmented. This can only be affected by mutual concessions and by reduction of tariffs."—Times, Oct. 7th, ISS7.