47 



to undersell our competitors that we can hope to maintain our 

 supremacy. The facts I have placed before the members of the 

 club clearly show that, though we are holding our own, we are 

 not gaining upon our competitors — it is clearly a neck and neck 

 race. I therefore, in conclusion, strongly urge upon workmen, 

 employers, and merchants not to be apathetic and fancy that 

 our position is secure and unassailable, but exert themselves to 

 the utmost to retain and maintain the honourable and dignified 

 position which we hold as the leading traders of the world. 1 

 will conclude with the language of our great dramatist — 



" This above aU — to thine own self be true, 

 And it must foUow, as the night the day, 

 Thou canst not then be false to any man." 



DISCUSSION ON MR. GREENWOOD's PAPER, 



Mr. J. W. Thompson pointed out that as foreign countries be- 

 came more civilised and peaceable, they developed their own 

 manufactures more and more, and our position in future would 

 depend not so much on the opening up of India and other parts 

 of the world as of our ability to compete with foreign manufac- 

 turers. If protective tariffs in the United States were removed, 

 America would become a very keen competitor. While agreeing 

 with the suggestion as to Chambers of Commerce, he disapproved 

 of a Minister of Commerce, believing it was not for a Govern- 

 ment to find trade or means of employment for any section of 

 the people, but for the latter to rely on themselves. 



Mr. James Kay, .J.P., quoted an assertion by Mr. Joshua Eaw- 

 linsou, that the Burnley Limited Liability Companies had not 

 made an average dividend from their formation of more than 2 per 

 cent, and said that if Burnley manufacturers were not to expect 

 anything brighter than they had experienced in the past, Alderman 

 Greenwood's assurance was not very encouraging. If America 

 adopted free trade he believed she would be our greatest compet- 

 itor. It was high time a Minister of Commerce, who thoroughly 

 understood trade, was appointed, and also that our consuls should 

 pay more attention to trade matters. It was very desirable there 

 should be a Chamber of Commerce in Burnley, and he thought 

 no one was better fitted to act as leader in such a movement than 

 Alderman Greenwood, whom he should be glad to see the first 

 president. 



Councillor Lancaster thought Alderman Greenwood had taken 

 an exceedingly optimist view of our trade, and had overlooked a 

 great many difficulties with which it was hedged round. The 

 Continental and American people were as hard-working as Lan- 

 cashire people, and were not hampered with such stringent 

 Factory Acts as existed here ; and if these countries removed 

 their protective tariffs they would be able to produce goods 

 possibly cheaper than we are doing at present, Indian manu- 



