A BRIEF EXAMINATION OP EREE-THADK PKINCll'EES 331 



pernuinently estaljlisLcd the Protective system, has at least been 

 shared by the German j>fOj5/c. 



Then they are struck with the extraordinary fact that this 

 progressive prosperity is universah France, Eelgium, Italy, 

 Austiia-IIungary, the great German Empire, the United States, 

 our own Colonies, Brazil, Argentina, and the other States of 

 Soutli America, as indeed practically every .State in the civilised 

 world, while still adhering to tlie Trutective principle as the 

 basis of their fiscal policy, have one and all shared with Free- 

 trade Great Britain that wonderful trade expansion, that pro- 

 gressive commercial and industrial prosperity, and that advance 

 in material comfort which Free-trade economists would have 

 the pc(Ji)le believe is — so far as this country is concerned — really 

 and truly the result of the Free-trade policy. 



In face of this mass of opposing evidence it is sufficient to 

 say that to advance a proposition of the kind is to declare its 

 absurdity. 



Insult to Fokeign Peoples 



If Free-traders will for once shake themselves free from the 

 ridiculous notion that Great Britain is the unlij nation in the 

 world capable of industrial effort and business enterprise, and 

 of evolving out of their commercial acumen the only possible, 

 and therefore the only practical fiscal scheme as a common basis 

 for international usage, the better it will be for this country. 

 In assuming this attitude they have not only insulted the 

 intelligence of foreign peoples, but as the United Kingdom is 

 now used as the common dumping ground for the surplus com- 

 modities of every nation which has become our industrial com- 

 petitor, this country is held up as the laughing-stock of every 

 manufacturing nation in the world, as also of those who compete 

 with us in agricultural produce. 



Foreign nations are quite capable of looking after their own 

 fiscal arrangements, and the fact that in every case they have 

 shared with this country in that marvellous trade expansion and 

 progressive prosperity which was the common experience of the 

 last half-century proves that, whatever else may be the case, this 

 much-talked-of prosperity wdiich is claimed for Great Britain 

 does not, at least, owe its origin to Free-trade. 



This simple fact, indeed, underlies the whole position. The 

 start we obtained with our railways, the rapid conversion of 

 our great mercantile marine into steam vessels, our wealth of 

 coal and vast mineral resources, gave us for a time a decided 

 advantage over other European States ; and we wisely took it. 

 This country then embarkeil on its great industrial and com- 

 mercial career on a — Free-trade basis. 



