Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1888 — British Interests in American Politics. [ARTICLE]

British Interests in American Politics.

A most significant feature of the present attempt to break down the iml icy of protection to Trane industries is the extraordinary interest,manifested by English press and people in the result of our pending election. Every voter of intelligence must know that tiiis most anusnal solicitude isjiat. wholly the result of T British antkopy. They feel that “there’s millions in it,” else our cousins across the water would be likely to keep at home' both the money and solieifade whicE they now stand credited with expending in this country. v ' One of England’s greatest generals is quoted .as advi sing to“fiud out what the enemy most desires you should do, and do t’ne opposite.” This advice is quite as sound Tii its appliehtiou to a contest for C( mmercial supremacy as to strategy on the battle-field. •Tust now England is experiencing serious busiress depressions, especially in her agricultural and manufacturing industries, and-4he wisest and the. ablest among her statesmen are puzzling over the problem of relief. The prosperity -of the United States, the disposition aud-ability of our people to spend money freely for the comforts and luxuries of lif% quite naturally indicate this country* as the most tornptinn field fog the desired extension of British trade. At the same time it is that the only road to control of American trade'cdw supplied by ~ hianiifacluies,,, ,1s over tiiti ruins of our protcbtirc:

tariff system. Hence, the aid and comfort to the party now seeking its overthrow. 8 'JIn this connection a glance at the condition of public sentiment in England;may prove interesting and instructive. Oounsul Shaw, in a recent report from * Manchester; says: r is, of course, an anxiety manifested in this Co u u try,: JEn glaud,) for the “early adoption of a lower tariff in the United States, and the solictude shown in this respect proves how general is the belief here that English manu-facturing-would be able to close many of our mills if this course is adopted, on our part.” The late ollici.il report of the Culxlcn Club said: ff ln the United States President Cleveland’s message carries with it the promise of j such measures of tariff reform as j may, in the course of ten years, I make something like a revolution In internal trade. The direct re-; stilts (if opening the markets of j such a country would be enormous.” From the London People: “If Mr. Cieveland_should be re-elected the -' l-nited -Staten tariff will be modified very materially in ,the direction of free trade, a result which cannot, of course, fail to be beneficial to other countries, and especially of our own.” From the London Sunday Times: “The Americau election is infinitely more important to Englishmen than -their own internal politic.j ust at this juncture The main question at issue is English free trad-* against the continental system of protection.” From the Loudon Globe: “As a rule the Presidential contest has very little interest for the old world: on the present occasion, hovyeyer, an issue is involved which very closely, concerns Europe, moie particularly Great Britain. The central ’issue of the contest lies between the maintenance ol of the present fiscal sygtem intact and its modification in the direction of free trade, and on that broad question Mr. Cleveland’s candidature! naturally and necessarily carries the English sympathy.” From the Sheffield Independent: “The Mills Bill is viewed by all parties alike as the first decisive and certain step in the “direction of Free Trade, The .success ol the Democrats at the Presidential election would necessitate tlierr bringing in another tariff reform measure upon far more advanced lines in the direction of the abolition or reduction of duties than Mr. Mills’ present bill, and thus accelerate the,ultimate success of free trade in the States.