PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS AND THE EMPIRE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 14, 18 January 1910, Page 2

PREFERENTIAL TARIFFS AND THE EMPIRE.

"What would Argentina say, asks the paper (the Freisinnige Zeitung, Berlin), if Britain impeded a duty on wool, tal-^ low, wheat, and frozen meat, while importing the same goods duty free from Canada and Australia? Would other countries remain silent if a duty free market were opened in London?" — Vide Press Association cable, Evening Post, 10th January, 1910. XO THE EDITOR. Sir, — The above message presents, a-n aspect of preferential tariffs whioh' it would b» well for all of us who earnestly seek the continuance of the prosperity and integrity of the great Empire of which we are members to carefully consider. Many of \is are vain enough to think that this Empire was built up by superior valjonr and force on land and sea — a sort of military and naval conquest, as was the old Roman Empire — and that theee are the ?ualities that will maintain it in the uture. Truly, an erroneous idea. Certainly we have had our military and naval successes, hut so nave others, and to An equal degree. Many circumstances contributed tlo its up-building, but it was chiefly allowed to grow upon the sufferance of other nations^ — a sufferance founded upon, two main causes : One, that the other nations had not yet arrived at the eokmising period, and Were not yet ready to spread themselves over and absorb the vacant spots- of the earth as the British were doing; and^the other, that while the British people showed a willingness to undertake the tasks of colonisation, they on the whole endeavoured to perform the duties pertaining thereto in- a fair and impartial manner, and, above all, did not seek to selfishly retain for themselves alone the advantages and profits of their enterprise and energy, but threw them open to the whole world on equal terms with themselves. But now circumstances have changed. Other nations are overflowing their boundaries and seeking freeh outlets for their superabundant energies in trade and commerce. Protectionist tariffs may or may not be necessary evils, but it is generally conceded that every ciommunlty, if it thinks- fit in its own internal interests to levy them, has a perfect right to do so, and when applied equally to all no objection can. be taken to them on the grounds of unfairness. But preferential and discriminating tariffs are altogether another matter ; and, to my mind, appear equally wrong when levied by nations as when levied by individual financial trusts. If we British people, after having by a happy combination of circumstances — or perhaps, rather, by a duty and obligation imposed upon us to mankind — obtained command of the great portion of the more desirable and principal spots of the earth, are going, by a system of preferential tariffs, to endeavour to shut out the rest of the world from, in my opinion, the rightful enjoyment, in common with ourselves, of the benefits and productions of these places, then it seems to me we are not only attempting the impossible, but are setting in motion forces that will resnlt to our own disadvantage, and they may eventually lead to the dismemberment of the whole Empire. The small jneasure of preferential tariffs which we in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have imposed, appears to have already caused our rivals (notably Germany) a considerable amount of irritation and jealousy. Supposing the principle extended to its utmost, and that the rest of the Empire, including Great Britain, South Africa, and India, ■sought to keep outsiders from equal access to their markets, what would it mean but a tremendous struggle for existence, ending in disaster to ourselves. Preferential tariffs savour to me too much of the business man's politics, and the politician who allows his theories of government to be dominated by the buwness community, is unlikely, I think, to prove himself a statesman. Business communities concern themselves only with the profits of their own generation, are too ready to sacrifice the future for their own immediate gain, and have little regard for those who come after them. — 1 am, etc., CITIZEN. Wellington, 14th January.