PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Evening Star, Issue 12067, 12 December 1903, Page 5

PREFERENTIAL TRADE.

Presa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SANGUINE ME, ASQUTTH. BRADFORD'S TRADE SPLENDID. LONDON, December 11. One thousand Yorkshire Liberal Federation delegatet?, at a meeting held at Bradford, condemned retaliation and Protection. Mr Asquith, in the course of a speech, said there was not a scrap of originality about Mr Chamfeerlain's programme. Mr Balfour's policy was regrettable, being but a convenient stopping-place on the road to Protection. He added that the trade of Bradford had steadily improved since 1872. Dnring the past twenty years Britain's consumption of raw wool had increased bv onehalf. fin 1895 Bradford exported to the United Stares goods to the value of £4.309,076. and for the nine months ended September 50 this year she sent £1,530,604.] LONDON, December 11. The Stroud Chambf-r of Commerce, the members of which are chielly woollen manufacturers, endorsed Mr Chamberlain's policy, with three dissentients. BRITTSH FREETE.ADE. THE NEW POLICY FAVORED. LONDON, December 11. The Belfast Chamber of Commerce discussed a resolution deploring that the principles of British trade were a more >Yct,m of free imports, and deploring the diminution of exports, due to hostile tariffs, and deciding to awnke sympathetic interest in Mr Chamberlain's proposals. An amendment favoring a Royal Commission prior to making a fiscal change was overwhelmingly rejected, and another endorsing Mr Balfour's policy was adopted by 65 to 25, ;md subsequently as the substantive motion. THE "ORIGINALITY" CRY. LONDON. December 11. (Received December 12, at 7.55 a.m.) Mr Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking at Halifax, said that personally he believed that a. further development of the Government's commercial policy would strengthen the bondp uniting the Motherland and die colonies which were already our best customers. Ha added that in the fact that his father's proposals were not original lay their strength. THE WOOL INDUSTRY. ADMISSIONS AND EXPLANATIONS AND DENIALS. LONDON. December 11. (Received December 12. at 8.49 a.m.) Mr Asquith. speaking at Bradford, said that the decline in the value of exported woollens was largely due to a decline of 50 per cent, in the price of raw wool. He admitted the dangens ahead, but held that Protection would only aggravate such dangers. Mr T. P. Whittaker. M.F. (L,). addressing the Yorkshire Liberal Federation, said that plenty of American and German manufacturers were settled in England, instancing the Singers (sewing machinists). Westinghouse (of railway-brake fame), and Siemens (electrician). Sir J. T. WoodhmtPc, M.P. (L.). denied that the woollen indtrstrv was decavinc. and declared that Bradford's expo'its* had doubled in twenty-five vears. THE DECAY OF TRADE. Describing the condition of trade in the Midlands, "Merlin." in the 'Referee.' savs •. I have already alluded to the fact that'the stretch of my native country with which I am most familiar has for the greater part sunk into darkness and silence. Now I learn that the glass trade, which war=, as I very well remember, one of the most important of the local industries, has scarcely left a vestige of itself, and that a verv* considerable number of the local coal "mines, which hold the real old South Stafford tenyard seam, are under water, and that it will not pay to pump them out. because- of the decry of the load iron trade as a restdt of foreign competition. Walsall is groacin.t under the fast-approaching death of its trade in saddlery and harness. Kidderminster is complaining with a natural bitterness over the fraudulent imitation of it* designs by German makers. Birmingham men _ of large experience tell me that" the making of gun barrels of the higher chv.-< is practically a lost art. Everywhere I go I hear the same story of the decay of trade, j and seethe same utimistakeable signs that the complaint is founded on sound reason.