RICHARD COBDEN

Evening Star, Issue 20863, 5 August 1931, Page 9

RICHARD COBDEN

FREETRADE CHIEF Cobden’s name, long a shibboleth, but seldom heard for a generation past, is again being called in British politics, says the New York ‘ Times.’ It is sounded now by Conservatives. They use Cobdenism as a password to carry them past his Frectrade theories into the newly-sanctioned practice which exPremier Baldwin defines as commercial treaties based on British tariffs. Even those bargaining tariffs are not enough' for the die-hards. They want full protection back.

After the Napoleonic Wars they throve by it. It prevented imports of grain and beef, and kept prices up so that the rich owners of land could get high rentals from ' tenant farmers, though the poor in those times of misery after the glory of Waterloo suffered for bread. Only when Peel saw the famine looming one rainy summer day, with British corn and wheat blighted and Irish potatoes perishing, did ho yield to Cobdeu’s agitation and repeal the corn Jaws. Boon 1,000 articles were on the free list. Raw materials were brought in, manufactured, exported. Finished goods were brought in and redistributed in British ships, foreign commerce increased sixfold, distress gave way to well-being. Frcetrado suited the island, which became a va?t free port. But supposing the rest of Cobden’s advocacies had been followed, too. History would have been strangely different had these other items in Cobden’s programme not been neglected till after tho World War brought added debt, taxes, and new colonial mandates: — Peace. Arbitration. Disarmament. _ Non-interveutio'i in foreign lands. Constant friendliness with France. Amity, not coercion or exploitation in Ireland and India.

Complete popular education. Franchise extension. No Government interference with business. Low taxes.

Other nations have turned to some of these little-known Cobdeu principles. But they have turned also to high tariffs, which he opposed, and even to embargoes. Certain nations now trade only with those they approve. Richard Cohden, son of a yeoman farmer, passed the ordeals of one of those Dotheboys halls that Dickens later shamed out of existence. _ Borrowing money to start calico printing ho gained affluence in eight years, and began to study getting practical knowledge from newspapers. ‘ Hansard’s’ parliamentary reports, and travel on the Continent and in America. Ho broke himself trying to cure the evils he saw at Home —half the children growing tip unable to sign their names; two-thirds of national expenses going to pay for past wars or preparations for new ones; “ monstrous taxes ”j the dole, meant as a stay against the discontent of hunger (the same system revived a century later after the World War). An honorarium of £BO,OOO was raised for him, £40,000 more when ho managed the trade treaty with France. Offers of baronetcy were refused, and lie scorned an invitation to enter the Cabinet of a Prime Minister wiio had approved the Crimean and other adventures. The price in suffering of the famous Sebastopol triumph had caused Cohden deep anguish—for what was it all about? Nothing, except that the Turks had given the key to the front door of the church in Jerusalem to Latin Christianity, and the Tzar as protector of Greek Orthodoxy had felt slighted. ■