64
**
TO THE EDITOR of the DAILY PRESS
"}
Hongkong, 15th January, SIE;-The article by "X" gives reasons for bontinuing our free trade policy, and in that respect is different to the platitudes and vague assertions of what might happen if we make Hscal changes, which the supporters of free trade generally bring forward as arguments. Consequently those who hold different opinions ought not to allow "X's" statements to go tinchallenged. Taking the article serialim, we are asked the question, "low will the new policy affect this Colony?" and "X that every article of food is imported and would have to be taxed, and very little of it comes from British sources.
31
assoris
It is precisely for such reason that the tax is proposed. Vegetables, dairy produce, fresh meat, and fish, can be produced within the boundaries of the Colony. Of the balance of our require ments there is very little that the British dominions cannot supply Canada could send as four and tinned fish; Rangoon, rice Australia, wine and tinned meats. Such articles as champagne, olives, tobacco, &c., are in the nature of luxuries, and could bear a moderate tax
"I's" next sentence simply goes to prove not that the blessings of free trade have kept the price of foodstuffs low here: the price of local produce has increased owing to sudden greater demand; and imported goods are dearer, due to the vagaries of exchange. If insteal of purchasing the produce of foreign countries we transferred our custom to British dominions there would still be no duty, so the argument of further enhanced cost of living falls to the ground; while local produce will continue to be subject to local conditions and will vary in price accordingly, duty or no duty.
We must not forget that an addition to the revenue of the Colony would not be uuappre. ciated, and would be applied to ameliorate some of the conditions of living here, say a better water supply, reduced rates, or provision of soholastic facilities for our children,
We are told that Hongkong is not a manufac- turing centre. This assertion is not quite correct; there are quite a few manufacteries of
various kinds in the Colony, and would be We have the finest labour market in the world at our doors, the natives of the neighbouring provinces are acknowledged to be born mechanics and Canton is the Birmingham of the Far East. Let us, however, admit that "X." may be right and that Hongkong is not a manufacturing centre. I will now proceed to show why it has little chance of becoming such.
more were it not for free trade.
The Eastern Manufacturing Co., Wanchai, after enjoying a number of prosperous years found its business declining mainly owing to Japanese competition. When the manufac ure of clocks in the latter country was in its infancy duty was imposed upon imported ones, and as the factories increased their output and required no further fostering, were the duties removed? No, they were raised to the point of prohibition, and our local factory not only lost the Japanese market, but the surplus production of Japan overflows into the Chia- ese market, and the E.M. Co.'s occupation is gone. The machinery was dismantled and scattered last month, and a large number of specially-trained workmen thrown out of em- ployment. It seems to me that it would have been better to have kept this industry in our midst even if the price of clocks went up half-a-dollar.
The Sugar Refineries are mentioned as probable sufferers if a tax be imposed on the raw material, and "not one ounce of it comes from British soil." More shame for free trade. Why are the British West Indies in a chronic state of bankruptcy-once the brightest jewels in the British Crown? The less that free-traders say about sugar the better, and I food for thought if they contemplate what think that shareholders in the C.S.R. have But is it proposed to tax raw materials at all P. Most protected countries admit raw materials free or nearly so, if they are of such a mature as they cannot produce themselves, and any duty Britain would impose would not handicap manufactures to any extent.
Japan has done for them.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
We now come to shipping. Because British shipping is not falling off we are to rest and b thankful. Locally. there has been an increase of tonnage entering and leaving the port, but by 10! whilst foreigners have increased by leaps and bounds. This in a British Colony! A few large lines add soine leviathans to their fleet, while the smaller vessels em. Ploying a relatively larger number of men and spreading the fag. are crowded out by their subsidisel rivals.
the number of British vessels has decreased
our own nationals.
Why should the O. & (). hosts by pr
oom-
· 1
[January 25, 1904.
There is no reason why the 290 millions of fo eiga foodstuffs should not be produced within the limits of the British Empire. The unanimity of all the protectionist countries that it would be disastrous to Great Britain to adopt the same policy as themselves shows their kiud and neighbourly feeling, but I “hae ma doots" about their disinterestedness.Yours,
&o.
W. G. WINTERBurn.
of
Hongkong. 15th January. There is a small steamer trading betweon
SIR,-As I think that "X's" statement this island and the neighbouring French appearing in the Daily Press of the lith inst. British naval vessel, might have a tendency to cause erroneous colonies. Formerly a she was purchased by a Chinaman. According voting at the City Hall to-morrow (Saturday) to British law she had to carry certificated aftoraoon, I would like to point out that the captain, mate, and engineer; not necessarily Hongkong standpoints taken up by "X" British, mind you. This represented about is cilcalated to mislead resid nts who have the $1,000 per mouth, and the ship was not interests of the British Empire more at heirt in a position to airn much a leave than the puny, so to speak, interests
SO a profit for the owner, 90 he placed her Hongkong. When Britain ruled the markets under the French flag. I am not
of the world things were very different, and, petent to s'ate what the French law is, but as an example of what protection can do this. I do know. That ressal left Hongkong towards empire building. take the United not once but several times, and may be doing States, which, ertainly has made the most so regularly yet,, without a single
rapid progress in developing virgin soil in officer, and enjoys all the privileges of a British history. England, with her colonies having boat in Hongkong waters. Thus we haudicap vast tracts of virgin country, is in precisely
the same position; she has, morever, strong... rivals with more developed lands on yery side I consider the integrity of the British Empire at stake, for if England does not give pre- ference to Canadian grain-and Canada is Britain's most promising colony-what in- ducement is there for Canada, from a political standpoint, to remain part of the British em- pire? With the new railway a belt f virgie soil some 300 miles in width will be op ned up, and population in tens of thousands are flocking to the country to take up free grants or other now cheap lands. The emigratio : from Britain, too, is very great. Are we, or are we not to protect our colonists in their efforts to extend the influence of The Nation? South Africa and Australia may be regarded in the sime light. Let preference be extended to colonial produce offered at the market price. When the colonies are older we can open the door again.-Yours, etc.
Y!"
from taking an onnee of cargo between Ilono- lulu and San Francisco, while the German or any other mail can carry all they can load be- tween the British ports en route to Europe? Mr. "X" admits that the temptation to retaliate is great, and nervously asks, Would the foreign natious meekly submit"?
.4
Little Englanders are advised to meekly submit aud to offer the other cheek when they receive a slap. - We have submitted long enough, Sa soon as foreign nations see that we intend to fight them with the`r own weapons there will be no meek submission on their part, but there will be an awakening to the fact that John Bull has stirred, and we will get something like fair
treatment.
That the Americans, some of them, would like to make the Philippines freer, and therefore more prosperous, I gladly concede. I do not believe in Customs duties in any shape provi ding free trade is universal; duties only ham- per commercs; but if all the rest of the world differs from us in such opi-idns after over half- a-century of practical application of our ideas, we are either sublimely wise or intensely pig. beaded. Which is it?
We are treated to a lot of figures to show that the volume of British trade is really on the increase. though nothing near the extent of that of protec'ed countries. Con- sidering that British population is also on, the increase, and according to "X"'s figifres 'our exports are mostly to British Colonies and dependencies, it simply means that we exploit new countries and naturally get a fair share of business from our sons who spend their energies and blood, and the home taxpayer, who finances the exploitation gets his little bit along with the various other gentlemen from Poland and Hamburg. Trieste, and all the world over.
I contest the assertion that the working
man is better off in Great Britain than in
other countries. "X" asks, "Will anyone seriously
contend that the lot of the labourer and the artisan in any of the great protected countries, Germany, the United States or Frauce, is preferable to that of the same class in England"?
In Germany, from my own observation, I noticed that the working man was really very well off indeed; certainly he does not get as high wages as his English confrère, but living is cheap or free, house-rent lower: cheaper in spite of protection, education is
Take Essex as
a working-ma 's town and compare it with Leeds or Newcastle, and then say who is the better off.
I cannot say as much for the French artisan;
different, and his Government not so paternal. his taxes are higher, and his temperament But the American working man is incompar ably better off than the British. Despite the. higher prices of everything he can save as much per week as the Englishman earns, his house is fitted with bathroom with hot and cold water, he qan take a trip to Europe now and then What working-man at home can do that?
"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.'
Hongkong, 16th January. Sir, I have read with great inforest the replies which my hastily-penned contribution on the Fiscal Question has evoked, but cannot say
that I am yet persuaded that Mr. Chamberlain's proposals, if adopted, would be advantageous economically or politically to the British Empire. The vote of the British com- muuity having been taken on the question, this reply must, I suppose, be taken as euding the discussi 'n. Otherwise I should be interested to hear from "Chamberlainite" why my pen should be regarded by him as "Radical" Is he unaware of the fact that all the men of the best experience in the late Conservative Cabinet are Colonial inflexible opponents of Secretary's enterprise? Every statesman now alive who has occupied the position of two of them have presided over the Board of Trade Chancellor of the Exchequer in England and
the late
the positions in which the best experience is gined for forming opinions on fiscal changes- Chamberlain's emphatically denounces Mr. proposals as inimical to the best interests of the Empir. And who is Mr. Chamberlain tha ho should be regarded as an infallible guide Mr. Chamberlain has in these matters? represented in his time every shade of political before his career is ended. No man in the opinion, and may describe a complete circle Empire has declaimed more vehemently than himself against the policy he is now seeking to dictate to the nation.
If I conveyed to Chamberlainite" that I look our Colony as a basis of argument on which to build a superstructure of an over-
the condition of our Colony would benefit by whelming fabric of false issues," I very much regret it. While L
am not convinced that Mr. Chamberlain's proposals, I would wish to deprecate any attempt to consider the general question entirely from the parochial point of view. Parenthetically, I would, however, by way of replying to "Chamberlainita," remind him that Hongkong has not been
I