England's falling workshop, etc.; industrial chart and proposed act of Parliament

Preface

It is safe to postulate that no question, concerning which a difference of opinion exists, has been so misunderstood, or so strongly misrepresented, as the subject of England's policy of Free-Imports — commonly, but inaccurately, defined as Free-Trade. The principle of free-trade, i.e., free-exchange, has been in the past almost hopelessly confused with the British fiscal system of partial free-imports. The working classes of Great Britain have been taught to believe that a policy of free ports for all competing imports, is the cause of all the industrial prosperity and social progress of the last half century. This statement and other vain-glorious assertions are notoriously untrue ; but the false belief has been so firmly implanted in the minds of the masses during the last forty years, by means of millions of misleading leaflets and newspaper propaganda, that it will need a strong and a vigorous effort on the part of the true economic educators to eradicate the deep-rooted errors and misconceptions which have stood in the path of fiscal reform.

To state the present position of Great Britain's industrial and commercial interests in the mildest terms, one has to admit the grave fiscal isolation in which those interests are placed. Economically unarmed amid keen industrial rivals triply armoured with hostile tariffs, free ports, and reciprocity treaties, England stands defenceless. Will the blind and foolish cant of free-trade defend us in the coming hour of trial ? The world at large understands perfectly well what free-trade is, and they know it to be as unattainable as universal peace, and as measurably purchasable as modern peace periods, and on the same principle of ever-readiness for war.

Great Britain has the power to compel a large measure of approximate free-trade by declaring a tariffwar upon her industrial rivals, and by a commercial union of her Colonies and Possessions.

The power of those British Capitalists who have investments abroad, must be broken, and Britain's economic and fiscal freedom will speedily follow.

The present writer has had ample opportunities during the last four years, to guage the knowledge and the teachableness of the working classes on the subject, and it is certain, beyond all controversy, that a great change is coming upon the British people concerning our bastard system of free-trade.

The full and well-paid employment of the masses of the people is the pressing and the burning political problem of the time. Free-imports, as a permanent policy, is doomed. Trade-Unionists are advancing upon it in a " backstairs " way, by their trades-union — rate-of-wages clause in public contracts. But the British Electorate will finally seal its doom at the Parliamentary Ballot-Box.

J. W. MAHONY.

Birmingham, 1893.

Contents

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England's Workshop falling like a House of Cards 7

Labour Interests and Free-Imports - 30