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| Tariff Reform v. BusinessI…

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Tariff Reform v. Business I Enterprise. —— To THE EDIl'OR OF THE Weekly News. Sir,In Mr. Sam Thompson's Latest letter he stated that the true. test as to whether Protec- tion was beneficial or not was whether o-ucr ¡ trade rivals have progressed or gone back under a Protective system. In my reply I asserted that such a statement was ridiculous nonsense. .Since writing that letter I have received a copy of The Rifleman for January 23rd, this year. This paper is the official organ of the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs, and in the issue for January 23rd the Editor replies to comments which have recently appeared in the Globe on the use of foreign ammunition on our mini- ature rifle ranges, and the S.M.R.C., and the affiliated clubs having been stigmatised under an allegation that they exhibit a preference for ioraiginnmade ammunition. The Editor replies that Nothing can be further from the truith," and he then goes on to show why foreigsn-made1 ammuinitio,a is imported into this country He says: The facts are that, utntil between two or three years ago the .22 rifle and its insignificant little cartridge, were beneath the notice of the British manufac- turer. Its. virtues and possibilities remained unrecognised, though for 20 years past hundreds of millions of .22 cartridges and thousands of .22 rifles have been imported into England, mostly from Arrerica but no outcry has been raised until the British manufacturer WOtke up and found himself behind in the race. For .several years after the Civilian 'Rifle CLub movement had developed tangible dimensions, and the .22 rifle had established its peculiar suitability to its requirements, the British manu- facturer made no attempt to meet the demand, and supplies were perforce obtained from abroad. At the present moment the combined output of ;1.11 the British makers of .22 cartridges Would not meet too demand. That the foreigner has ,-aii-iod a start is ÓJue rather to our con- servative dilatorinests than to' any artificial difficulties under which we labour. This is by no means the only instance in which con- s,erva,t,ilve dii/latocriness has benefitted OUT enter- prising competitors, and we cordially endorse the peroration with which His Royal Highness the Prince of vVales concluded his memorable speech at the Guildhall a few years ago: Wake up, England The foregoing extracts from The Rifleman are typical of the sort of thing that has been going on for a generation or more. For ten years it was my duty to make a careful study of the trade reports sent to the Foreign and I Colonial Offices by British Consuls and officials in all parts of the world. ¡It,d I can state with- out fear of contradiction, that the general tenoutr of those. reports was one continued growl about the pig-headed adherence to old-fashioned con- servative business methods by British manufac- turers, which was enabling our foreign competi- tors to gain a footing in foreign markets where British goods had previously been supreme. The up-to-date business methods of American and German manufacturers were contrasted with the old-fashioned and out-of-date British methods in almost everv report, and our Consuls in foreign countries have for long, long years been trying to impress upon British manufac- turers the necessity of awakening to the im- portance of the changes which were taking place in business methods abroad. It was pointed out again and again that the old-fashioned British method of sending to I foreign countries commercital travellers who were not able to speak the language of the country was being superseded by their foreign competi- ,tors, who were careful to send as their repre- sentatives men conversant with the languages of the countries through which they travelled. Further, it was again and again pointed out that the old-fashioued British method of sending out to foreign countries catalogues printed in the English languiagp was being beaten by our foieigtn rivals, who had their catalogues printed in the language of the country to which they were being sent. Thus, and in many other similar business wiays, have foreign manufacturers been ousting British goods from countries where a few years aigo none butt iBritdsh-madie articles were im- ported. That being so, I say again that it is ridiculous nonsense for Mr. Thompson to say that the true Itest as to whether Protection; is beneficial or not is whether ouir foreign competitors have pro- giressed or gone back under a Protective system. The progress made by our foreign rivals has been in spite of and not because of Protection, being due rather to modern methods, business 'Sln r enterprise, and a careful study of the minor de- tails of prospective customers' requirements- which only too frequently were beneath the notice of British manufacturers. It was the re- cognition of these well-known, facts which caused the Prinoe of Wales, on his return from a voyage round the world, to give expression to that memorable phrase, Wake up, England -youlrs, &c., S. T. FROST. Rhos, Colwyn Bay.

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Tariff Reform and Unemployment.

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