FRENCH IDEA OF FREE TRADE.
THE following extract from an article in the Mtlmorial Bordelais of the 2d instant, signed " Henri Fonfrede," will show whether the men of Bordeaux have got hold of the lever which will move the world.
" See now what is the working of the protective system. "The interest that demands protection, says to the Government, The article I make, stands me in 50 francs; 1 cannot sell it, because the foreigner offers the same thing for 30.' " Very well,' replies the Government, ' we'll put 20 francs duty on the fo- reign article, and then you will be on a level.' " ' That will do not for me,' replies the interest, for then I should get no- thing. Lay on 30 francs duty. Then the foreign article will be 60 francs ; wine costs 50 francs, and I shall sell for 55. So, you see, I shall get 5 francs ; while the foreigner could not sell at my price without losing 5.' " Here you have all the mechanism of the protective system. " Now, on this plan, out of the 30 francs of duty, bow much goes to the in- terestprotected ? Five banes only. " flow much is lost by the consumer ? lie loses 25 francs; for he pays 55 for what if there hasp been no duty he might have had from the foreigner for 30.
" The consumer then loses 25 francs ; the protected interest gains 5 ; balance against the country 20 francs, plus the work thrown away ; for if this work had been differently employed, and had produced only a clear result win tit 5 francs, it would have been 5 francs gained for France. " It will be objected, that of the 25 halms lost to the consumer, 20 francs, which arc the cost of making the thing at home above what it might have been had for from abroad, have gone to maintain French workmen, who have had wages and employment. But this makes no differenee in the question; for if the consumer had not been robbed of these 20 francs by the protected interest, he would have used them himself in buying something else, which would have caused employment of one kind or other, which would have been equally good for the operatives in the aggregate. And the same with the five francs he would have saved by not being forced to pay them to a workman winking at a disadvantage."
There is better than claret in this. There is corn.
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