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182 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
whatever the tariff.! Even with countries more advanced
. in manufacturing, like France, the United States, and
Germany, there are many specialties where there is
no home industry to compete with the imports. To
take the United States; it is doubtful whether even 5
per cent. of the producers receive any Protection from
the tariff of any sort or kind. Thus, in spite of all that
Protectionist policy may do, even the most Protec-
tionist country nowadays conducts the greater part of
its business und,er Free Trade conditions.
I believe it cannot help doing so; but, theory apart,
there is no doubt of the fact.

Successes on the side 0/ Free Trade.
I come, then, to the proof of the proposition with
which I started-that the substantial successes in
I11atters of commercial policy have been for a long time
past, and still are, on the side of Free Trade, and not
on the side of Protection.
Not only is there far more Free Trade in the world
than people sometimes think, but much of it is of very
recent growth.
(I) The great success of Free Trade in England
half a century ago was itself so gigantic that it amounted
to a conversion of the world for good to the practice
of Free Trade. From being almost all Protectionist
the world at ajump became half Free Trade. It was
the decisive step which cannot be undone.
I believe this all the more because I am qui te satis-
fied that the step was not taken out of any love for the
abstract theory of Free Trade. It arose out of neces-
sary conditions which were felt in the daily life of the
nation, because the great industries of the country had
no need of Protection at home, and because cheap
food and raw materials were essential to the welfare of
the masses and to the prosperity of the export trade.
The like conditions must make the leading coun-
1 See supra, vol. ii., p. 145.