PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS—SECTION F. L5G 
These considerations, when fully appreciated, form the founda- 
tion of the problem of Malthus.* 
TNcREASING NUMBERS. 
Residents of new countries, with a scant population, and with 
vast natural resources in the shape of unlimited areas of 
unoccupied and unutilised virgin lands, longingly picture the 
transformation of these areas into yellow cornfields, fruitful 
gardens, verdant pasturage teeming with browsing cattle, busy 
industrial centres crowded with the homes of industrious and 
happy people. 
Ah! little do they know of the never-failing, Nemesis which, 
like a sleuth-hound, dogs the steps of an ever-increasing popula- 
tion. Happy selectors of easily-acquired choice lands may 
luxuriously grumble at the amount of their taxation, the Jow price 
of mutton and corn, their bad roads, and the impossibility of 
extending their operations in the production of corn and wool, so 
long as the wages of farm and other labour are so high. 
The professional and merchant class may reasonably grumble 
at the scarcity of men and products which restricts their respec- 
tive callings, and may impatiently rail against the slow progress 
which the country is making in jofulation and the creation of 
products. The few wealthy men of leisure may hanker after the 
amusements and honours so common in thickly-crowded centres, 
where the attractive ministry of cheap labour is but too common. 
The comparative comfortable artisan or labourer, under such 
favourable conditions, may 7x verbal or literary debate still wage 
a lively dispute whether the irksome eight hours’ labour—or 
weekly half-holiday—may not be further improved, and the rate 
of wages further raised above the rates of over-peopled old countries, 
* but he does not view with favour the fresh introduction of 
labourers in zs own craft. 
The consumers of the services of local dear labour may desire 
the introduction of the surplus cheaper labour of Europe, and for 
the sake of Protection may urge upon the Government the 
necessity of extending the advantages of external Free Trade. 
On the other hand, the protector of a local monopoly of 
relatively high wages, or dearer local manufactures, may more 
strenuously advocate the necessity of increasing the tariff on all 
manufactures from other countries, especially on such as may be 
produced locally. It will be seen, therefore, that in young 
countries, as well as in the old, we have the battle of interests 
still waged, if not so keen. The competitor or seller of services 
cries for Protection ; and the user or consumer of services enlarges 
upon the harmonies and advantages of universal Free Trade. 
* An Essay on the Principle of Population. Malthus. (2 vols., London, 1826.) 
