REFORM AND DEMOCRACY 85 



far greater peril from the economic competition 

 of the United States than from the diplomatic 

 or military rivalry of any European govern 

 ments. War with the Americans he regarded 

 as impossible. In commerce and manufactures, 

 however, he believed they were destined to 

 take the lead, because of their enormous popu 

 lation and resources. His conclusion was that 

 British policy should be directed more with 

 reference to American conditions than along 

 the ancient lines of the balance of power in Eu 

 rope. The size of Russia s army or of France s 

 navy should be of less interest to the govern 

 ment than the number of cotton looms in the 

 United States or the statistics of her merchant 

 marine. All restrictions that hampered the 

 fullest development of British commerce and 

 industry must be abolished, and the first of 

 these to go must be that main bulwark of the 

 aristocratic ascendancy, the Corn Law. 



Thus Cobden made the United States the 

 text of his earliest sermon against militarism 

 and protectionism. Through the thirty years 

 that were to follow of successful agitation and 

 of profound influence on English policy, he 

 never deviated from cordial appreciation and 

 sympathy for the institutions and ideals of the 



