DECEMBER 4^3 



and to the necessity of really effective measures for the protection 

 of farmers against fraud. 



Under these circumstances I corrected the local paper, which 

 thereupon in another article replied that in 1895, when I was 

 standing for Parliament, I urged the imposition of a tax upon im- 

 ported flour and barley. This is true : in common with many other 

 people I did urge the absolute justice of such a tax, which, if looked 

 into, however, will be found to mean a very infinitesimal measure 

 of protection. Barley is not used as a food for men, and I think 

 that I was careful to exclude from my proposal crushed barley 

 destined to be devoured by pigs. Further, when that grain was 

 much dearer than at present I believe that the price of beer was 

 practically the same as it is to-day. Therefore the drop in the 

 price of barley has not benefited the consumers of malt liquors, 

 but has found its way into the pockets of brewers and middlemen. 

 The duty on imported flour would only mean that the corn must 

 come whole into this country, there to be ground by our millers. 

 I have never urged that any duty should be charged upon wheat 

 or upon sea-borne meat, which, under present circumstances, in 

 the opinion of many might be against the interest of the community 

 as a whole. At any rate it would be contrary to its wishes. 



One of the dangers of a newspaper correspondence lies in 

 its seductiveness. The controversialist, seeing things stated about 

 himself to which he objects, is led on to reply and explain, where- 

 by, in nine cases out of ten, he makes matters worse than they 

 were before. I replied and I explained— amongst other things 

 that, although I still held the same opinions as to the justice of an 

 import tax upon foreign barley and flour, the whole question had, 

 in my \aew, become purely academical on account of the strong 

 opposition of the people of this country, and that I did not think 

 it likely that I should again publicly advocate the imposition of a 

 duty upon foreign foodstuffs. I added, however, that I did hold it 

 desirable that under certain circumstances a bounty should be given 

 to growers of wheat. But here are the exact words : 



• I do, however, think it desirable that whenever wheat falls 



