PEASANT PEOPKIETORS 131 



misfht have been laid before an English Chamber of 

 Agriculture. The following are some of the measures 

 which were decided upon as vitally necessary to the 

 existence of farmers : — 



(1) The diminution of their outgoings by economy in 



administration, increased liability of personalty, 

 a revision of stamp duties and other charges on 

 land transfer, a tax on stock exchange transac- 

 tions, an increase in indirect taxation. 



(2) The increase of their receipts by protective duties 



on foreign produce, suppression of middlemen, 

 readjustment of railway rates which favour the 

 foreigner, reintroduction of domestic indus- 

 tries. 



(3) The extinction of the land tax ; the abolition of the 



law of succession, which drives peasants to 



contract debts in order to keep estates together 



and provide portions for younger children; the 



provision of cheap loans ; and the adoption of 



a double standard of coinage. 



Acre for acre, the English system produces more than 



the foreign. What reason is there to suppose that the 



raw agricultural labourer of England, suddenly planted on 



a cottier farm, will extract more from the soil than his 



Continental rival, who is favoured by a genial climate, 



centuries of training, and acquired habits of industry and 



thrift? The heavy rainfall and low temperature of this 



country narrowly limit the number of agricutural products 



which are suited to the farming of peasant proprietors, 



and even confine cereals to a limited area. Under such 



circumstances it is impossible that peasant proprietors can 



flourish universally in Britain. Nor in districts most 



adapted to their existence can their capital command 



