WHOLESALE AND RETAIL 3 



Here, of course, the whole point depends on 

 the words " corresponding amount," the actual 

 fact being that the quantities of agricultural 

 produce coming to this country from abroad, 

 and carried on our railways, are greatly in excess 

 of those that our own farmers can, or do, supply. 

 It is this factor that lies at the bottom of most 

 of the grievances alleged against the railways 

 by British agriculturists, who do not always 

 sufficiently realize the differences which must 

 necessarily exist, even in regard to railway rates, 

 between wholesale and retail ; and if only the 

 British farmer could, under any possible circum- 

 stances, put himself on the same footing as the 

 foreign agriculturists in respect alike to quantity 

 and conditions of particular items of produce, he 

 would secure the same advantages as they do, 

 and the railways themselves would also gain, 

 both directly and indirectly. 



In all these circumstances the time would 

 seem to have come for abandoning any idea 

 of antagonism or even of want of sympathy 

 between interests which are so obviously iden- 

 tical, and for seeing whether some clearer under- 

 standing in regard to actual facts, conditions 

 and possibilities cannot be arrived at which will 

 be good for the farmers, good for the railways, 

 and good for the country. To this end, on 



