CHAPTER XXVI 



CONCLUSION 

 AND RECOMMENDATIONS 



THE task I set myself to accomplish at the 

 outset of the present work was to show (1) 

 that the advantages by means of which foreign 

 agriculturists were able to compete successfully 

 with English producers on our own markets 

 might be due to far other causes than any 

 question of railway rates ; (2) that, instead of 

 British railways being the natural enemies of 

 British agriculture, they are profoundly inter- 

 ested in its prosperity — on much broader 

 grounds than merely the amount of produce 

 they carry — and have themselves shown great 

 energy in endeavouring to promote the welfare 

 of the farmers ; and (3) that if the prosperity 

 of these farmers is to be promoted it must be 

 done, not by persistent bickerings against the 

 railways because they do not carry retail lots at 

 wholesale prices, or grant concessions which 

 would transform them from a commercial under- 



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