236 ADAM SMITH. 



it forms, at least in our times, the main topic of those 

 who defend the corn laws. The tendency of the 

 importation, by opening our market to the growers of 

 Poland and the Ukraine, though not in terms referred 

 to, must have been in his eye, because in no other 

 way could the free importation of corn permanently 

 reduce its price, the opening of our markets having 

 the inevitable effect of raising its price abroad. But 

 as Poland and the Ukraine can only increase their 

 production of grain gradually in the gradual advance 

 of their population, it seems evident that the perma- 

 nent fall in prices must be the work of time, and could 

 not easily occasion any great or sudden shock to our 

 internal system. 



3. The free export of corn, whether home-grown or 

 imported, is essential both to the interests of the pro- 

 ducer and the consumer, because, unless it is certain 

 that the quantity grown, if superabundant, can be 

 easily taken off, the growth will be pared down to so 

 low an amount as must prevent cheapness, and, unless 

 it is certain that any surplus imported can be re-ex- 

 ported, there will be the same slowness to lower prices 

 by importation. As for the arguments against im- 

 porting or exporting for fear foreign States should shut 

 their ports and we should thus lose our needful sup- 



Elies, the experience even of Dr. Smith's age showed 

 ow little ground there was for such alarms ; but in 

 our day, who have seen one vast system of continental 

 despotism established upon a monstrous military power, 

 wielded by a single man, and wielded in direct hos- 

 tility to our commerce, yet fail to prevent a much 

 greater importation than usual of all kinds of grain, 

 anything more chimerical than such fears cannot well 

 be imagined. 



4. The carrying trade is not perhaps of so much 

 importance to the home market as the three other 

 branches of the corn trade : yet it does contribute to 

 its supply ; for the carrier will always be ready to keep 



