FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



labourer's present position, will materially assist 

 it in arriving at conclusions affecting his future 

 remuneration and the general conditions under 

 which he should pursue his avocation. A con- 

 sideration of the subject in a broad-minded spirit 

 which will take cognizance of the varying circum- 

 stances, as to cultivation, tenure, etc., prevailing 

 in various parts of the country, should result in 

 good to all concerned. 



It will, however, have to be borne in mind 

 that if the farmer has to pay higher wages, whilst 

 his bills for feeding-stuffs and many other essentials 

 of his calling are on the up grade, he will want 

 more consideration from the State than he has 

 hitherto received. 



Many a time and oft the landowners have 

 been held up as the embodiment of all that is 

 grasping and unprincipled by those who, with 

 no personal experience of them, have not hesi- 

 tated to traduce them for political purposes. 

 Yet it may be truly said that there is no body 

 of men in the world who hold a higher place in 

 the estimation of those who are brought into 

 immediate contact with them than the landed 

 gentry of England. No men, speaking generally, 

 have more fully recognized their duties and 

 responsibilities to their country, or have given 

 more liberally of their time and money, for the 

 promotion of its best interests, and in these 

 latter days they have parted with their very life- 

 blood on the battlefield. In the dark days of 

 agricultural depression, it was the exception to 

 find a landlord who was not ready to bear his 

 share of the burden, and, by liberal remissions, 



92 



