40 THE MURDER OF AGRICULTURE 



and thus possessing all the inherent properties of pheno- 

 menal wealth and general prosperity, is being compelled 

 to recognise the necessity for poverty and the legislation of 

 pauperism as a national institution. 



Why should this be so? Because we have listened to 

 the false doctrines of a band of fervid, but wrong- 

 headed, zealots, who were only capable of looking at a 

 great fiscal question fronri one narrow point of view, in- 

 stead of studying it from the many sides which so broad 

 a question always presents. 



Every question in this world has more than one side 

 to it ; and because we, in our bhnd credulity, obstmately 

 refused to acknowledge this cardinal fact, we have 

 wrought incalculable injury to the whole nation. The 

 masses and the classes, employer and employed, capital 

 and labour, Radical and Conservative, are all equally 

 involved in the general loss, and none have escaped the 

 blighting influence of our folly. 



Let us recognise the fact that we have erred; that in 

 our desire to improve the position of the people we have 

 cast away the substance for the shadow; that certain 

 alterations are essential in our fiscal arrangements, and 

 we shall soon retrieve our position and build upon sure 

 foundations a great structure of national prosperity. If 

 we neglect to do this, poverty and distress will increase, 

 and our ruin as a great nation will surely follow. 



