THE MURDER 

 OF AGRICULTURE 



CHAPTER I 



The Curse of Poverty — Cause and Effect and 

 Palliative Measures 



THE poverty of the people of the United Kingdom ^ Dre^d 

 is as widespread as it is phenomenal; it presents Haunting 



Shape 



one of the most difficult social problems to the Govern- 

 ment of the day ; its solution puzzles and confounds all 

 sections of the great political parties, and it affords so 

 extensive a scope for charitable effort that philanthro- 

 pists have begun to despair of ever being able to grapple 

 with it effectually. 



It has become so rampant as to be almost aggressive, 

 and being for ever with us it has assumed a dread haunt- 

 ing shape that overshadows the legislature and frightens 

 and appals the people. 



Many an Act has been passed by Parliament, and 

 many a relief measure undertaken by the multitude of 

 small municipal authorities throughout the country, 

 with the object of improving a position of affairs which 

 to-day is admittedly as bad as, or even worse than, it was 

 five, ten or twenty years ago, but it is clear that all 

 Parliamentary and Municipal effort has been in vain, 

 and that vast sums of public money have been thrown 

 away on measures which have not proved even pallia- 

 tive. 



I 



