TARIFFS AND THE PRICE OF BREAD 87 

 politicians cast about them, at once saw that England 

 is not the only commercial and industrial country in the 

 world; that trade opens the eyes and develops the un- 

 derstanding, and that, despite our commercial pride and 

 industrial arrogance, we can learn many a useful lesson 

 from our trade rivals across the water. 



We regard the Report of such importance, that if we 

 were rich enough we would have millions of copies 

 printed, so that every worker in the Kingdom might have 

 a copy gratis. It is a pity its sale price is 2s., and not 2d. 



The question we now have to answer is this : 



What are we to do with the Report of the Gains- 

 borough Commission? 



Are we to put it aside as of no moment, or are we to 

 give it a prominent place in our consideration and use it 

 to our profit and advantage? 



Here we have a number of British workmen who, be- 

 fore they went to Germany, were as full of insular preju- 

 dice in respect to the socio-economic conditions under 

 which they live in this country, as are the general body 

 of their confreres from whom they were elected, telling 

 us of marvellous facts and supplying us with a number 

 of eye-openers : 



"... We have been forced to face the fact that it has 

 been during the period following upon the introduction of 

 protection duties by Prince Bismarck in 1879, that Ger- 

 many has ceased to be poor and has become well-to-do; thai 

 her workpeople have received a large increase in wages, 

 that the general social condition of the latter has improved, 

 that Germany's industry has developed, that she has sue- 



