THE FREE TRADE SHAM EXPOSED 185 



professes to be the avowed champion of what is, by 

 misnomer, called Free Trade — Verb. Sap.\ 



With these instances before us, is it not true that in Liberal 



Principles 



spite of their free trade professions, Liberal Govern- 

 ments are quite as ready to sacrifice their principles to 

 their pockets, the moment they want money, as their 

 political opponents are? 



Is it not true that despite their much vaunted cry of 

 free trade, and their declared behef in its principle, 

 they can no more help taxing the food of the people than 

 they can hinder the return of the equinoxes? 



Is it not true that the whole business is an unmiti- 

 gated farce ; that free trade is nothing but a sham and a 

 gigantic fraud, and that those who profess it cannot up- 

 hold their professions of faith because their acts belie 

 their principles? 



Is it not true that, for these reasons, those who profess 

 belief in free trade must be the veriest humbugs among 

 men, and that free trade itself is doomed to destruc- 

 tion? 



Let us now proceed to the welcome task of building up 

 out of the shattered fragments of destroyed industries 

 and exploded fiscal systems, some intelligible scheme 

 which shall give back to the people that measure of pros- 

 perity which it is their absolute right to enjoy. Let us 

 confess in a frank, manly manner, that we have been 

 regularly humbugged, and that, in sacrificing our great 

 land industry and beheving in " free trade " nonsense, 

 we have, while adding to the individual wealth of a 

 certain small section of the community, seriously im- 

 peded the growth of national prosperity, caused wide- 



