194 THE MURDER OF AGRICULTURE 



In regard to the claims of tariff reformers for less 

 taxation, what will surely happen is this. General in- 

 crease in the prosperity of the people will have precisely 

 the same effect as it had in Germany ; it will give Govern- 

 ments an enormously extended taxable area, over which 

 they will be able to spread their imposts with a lighter 

 incidence, and this will surely mean less taxation per 

 head, although larger revenues for Government. 



As this is no dream of a hare-brained visionary, but 

 the hard dry facts of a scientific law, we may now indulge 

 in some speculations as to what had best be done with 

 the extra millions which the State is sure to gamer from 

 the prosperity of a people. 

 NutstKiU There can be no question that, so far as it is necessary, 

 it should be applied to the encouragement and relief of 

 agriculture, for the many reasons which have already 

 been given in these pages. But for the sake of conveni- 

 ence let us get these facts together in a nutshell. They 

 are us under : 



1. Without the great land industry it is seen that 

 trades, manufactures and professions alone cannot sup- 

 port and employ the entire working population of the 

 country. 



2. Without any other State aid than the amendment 

 of our fiscal system, the State encouragement of general 

 agriculture, and co-operation with other industries, 

 trades and manufactures can maintain themselves in a 

 state of active and progressive prosperity. 



3. A system of general agriculture wiU absorb so large 

 a portion of our working population that an equilibrium 

 will be set up between the supply and demand of labour. 



