STATE AID FOR AGRICULTURE 197 

 If, then, we find a little aid in this direction or that 

 necessary to help on this industry, let us afford it that 

 aid, and do not let us be deterred by so shallow, narrow 

 and selfish a consideration as that put forward by Mr 

 Harcourt on behalf of the present Government. 



British tax-payers would much prefer to see their 

 millions spent in helping on our great land industry, 

 which, properly developed and judiciously administered, 

 would regenerate the country, rather than see them 

 squandered in creating poverty, encouraging pauperism, 

 and maintaining 61,000 police and a huge costly criminal 

 department, to deal with the results of pauperisation. Go, 

 ask them which they prefer, nay, make it a " question " 

 at the next General Election, and it will be found that 

 they will vote solid for the former course. No man in his 

 senses prefers poverty to prosperity, and every tax- 

 payer in the country would gladly support a scheme of 

 the kind. And this is certain, that any Government 

 which goes to the country on this ticket — among others 

 of a kindred nature — will surely play a trump card. The 

 country is so sick of poverty, the unemployed question, 

 pauperism and the rest of it, that it would gladly hail a 

 change. 



Tax-payers, moreover, bear the heavy burden of taxa- 

 tion which all this involves with complete conscious- 

 ness that it is borne in vain ; and the Government which 

 shows them how this burden may be carried with ease 

 and comfort, or at all events, with some satisfaction to 

 themselves, or how it may, in time, be considerably 

 lightened, will command this important body of electors 

 to a man. 



