128 



REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSION 



To understand the importance of these exemptions from the 

 tariff, we need only note the amount of the annual imports for 

 1903 of five principal articles, part of which may be re-exported : — 



Meat, provisions, etc. . 

 Grain, unground . 



„ ground . 



„ manufactures of 

 Feeding stuflf 



£1,974,444 



3,082,222 



450,556 



176,111 



3,115,000 



Thus, as the farmer's whole energies are bent upon the turning 

 out of butter, eggs, and bacon for the foreign buyer, the soil being 

 cropped to that end, it is part of the State policy that he shall 

 have cheap imported commodities for his own consumption, and 

 cheap imported feeding stuffs for his animals. Denmark recognises 

 that for profitable selling in Britain and elsewhere there nmst be 

 unrestricted admission of the primary requisites not produced in 

 quantity by herself 



A fact of equal importance in its relation to the export trade 

 is the State ownership of the railways. Denmark has a monopoly 

 of 1112 miles of track, constructed by the State at a cost of 

 £10,000,000, and a control over 800 miles more. What appears 

 the moment we look at the finances of Denmark is that the State 

 railways are not rigidly treated as profit-earning institutions. 

 There is a natural desire that the Budget should show a profit 

 rather than a loss ; but as soon as the profit becomes a substantial 

 looking one, though it may not be the equivalent of 2 per cent., 

 the farmer party begins to agitate for a reduction of rates. This 

 actually happened in 1897, when the demand of the agriculturists 

 that the profit should be returned to the people had a success. 

 Since then the railway revenue account has been as follows : — 



Returns from State Railvtays. 



The falling of profit to a trifling sum in 1900-01 and the actual 



