Land Problems and National Welfare 



food will disappear as the labourers themselves 

 more and more become producers. And farmers 

 will not cavil at the rate of wages if a really- 

 capable race of workers can be turned out by a 

 more practical education and improved con- 

 ditions, particularly if the pursuit of agriculture 

 can be made more remunerative to the average 

 farmer by the scientific organising of the in- 

 dustry. 



Taking things just as they are, the attitude of 

 the labourers towards the price of foodstuffs 

 would be much affected if they would combine — 

 for example, if they would run co-operative mills 

 and bakehouses. The wheat would be bought 

 wholesale from the farmers and the tariff of 

 the middlemen saved, and there would be the 

 offal to divide amongst the members. 



This is a suggestion that was made to me by 

 a labouring man, and I believe that it could 

 be carried out in many districts. This man 

 further maintained that, as bread is the chief 

 item of food for the labourer's family, this would 

 mean a saving of 20 or 30% in the yearly food 

 bill, taking wheat at 35s. a quarter as the basis. 



Landowners also could do a great deal more 

 than now to make the labourers realise the part 

 they might and should play in the general 

 advance of agriculture. There is no doubt 

 that the practice, which obtains on some 

 estates, of the landowner retaining possession 



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