Political Economy and the Land 



throughout the country is to win back for agri- 

 culture that ;f 1,500,000,000 of capital taken from 

 it. 



There is one point in connection with the 

 taxation of foodstuffs which Free Traders should 

 bear in mind, and that is, that the great Fathers 

 of political economy all admit that it may at times 

 be necessary to protect an infant industry. And 

 I would here make the most of this admission, 

 because — I say it in all seriousness — agriculture, 

 reformed as we would see it, must be classed as 

 an infant industry and must be protected against 

 the adult and vigorous growth of organised 

 agriculture on the continent. 



Once more, Tariff Reform by itself cannot 

 solve the problem of the land, but it must be 

 the starting point for other reforms ; it must 

 furnish the sinews of war — money. A certain 

 definite proportion of the receipts from the food 

 taxes ought to be ear-marked for the develop- 

 ment of agriculture — for education, banks, co- 

 operation, transport. 



I firmly believe that a tariff on foodstuffs, 

 coupled with a diminution of the tariff of the 

 middleman and with improved conditions of 

 marketing, will not raise the cost of living ; but 

 even if it did the agricultural industry is so 

 essential to the nation that it must be made to 

 flourish, and money spent to this end will be 

 well spent. The great cities that are always 



227 



