324 LAND REFORM 



Another suggestion, known as " private storage," is 

 of a more reasonable kind, and is looked upon with 

 favour by a large number of persons. The scheme 

 is to make grants of public money to farmers to enable 

 them to keep wheat in the stack for a considerable 

 time, so that any contingency that might arise would 

 find us with a good stock on hand. 



Perhaps the most practical plan for private storage 

 Is that proposed by Sir R. P. Cooper.^ 



Sir Richard Cooper, besides being one of the largest 

 manufacturers in the kingdom, is a large owner of 

 land both at home and abroad, and has close connec- 

 tions with all the corn-growing countries in the world. 

 The question of food supply in time of war, he says, 

 "is one of vital importance to every Briton, and 

 cannot be over-rated, for our very existence as a 

 Nation, and our continuance as an Empire, may depend 

 upon it." 



The scheme he proposes, shortly stated, is to put 

 a small duty on all imported grain, 2s, per quarter 

 on colonial, 4s. on foreign, and to place a duty of 4s. 

 on colonial flour and 8s. on foreign. 



The proceeds of these duties are to be given to the 

 British farmer who grows wheat, and keeps it in 

 stacks for certain periods. The following scale is sug- 

 gested : if kept in stack till Christmas, 4s. per quarter; 

 if till Lady Day, 6s. ; and if till Midsummer, 8s. Sir 

 Richard argues, with great force, that these sums 

 would come out of the pockets of those who supply us 



vessels, more than mere boats," employed in going backwards and for- 

 wards bringing over British corn (to the Rhine), thus proving the extent 

 of British agriculture." " The English Village Community," Seebohm. 



^ " Paper read before the Staffordshire Chamber of Agriculture," by 

 R. P. Cooper, Shenstone Court, Lichfield, 30 January, 1904. 



