334 LAND REFORM 



the minds of the poorer classes, are as artful as they 

 are truthless, serving only to obscure the issue, and 

 reflecting but small credit on the educated men who 

 use them. 



But in political contests statements, however untrue, 

 if backed by a taking " cry," are apt, by continual 

 repetition, to gain widespread credence until the facts 

 are known. 



Now we purpose to show — First, that, whatever 

 benefits may have resulted from the policy of free 

 imports, cheaper food was not one of them ; secondly, 

 that the distress which existed sixty years and more 

 ago, was not caused by dearness of food ; and lastly, 

 that the relief of that distress was brought about by 

 causes other than free imports. 



Statistics show what many of the labouring class 

 and others, who are old enough, can by personal 

 experience confirm, that during the early forties of 

 last century, when distress was so acute, most of the 

 necessary articles of living were cheaper throughout 

 the rural districts than they were after the repeal of 

 the Corn Laws or than they are at the present time. 

 Tea, sugar, rice, and certain other groceries were 

 certainly dearer ; but meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables 

 of all kinds, and other necessaries, including rent and 

 fuel, were much lower in price. Butter was from 6d. 

 to 9d. per lb., and fowls is. to is. 3d. each. Eggs 

 were twenty, often thirty, for a shilling, and were 

 regularly eaten as a cheap food by the rural labouring 

 class. 



Most important of all, milk, the best of food, was 

 very cheap, and easily obtained by the labouring 

 classes. In most poor families where, through want 



