FISCAL POLICY AND AGRICULTURE 361 



idols. It is being found out that, even where trade is 

 not actually lessening, the profits are reduced almost 

 to a vanishing point, and that unconditional free im- 

 ports are having the same ruinous effect on trade as 

 they have had on agriculture. The great "pocket" 

 interest, so potent during the Corn Law agitation, is 

 again becoming a moving force, but in an opposite 

 direction. 



It cannot be denied that there is ample cause for 

 this unrest among those of the manufacturing classes 

 who are looking into the subject. The home market 

 is a steady one, but the foreign market, from its 

 nature, must be subject to great fluctuations. Now 

 and again there is a great wave of prosperity, and new 

 factories are built and nev/ plant put down to meet the 

 increased demand ; but the ebb-tide surely comes, and 

 the result is that the capitalists have added largely to 

 their wealth during the "boom," but the industrial 

 workers are left stranded. The only scientific way of 

 getting at the facts of the situation is to trace the 

 course of trade and commerce through a number of 

 years. The statistics given in the different censuses 

 are a safe guide, and an analysis of these statistics 

 shows clearly the way our national affairs are tending. 



The commercial classes have largely increased dur- 

 ing the last three decades of years, Bankers, mer- 

 chants, agents, insurance companies, clerks, brokers, 

 and other handlers of products, and dealers in wealth, 

 have been largely and steadily growing in numbers. 

 In house-buildino- and all the trades connected with it 



o 



a similar extension is shown. The numbers of those 

 employed in providing for the wants of the well-to-do 

 also show a great increase. The workers in precious 

 metals, jewels, and other articles of luxury, have enor- 



