CHAPTER 11 



Remedies Suggested 



The present condition of British Agriculture having, 

 as aheady observed, been condemned by common judgment, 

 and a determination having been unanimously expressed 

 that something better should be put in its place, as a matter 

 of course appropriate remedies have been sought after in 

 diverse quarters and a variety of suggestions have been 

 placed before the public. 



Diverse as these suggestions are, there is one common 

 feature running through them all, which one cannot help 

 noticing with regret. Agriculture, so it appears to be 

 assumed, is no longer able to help itself by its own force. 

 Some one else is to step in to do the job for it. The public 

 must be taxed to make it produce — not better, nor more, 

 but at a dearer price. Agriculture in fact appears to have 

 lost all confidence in itself. Agriculture, which raised itself 

 to at the time unheard-of greatness by means of its 

 own efforts, which triumphed over all hindrances, reaching 

 its " golden age " under the very withdrawal of outside 

 aid, rising — to the admiration of its neighbours — more 

 prosperous out of the ruins of a discarded policy of having 

 things done for it, is henceforth to return for its well-being 

 to its reliance upon the assistance of others and to attain 

 supposed prosperity by being enabled to sell its produce 

 above its market value, taking alms from its customers. Agri- 

 culturists appear to have lost all confidence in themselves. 

 Whether by Protection, or by spoon-feeding with money, 

 or otherwise — there are a variety of proposals — at all points 

 it is some one else who is expected to step in to bring 



