COBDBNISM. 63 



of to-Jay show that wheat during last year stood on an 

 average at 20s. 9d. per quarter, whilst it has not ai'er- 

 O'jed as high as .'fOs. for the last 20 or 30 years. 



(24). " Less wages are paid upon dairy farms." 



Note. — Dairy farming has increased enormously in 

 this country since Cobdcn's tiinc; whilst arable farming 

 has gone quite the other leay about. 



(25). " Farmers are iu no way responsible for 

 low wages." | 



Note. — We hope this admittance by Cobden- will he \ 

 borne in mind by those speaking in rural districts or by 

 those who write on the question of tariff reform. 



(26). *' If a Committee is appointed, as I desire, 

 to enquire into the question, evidejice may be 

 obtained which Avill go far to help the landlords 

 out of their diflieulty, viz., the means of giving 

 employment to the people. The great want is 

 employment." 



Note. — "'e edways said that there was an orer-sxipply 

 of labour in the rured di^dricts at and before Cobdcn's 

 time which kept down the xragcs of the labourers. To- 

 day the reverse holds good. 



(27). " How should v, e mauuiacturers get on if 

 we got a pattern (a specimen of the productions of 

 a rival manufacturer), and if we brought all our 

 people together and then said, ' It is quite clear 

 that Ave cannot compete with this foreigner; it 

 is quite useless attempting to compete with Ger- 

 many or America ; why we could not produce the 

 goods at the price they do.' But how do we 

 manufacturers act in reality? We call our mei 

 together and say, ' So-and-so is producing goods at 

 such a price, but we are Englishmen, and what 



