CHAPTER lY. 

 C0J3DEXISM (Continued). 



Typical Cobdexite Aeguments. 



It is curious that men, otherwise well informed, 

 should refer to our present fiscal system as one 

 of " Free " Trade. 



For instance, Mr. G. Armitage-Smith, M.A., 

 in the latest edition of his hook — "The Free 

 Trade Movement and its Ecsults,'" which is dated 

 1903— says that Jiis study and experience " only 

 more deeply convince him that a free-trade policy 

 is essential to the well-being; of this country"; 

 these remarks folknving a paragraph in which 

 reference is made to the origin of the movement 

 connected Avith ILr. Chamberlain's name. It 

 would puzzle Mr. Armitage-Smith. or anyone 

 else, to show that free trade, as we know it, is 

 what Cobden meant; whilst it is not, of course, 

 free trade in fact. 



The same gentleman, in his volume, has a 

 chapter devoted to " British Agriculture and 

 Free Trade " ; and, if we deal v.'ith this writer at 

 all, it is simply because we have found him, in 

 argument, a typical Cobdenite. The chapter, 

 however, in question is out of date in part, and 

 shows a sad and lamentable want of knowledge 



