6-2 AGRICULTURE AND TARIFF REFORM. 



to ilie Census, the number of " farmers, 

 labourers, &c.," in England and Wales occupied 

 in agriculture in 1851 was 1,904,087, and in 1901, 

 988,340. It is true that the author refers to the 

 United Kingdom, but it is pretty certain in our 

 mind that there were not 3-^ millions and 

 2| millions of agricultural " labourers " at the 

 dates he mentions, respectively. But, even if 

 there were, it would rather assist the case of tariff 

 reformers than otherwise. 



" The repeal of the Corn Laws," we are gravely 

 told, " did not operate injuriously to agriculture." 

 The statement is not founded on fact; every- 

 one knows that in spite of improved machinery — 

 which enables more work to be accomplished in 

 a much less time than by hand — and in spite of 

 pedigree seed, and improved live stock of all 

 descriptions, the main cause of farmers being so 

 badly off to-day is the lower prices they have 

 received owing to unfair foreign competition. 

 Almost in the same breath, however, the author 

 assures us that " agricultural imports increased " 

 up to the seventies, and that '"' demand kept 

 pace"; whilst, "excepting corn and wool, prices 

 did not fall materially for some years " — which 

 is just what we say, namely, that owing to the 

 low prices realised for arable produce farmers 

 have neither been able to make fair profits nor to 

 employ a fair amount of labour, whilst these low 

 prices themselves are in their turn due to foreign 

 imports. 



We are informed that it was from about 1879, 



